This document discusses different structures for comparison in English: comparative, superlative, and as...as. It begins by defining each structure and providing examples. For the comparative and superlative, it explains how to form them based on the number of syllables in the adjective. Irregular adjectives that do not follow typical rules are also noted. The document then provides exercises for learners to practice forming comparisons. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of remembering the structures to use them correctly.

1. Tecnológico Nacional de Mexico
Comparisons

2. Identify the structures of the comparative, superlative and the
structure as...as… so we can show some differences and
similarities when speaking or describing people, things, animals or
situations.
Goals

3. Contents:
I. Introduction
II. Comparative
III.Superlative
IV.As...as…
V. Exceptions to the rules and changes
VI.Detailed exercises
VII.Conclusion
VIII.References

4. Today, we will go deeply into the subject of the
comparisons. We have to be aware that there are three different
ways to compare but each is based on the use of adjectives: the
comparative, the superlative and the structure “as...as…”. These
three components help us communicate and give us a wider
range on talking about things, people, situations and many more.
One of the keys to create comparatives or superlatives is to take
into consideration the amount of syllables in each adjective we are
going to use. We will be looking at each per separate and we will
end with some detailed explained exercises.
I. Introduction

5. 2.1. Definition :
The comparative is a way to describe nouns with each
other. We can compare two things using different adjectives. For
example; If you want to compare your brother to your best friend
using the adjective TALL = My brother is taller than my best friend.
2.2. Structure
Subject + verb + COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVE + THAN + Complements
II. Comparative

6. Syllables Structure Examples
1 add -er at the
end of the
adjective
nice--- nicer
She is nicer than my sister, i like
her.
2 add -er at the
end of the
adjective
pretty --- prettier
My grandmother is prettier than
my aunt.
3+ more + adjective
+ than
Beautiful --- more beautiful than
I am more beautiful than my
stepmom.

7. 3.1. Definition
We use the superlative when we want to show that one
“noun” (thing, person, animal or situation) is better or worse than
another.
SMART
Ex: The girl is the smartest of the classroom.
3.2. Structure
GIRL CLASSROOM
Subject + verb + THE + SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVE + Complements
III. Superlative

8. Syllables Structure Examples
1 The + add - est at the
end of the adjective
smart ---- the smartest
She is the smartest girl in
the classroom
2 The + add - est at the
end of the adjective
pretty --- the prettiest
It is the prettiest flower in
the garden.
3+ The + most + adjective beautiful --- my mother is
the most beautiful of all.

9. 4.1. Definition
We use the structure “as...as…” when we want to show
similarities between “nouns” (people, things, animal, situations).
For example: your brother and your father have the same height.
= My brother is as tall as my father.
IV. The structure as...as...

10. Subject + verb + AS + ADJECTIVE + AS + Complement
Syllables Structure Example
No rules for the
syllables
as + basic adjective
+ as
She is as pretty as me.
It is as dirty as the other table.
This game is as exciting as Mario Bros.
4.2. Structure

11. 5.1. Comparatives and superlatives
Some adjectives have a specific change and others do
not change at all because they are irregular adjectives. We
have to be able to recognise the irregular verb and the verbs
that suffer a change during the transformation from an
adjective to a comparative.
V. Exceptions to the rule and changes

12. Adjective Changes that
happens
Examples
Adjective that end
with “y”
the “y” changes into “i” pretty : prettier ---- prettiest
angry : angier ---- angiest
lazy : lazier ----- laziest
Adjective that have
the following
structure consonant,
vowel, consonant
we double the
consonant of the
adjective -- dd, tt, gg
big : bigger --- biggest
sad: sadder ---- saddest
thin : thinner ---- thinnest
irregular adjectives no rules for the
irregular adjectives
bad: worse than ---- the worst
good : better than ----- the best
little : less than ------ the least
much : more than ----- the most

13. V. Detailed exercises
5.1. Comparative exercises:
1. Snakes are ............................. (fast) snails.
2. London is ............................ (big) Madrid.
3. Snails are ........................... (slow) snakes.
4. My literature book is .................................. (difficult) my English
book.
5. Lord of the Rings is .....................................(interesting) Mission
Impossible.
FASTER THAN
BIGGER THAN
SLOWER THAN
MORE DIFFICULT THAN
MORE INTERESTING THAN

14. Detailed exercises
5.1. Superlative exercises:
1. London is ...................................... (pretty) city in England.
2. Cheetahs are ...................... (fast) animals in the world.
3. Whales are ........................... (big) animals.
4. San Francisco is ...............................(beautiful) city in the
United States.
5. Summer is ...............................(good) season of the year.
THE PRETTIEST
THE FASTEST
THE BIGGEST
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
THE BEST

15. Detailed exercises
5.3. Mixed exercises (comparative, superlative and as...as…)
a. These trousers are _________________(comfortable) than
those jeans. (Explicación: Lo primero que debemos hacer en el ejercicio es identificar la palabra clave.
En este caso es THAN por ende sabemos que debemos utilizar el comparativo. Luego debemos contar la
cantidad de sílabas en el adjetivo: COMFORTABLE --com-for-ta-ble, aquí tenemos 4 sílabas por ende
utilizaremos la estructura MORE + ADJECTIVE+ THAN).
MORE COMFORTABLE

16. c. You are the _______________________ (pretty) girl in class.
(Explicación: En este ejercicio debemos primero encontrar la palabra clave, aquí es THE, sabemos que el
superlativo se utiliza con THE. Luego debemos contar la cantidad de sílabas en el adjetivo PRETTY--- pret - ty
son 2 sílabas por ende la estructura será THE + ADJECTIVE - EST. También nos damos cuenta que el adjetivo
termina con una “y” por ende también tendremos que hacer una transformación en el adjetivo, pasar la “y” a una
“i”.)
d. My grandma is _______________(old) as my grandpa.
(Explicación: Debemos buscar la palabra clave que en este caso es AS por ende sabemos que vamos a hablar
de similitudes. Recordemos que para las similitudes no tenemos reglas ni cambios en el adjetivo, la estructura
es AS + BASIC ADJECTIVE + AS.)
PRETTIEST
AS OLD

17. VII. Conclusion
To conclude this lesson, we need to remember that we
have three main ways of comparing nouns and that the more
we remember the structure of each the easier it will be for us
to use them correctly.
VIII. References
- Traveller Level B1+,H.Q. Mitchell, MM Publications
- https://www.ef.com/wwen/english-resources/english-
grammar/comparative-and-superlative/

18. Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores
de Cuautitlán Izcalli
(TESCI)