Comparatives
BasicShort adjectives add -er; long ones use more.
- Short words add er: taller, bigger, happier.
- Long words add more: more beautiful, more expensive.
- Irregulars: good→better, bad→worse.
文體小知識：More than, -er than, as...as.
§Text Passage
1My old school was small, but my new school is much bigger. My old classroom was smaller, too. The library here is brighter and more beautiful than the old one. At first, I was nervous because my old school was like a small family, and I knew everyone by name. I studied there for five happy years.
2But my new classmates are as friendly as my old friends. They showed me around and taught me the school song. Ken runs faster than anyone else in our class, so he is the best runner in the school team. I am better at maths now because my new teacher explains things clearly. The food in the new canteen is tastier than before.
3My little sister thinks our new flat is more comfortable than the old one, but she still misses our old neighbours. Change is not always easy, but things can get better and better. I know my new school is busier than my old one, so I try to speak more English every day. Last week, I even made two new friends. I believe my new school life will be the best.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
My old school was small, but my new school is much bigger.
我的舊學校很小，但新學校大得多。
My old classroom was smaller, too.
舊課室也比較小。
The library here is brighter and more beautiful than the old one.
這裡的圖書館比舊的那間更明亮、更美麗。
At first, I was nervous because my old school was like a small family, and I knew everyone by name.
起初我很緊張，因為舊學校好像一個小家庭，人人都叫得出名。
I studied there for five happy years.
我在那裡度過了五年快樂的時光。
But my new classmates are as friendly as my old friends.
但我的新同學同舊朋友一樣友善。
They showed me around and taught me the school song.
他們帶我四處參觀，還教我唱校歌。
Ken runs faster than anyone else in our class, so he is the best runner in the school team.
Ken 跑得比班上任何人都快，所以他是校隊最好的跑手。
I am better at maths now because my new teacher explains things clearly.
我現在數學更好了，因為新老師講解得清楚。
The food in the new canteen is tastier than before.
新飯堂的食物比以前美味。
My little sister thinks our new flat is more comfortable than the old one, but she still misses our old neighbours.
妹妹覺得新家比舊家舒服，但她還是很掛念舊鄰居。
Change is not always easy, but things can get better and better.
改變不一定容易，但事情會越變越好。
I know my new school is busier than my old one, so I try to speak more English every day.
我知道新學校比舊學校忙，所以我每天都試着多說英文。
Last week, I even made two new friends.
上星期，我還認識了兩個新朋友。
I believe my new school life will be the best.
我相信新學校生活一定會是最好的。
1Summary 重點摘要
Short adjectives add -er; long ones use more.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Big → bigger.
Small → smaller.
Fast → faster.
Beautiful → more beautiful.
Compared to.
Equal.
Top.
Good → better.
3Step by step Steps
- ShortShort adjectives of one syllable add er: tall becomes taller, old becomes older. Example: Tom is taller than Peter. In stressed closed syllables, double the final consonant: big becomes bigger and hot becomes hotter.
- LongLong adjectives of two or more syllables take more: more beautiful, more expensive, more careful. Example: This bag is more expensive than that one. The adjective stays in its base form after more; more beautifuller is wrong.
- IrregularIrregular comparatives must be learned by heart: good becomes better, bad becomes worse, far becomes farther. Example: His marks are better than mine. These words appear all the time, so make word cards and revise a few every day.
- StructureThe basic pattern is A is comparative than B. Example: My new school is bigger than my old school. Keep the two sides of than balanced: compare schools with schools and people with people.
- Irregular comparativesQuantity words are irregular too: many and much become more, little becomes less. Example: I have more books than my brother. More works with countable and uncountable nouns, while less fits only uncountable nouns, as in less water.
- Equal comparisons with as... asTo show two things are equal, use as plus the adjective plus as. Example: My new school is as big as the old one. The negative not as... as means less than, as in My bag is not as heavy as yours; always use the base form inside.
5Worked example Example
Question: How do we compare our new school with the old one? Use short and long adjectives, irregular forms and the as... as pattern.
- Step 1: Short adjectives add er — My new school is bigger than my old school. Big doubles the g before er.
- Step 2: Watch the spelling rules — happy becomes happier (y to ier), hot becomes hotter (double the t).
- Step 3: Long adjectives take more — The library is more beautiful than the old one. Beautiful is long, so use more, never er.
- Step 4: Irregular forms — The canteen food is better than before. The comparative of good is better and must be memorized.
- Step 5: Equal degree with as... as — The playground is as big as the old one. The base form big sits between the two as words.
- Answer: Sample answer: My new school is bigger than my old school, and the library is more beautiful. The food here is better, and the playground is as big as the old one. One paragraph covers er, more, an irregular form and as... as, so the comparison is complete.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Short adjective?
Q2Long adjective?
Q3Comparative of good?
Q4Correct?
Q5Use of as...as?
Q6Comparative of big?
8Recap Recap
- Short words add er: taller, bigger, happier.
- Long words add more: more beautiful, more expensive.
- Irregulars: good→better, bad→worse.
- Comparison pattern: A is comparative than B.
- Equal comparison: as + adjective + as — as big as.