Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparatives and Superlatives

Forming regular comparatives and superlatives

1. We use comparatives to compare two things or two people. (e.g She is taller than her husband.)
2. Superlatives are used, however, to compare to show the difference between more than two things or more than two people. (e.g Paris is the biggest city in France)
3. To form comparatives and superlatives you need to know the number of syllables in the adjective. Syllables are like "sound beats".

For instance:

• "find" contains one syllable,
• but "finding" contains two — find and ing.

The rules to form comparatives and superlatives:

1. One syllable adjective ending in a silent 'e' — nice

• Comparative — add 'r' — nicer
• Superlative — add 'st' — nicest

2. One syllable adjective ending in one vowel and one consonant — big

• Comparative — the consonant is doubled and 'er' is added —bigger
• Superlative — the consonant is doubled and 'est' is added—biggest

3. One syllable adjective ending in more than one consonant or more than a vowel — high, cheap

• Comparative — 'er' is added — higher, cheaper
• Superlative — 'est is added — highest, cheapest

4. A two syllable adjective ending in 'y' — happy

• Comparative — 'y' becomes 'i' and 'er' is added — happier
• Superlative — 'y' becomes 'i' and 'est' is added — happiest

5. Tow syllable or more adjectives without 'y' at the end — exciting

• Comparative — more + the adjective + than — more exciting than
• Superlative — more + the adjective + than — the most exciting 

Examples:

• The Nile River is longer and more famous than the Thames.
• Egypt is much hotter than Sweden.
• Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
• This is one of the most exciting films I have ever seen.

Peter (6 years old)	Charley (5 months old)
Peter is older than Charley. Charley is younger than Peter.

Irregular comparatives and superlatives

Adjectives	Comparatives	Superlatives
bad	worse	worst
far(distance)	farther	farthest
far(extent)	further	furthest
good	better	best
little	less	least
many	more	most
much	more	most

How to use comparatives and superlatives

Comparatives	Superlatives
Comparatives are used to compare two things or two people: Alan is taller than John.	Superlatives are used to compare more than two things or two people. Superlative sentences usually use 'the': Alan is the most intelligent.

Similarities

To express similarities use the following structure:

... as + adjective + as ...

Examples:

• Mike is as intelligent as Nancy.
• Larry is as popular as Oprah.

 Taken from: http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-lesson-comparatives-superlatives.php

Present Perfect vs Simple Past

Simple Past – Present Perfect Simple

Taken from:https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-preper

Simple Past	Present Perfect Simple
irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs Example: I spoke	irregular verbs: form of 'have' + 3rd column of irregular verbs Example: I / you / we / they have spoken he / she / it has spoken
regular verbs: infinitive + ed Example: I worked	regular verbs: form of 'have' + infinitive + ed Example: I / you / we / they have worked he / she / it has worked
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 'ed': when the final letter is e, only add d Example: love - loved after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled Example: admit - admitted final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English) Example: travel - travelled after a consonant, final y becomes i (but: not after a vowel) Example: worry - worried but: play - played

Present Perfect

FORM

[has/have + past participle]

Examples:

• You have seen that movie many times.
• Have you seen that movie many times?
• You have not seen that movie many times.

• USE 1 Unspecified Time Before Now
• 
  We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.
  Examples:
  

  • I have seen that movie twenty times.
  • I think I have met him once before.
  • There have been many earthquakes in California.
  • People have traveled to the Moon.
  • People have not traveled to Mars.
  • Have you read the book yet?
  • Nobody has ever climbed that mountain.
  • A: Has there ever been a war in the United States?
    B: Yes, there has been a war in the United States.

  How Do You Actually Use the Present Perfect?

• The concept of "unspecified time" can be very confusing to English learners. It is best to associate Present Perfect with the following topics:

  TOPIC 1 Experience

  You can use the Present Perfect to describe your experience. It is like saying, "I have the experience of..." You can also use this tense to say that you have never had a certain experience. The Present Perfect is NOT used to describe a specific event.

  Examples:
  

  • I have been to France.
    This sentence means that you have had the experience of being in France. Maybe you have been there once, or several times.
  • I have been to France three times.
    You can add the number of times at the end of the sentence.
  • I have never been to France.
    This sentence means that you have not had the experience of going to France.
  • I think I have seen that movie before.
  • He has never traveled by train.
  • Joan has studied two foreign languages.
  • A: Have you ever met him?
    B: No, I have not met him.

  TOPIC 2 Change Over Time

  We often use the Present Perfect to talk about change that has happened over a period of time.

  Examples:
  

  • You have grown since the last time I saw you.
  • The government has become more interested in arts education.
  • Japanese has become one of the most popular courses at the university since the Asian studies program was established.
  • My English has really improved since I moved to Australia.

  TOPIC 3 Accomplishments

  We often use the Present Perfect to list the accomplishments of individuals and humanity. You cannot mention a specific time.

  Examples:
  

  • Man has walked on the Moon.
  • Our son has learned how to read.
  • Doctors have cured many deadly diseases.
  • Scientists have split the atom.

  TOPIC 4 An Uncompleted Action You Are Expecting

  We often use the Present Perfect to say that an action which we expected has not happened. Using the Present Perfect suggests that we are still waiting for the action to happen.

  Examples:
  

  • James has not finished his homework yet.
  • Susan hasn't mastered Japanese, but she can communicate.
  • Bill has still not arrived.
  • The rain hasn't stopped.

  TOPIC 5 Multiple Actions at Different Times

  We also use the Present Perfect to talk about several different actions which have occurred in the past at different times. Present Perfect suggests the process is not complete and more actions are possible.

  Examples:
  

  • The army has attacked that city five times.
  • I have had four quizzes and five tests so far this semester.
  • We have had many major problems while working on this project.
  • She has talked to several specialists about her problem, but nobody knows why she is sick.

  Time Expressions with Present Perfect

  When we use the Present Perfect it means that something has happened at some point in our lives before now. Remember, the exact time the action happened is not important.

  

  Sometimes, we want to limit the time we are looking in for an experience. We can do this with expressions such as: in the last week, in the last year, this week, this month, so far, up to now, etc.

  

  Examples:
  

  • Have you been to Mexico in the last year?
  • I have seen that movie six times in the last month.
  • They have had three tests in the last week.
  • She graduated from university less than three years ago. She has worked for three different companies so far.
  • My car has broken down three times this week.

  NOTICE

  "Last year" and "in the last year" are very different in meaning. "Last year" means the year before now, and it is considered a specific time which requires Simple Past. "In the last year" means from 365 days ago until now. It is not considered a specific time, so it requires Present Perfect.

  Examples:
  

  • I went to Mexico last year.
    I went to Mexico in the calendar year before this one.
  • I have been to Mexico in the last year.
    I have been to Mexico at least once at some point between 365 days ago and now.

  
  
• Taken from: http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentperfect.html

Presentations

Hello guys
Tomorrow September 22nd we will start with the oral presentations in groups. Please be ready.

Classwork Guide (Tuesday and Thursday, September 15th and 17th)

After posting your homework (written task) this is what you should do in today's class with your partners. (start on Tuesday and finish it on Thursday)

1. Get together to plan, prepare and organize the presentations. (be going to, present continuous, will, won't, review of tenses) 

2. Make photocopies of your notebook pages 13 to 21 to review unit 2.

3. Complete the activities of "GLEE" final pages of the story book and get prepared for the round table on Friday, September 18th /15

4. Do not forget to bring for Friday 18th cardboard, markers and chocolates for the Love and Friendship sharing.

Written Task

Look at the picture and create a story. No more than ten lines, including verb phrases, past tense and linking words. Hands on work!

LINKING WORDS (So, because, but, although)

Because – So

Use because to express a reason.
Examples:
I was driving fast at the noon because I was in a hurry.
I spoke to the principal because the students didn’t do their homework.

Use so to express the result.
Examples:
I was in a hurry, so I was driving fast.
The students didn’t do their homework, so I spoke to the principal.

But – Although
Use but and although to show a contrast.
Examples:
I tried to stop but I hit the car. Although I tried to stop, I hit the car.
It was midnight but my daughter couldn’t sleep. Although it was midnight, may daughter couldn’t sleep.

Although can be placed at the beginning or in the middle of the sentence. Though can be use as an informal (especially in spoken English) alternative to although. It can also be used to create a contrast between separate, independent sentences (at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of the second sentence).

It was a cold, dark night. Reading comprehension guide.

UNIVERSIDAD DE SUCRE LICENCIATURA EN LENGUAS EXTRANJERAS ENGLISH A2

WORKSHEET

1. Read the story paragraph by paragraph and predict what will happen next.

2. Underline all the verbs in past continuous and simple past.

3. Write the main idea for each paragraph.

4. Prepare it for next class.

Questions with and without auxiliary verbs

https://elt.oup.com/student/englishfile/preint/a_grammar/file02/grammar02_c01?cc=us&selLanguage=en

https://elt.oup.com/student/englishfile/preint/a_grammar/file02/grammar02_c02?cc=us&selLanguage=en

Relative Pronouns

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/pronouns/relative_pronouns.htm

Simple Past Tense Exercises / Simple past vs Past progressive

http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-simple-





past.phphttp://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs3.htm




https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpas-paspro