Teaching Comparative Adjectives: An ESL Lesson Plan

This lesson is the first of three on the topic. It is designed so that teachers can introduce a new concepts to students engagingly and educationally. You can teach this lesson to beginner, elementary English speakers or use it as a review for more intermediate-level speakers. This lesson can also be used during individual and group lessons. Keep in mind that age does not necessarily correlate with a learner’s level of proficiency in English.

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Transcript

1. A3.1- Adjectives comparatives, basics Lesson 1/5 ESL Lesson Plan ESL Lesson Plan ESL Lesson Plan ESL Lesson Plan © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
2. © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc. Thank you for downloading your free Off2Class lesson plan! This teacher-led lesson plan is designed using the communicative approach - perfect for teaching students online or in any screen-enabled classroom. To access the Teacher Notes and Answer Key, or to assign homework, click here to set up your free Off2class account. Don’t forget to join the discussion on Facebook to get access to other great tools for online ESL instruction.
3. What can you say about these pictures? © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
4. Old and older… The man is old. The woman is older. The shirt is expensive. The dress is more expensive. Kevin is rich. Mark is richer. © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
5. To compare… If you compare things, you consider them and discover the differences or similarities between them: I really like this cereal… …but I think that this cereal is healthier. © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
6. To compare… I’m tall, but she’s taller. She’s smaller. These look fresh. But these look fresher.
7. Comparative adjectives small fast young cheap smaller faster younger cheaper old green older greener adjective comparative + -er for words ending in –e, like late, we just add –r = later © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
8. 1. Mount Etna is high but Mount Everest is _____. 2. The plane ticket is expensive. I think it is _____ to go by train. 3. Jason is 12 and Susanne is 14. Jason is _____. 4. Paris is an old city but Athens is _____. Choose an adjective + make the comparative high cheap young old © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
9. For some words we change the spelling big sad hot thin bigger sadder hotter thinner red redder adjective comparative © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
10. consonants, vowels and syllables a e i o u vowels consonants b c d f g k h m n p r s t w y syllables one-syllable word two-syllable word three-syllable word big af/ter ham/bur/ger How many syllables are in these words? little / Germany / help / America / beautiful © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
11. big > bigger You must double the consonant if: the adjective is one syllable the last three letters are consonant + vowel + consonant + one syllable vowel + consonant double consonant hot h + o + t ✓ hotter (yes) big b + i + g ✓ bigger (yes) soft o + f + t ✗ softer (no) But, if the consonant is w, we don’t double the consonant: slow – slower new – newer © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
12. 5. We should ride our bikes on this road because it is _____. 6. Tyler looked sad yesterday and today he looks even _____. 7. I don’t want to read a thick book. Please give me a _____ one. 8. My cat is fat but your cat is _____. Use the comparative below thin flat sad fat © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
13. For adjectives ending in –y… heavy heavier friendly friendlier easy easier © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
14. 9. Yesterday Ted arrived at work at 8am. Today he arrived _____. 10. Gabrielle’s dress is pretty, but I think that your dress is _____. 11. James! Do your homework! You get _____ every day! 12. Last year I wasn’t very happy. This year I feel _____. Use a comparative below lazy early happy pretty © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
15. Long adjectives… careful care / ful Many adjectives have 2 or more syllables: = beautiful beau / ti / ful = modern mo / dern = To make the comparative, we add the word more before the adjective: more careful more beautiful more modern © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
16. 13. John and Stephanie are both serious people, but I think Stephanie is _____. 14. Last week there were many people at the cinema, but tonight the cinema is _____. 15. I didn’t enjoy my last book. This one is _____. 16. You need to finish both these reports. But that one is _____, so please do it first. Use a comparative below interesting crowded important serious © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
17. Complete the table adjective comparative adjective comparative old big easy heavy expensive important thin older late intelligent sad scary boring modern large more modern © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
18. 17. This knife doesn’t cut very well. Can you please bring me a _____ one? 18. Heather is going to the gym these days. She is _____ than she was last year. Use a comparative below sharp dangerous high strong © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
19. good, bad and far These adjectives have an irregular comparative. You need to remember them: good better bad worse far further adjective comparative Your pasta looks good but mine looks better. gooder I felt bad yesterday and today I feel worse. badder We have to drive further to get to the airport. farer © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
20. Tell your teacher! What is the comparative of each of these adjectives? good far bad young heavy slow important expensive nice interesting polite © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
21. Your turn! Use a comparative to complete the sentences: 19. It isn’t hot today. It was __________ yesterday. 20. This cheese doesn’t taste good. The other cheese tasted __________. 21. My chair is uncomfortable. Your chair is __________! 22. I felt ill an hour ago. I took a tablet and now I feel _________. © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
22. 23. My French lessons are not interesting. My English lessons are _________. 24. I don’t like his idea. My idea is _________. 25. Let’s go to the shopping center near my house. The other shopping center is _________ and I don’t have a car. 26. England and Ireland are small countries. Turkey is __________. Time to practice! Use a comparative to complete the sentences:
23. 27. Can you please give me some ice so my drink will be _________? 28. I’m not taking a bus. It’s difficult. Let’s get a taxi because it’s _________. 29. Don’t speak like that! You must be __________. 30. I only got 67% on my exam yesterday but last month my grade was _____. Only 52%. What about these ones? Use a comparative to complete the sentences: © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
24. Summary adjective + comparative 1 syllable -er older, younger, nicer 1 syllable ending in V+C +consonant + -er bigger, thinner (but slower) ending in -y >ier heavier, easier, friendlier more than 1 syllable more + adjective more important, more expensive good, bad, far irregular form better, worse, further © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
25. 31. This bag is $200. That bag is $250. It’s expensiver. 32. Do you think it is more cheap to travel by plane or train? 33. We need to drive more far. Probably another 50 kilometers. 34. Yesterday I felt ill. I slept 10 hours last night and now I feel more good. Correct the sentences © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
26. What can you say about these pictures? A B C © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
27. What can you say about these pictures? 10x x 5y + 93/2= ? (7.5 x 2^3) / (4.2-12) = ? A B C © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.