DEGREES OF THE ADJECTIVES
1.- An English girl, Anna, went to New York on holiday. She wrote a letter to an English friend. Choose one of these adjectives for each space in the letter and write each one in its correct comparative of superiority form: Dangerous
Tall
Modern
Straight
Expensive
Long
Fast
Dear Mary, Here I am in New York! It´s great! And it´s very different from London: the roads are ___________ and _________________ than in London, the buildings are ___________ and ________________ and life here is ___________________ everyone is in a hurry! I thought the shops would be ________________ than in London but most things cost about the same. I was nervous too because people say that New York is ________________ than London, but I haven´t had any trouble. See you soon! Love (Adapted from Practise your comparatives)
2.- Complete the conversations, using the correct comparative or superlative form and adding any other words needed: A
FRED: GEORGE: FRED: GEORGE: FRED:
B
WILL: PETE: WILL:
How was your driving test? Oh, not so bad really. It was _________________ (much/easy) I´d expected, in fact. So, you´ve passed? Yes, I have Congratulations! That´s _____________ (good) news I´ve heard for ages! Hurry up! We´ll miss the train. Can´t you run _________ (fast)? Sorry, I´m going _______________ (fast) I can already. OK. I guess you´re quite a bit _______________ (short/I) After all.
(Adopted from Essential Grammar in Use. Supplementary Exercises)
3.- Complete the text with the correct comparative of superiority or superlative form of the words in brackets:
What to do and see in MIAMI
Downtown Miami is a combination of shiny high rises and busy discount stores. The fiftyfive-storey First Union Financial Center, _______________(tall) structure south of Atlanta, dominates the skyline. The water taxi will pick you up at one of the ten points along the water in downtown Miami and South Beach. It´s not _________________(practical) means of transport, but the views are great and it is ________________(exciting) than taking a bus. The Museum of Contemporary Art, inaugurated in 1996, is Miami´s _______________(new) museum. MOCA exhibits ______________(late) contemporary art, including installations, multimedia shows and manipulated photography. Miami Beach is one of ___________________(popular) resorts in the USA and South Beach is at its center. Covering more than a square mile, it has _________________(big) concentration of art deco buildings in the world. Ocean Drive is its main promenade, with pastel-coloured hotels on one side and ________________(fantastic) beach on the other.
(Adapted from English for International Tourism. Pre-intermediate. Consolidation 1)
4.- Read this conversation between friends. Complete it with the comparative or superlative forms of the words in brackets. Add the and than where necessary: BILLY: MICHAEL: BILLY:
MICHAEL:
BILLY: MICHAEL: BILLY: 1.4.7.10.-
Did you hear about that new speed-reading course? It helps you read ……(1) (fast) and ……(2) (well). I don´t believe it! The ……(3) (fast) you read, the ……(4) (little) you understand. The advert says that after the course, you´ll read ten times ……(5) (rapidly) and understand five times more. And the best thing is that you won´t have to work any …(6) (hard). I´d like to see that. When I was at school, I read ……(7) (slowly) of any student in my class but I also remembered details ……(8) (clearly) and ……(9) (long) of any of my classmates. Maybe you could read even ……(10) (quickly) that and still remember details. That way, you´d have more time to go to the gym. Did you read the course description properly? I read it ……(11) (thoroughly) I read most things. 2.5.8.11.-
3.6.9.-
(Adapted from Grammar Express)
5.- Complete the conversations using the correct form of the word(s) supplied and adding any other words needed:
Eddy: We’d better go to the bank this morning. (1) Sean: Can’t we go (1)___________________(late)? Eddy: No. They shut (2)__________________(early / here) they do at home. (2) (3)
Will: Hurry up! We’ll miss the train. Can’t you run (3)______________(fast)? (4) Pete: Sorry, I’m going (4)________________(fast) I can already. (5) Will: O.K. I guess you’re quite a bit (5)______________(short / I) after all. Chris: I hear you were having problems with your business last (6) year. Is it (6)_______________(good) this year? Clare: No. I’m afraid it’s (7)_________________(bad) if (7) anything. Chris: I suppose people just aren’t spending (8) (8)__________________(much / money) they used to. 6.- Complete the descriptions. Use the comparative or superlative form of the adjective in brackets.
ANSWERS: Sydney’s beaches
7. ...................... 1. ......................
South of Sydney, Bondi is the ...1.(easy) beach to reach. It has the ...2.(wide) range of facilities but at weekends it’s ...3. (crowded) and ...4.(noisy) than the other beaches. South of Bondi, Tamarama is one of Sydney's ...5.(beautiful) beaches, but also one of the ...6.(dangerous) for swimming. For children, Coogee Beach is both ...7.(safe) and ...8.(suitable) than Tamarama.
8. ...................... 2. ...................... 9. ...................... 3. ...................... 10. ....................
4. ...................... There are several beaches north of Sydney. Manly is the ...9. (accessible) and the ...10.(good) for surfing. Palm Beach is ...11. (far) from Sydney than Manly, and it takes ...12.(long) to get to, 5. ...................... so it’s not surprising that it’s ...13.(peaceful) than the others.
11. .................... 12. ....................
6. ...................... 13. ....................
7.- Complete the dialogue with the correct option: A: B: A: B:
A: B:
1.4.7.-
Why are you going by train? Because it´s much 1cheaper / more cheap than the plane. But aren´t they both 2the most expensive / more expensive than the the coach? Yes, but the coach is 3less comfortable / least comfortable , and 4much / more slower. And it´s 5more easy / easier to read on a train if I want to. All in all the train is 6the best / the good choice for me. How long does the train journey take? About five hours. But I think it´s one of 7the most beautiful / more beautiful trips you can do. You go very near the country´s 8highest / the highest mountains. Even the food is 9the best / better these days! 2.5.8.-
3.6.9.-
(Adapted from Developing Grammar in Context)
8.- Complete using the correct form of the words in brackets:
(Adopted from Destination B1. Unit 26. Exercise E)
9.- Complete the paragraph. Write the comparative or superlative form of each word in parentheses in the blank. Include other words when needed:
(Adopted from Grammar: Strategies and Practice. Unit 12)
10.- Complete the travel advertisement. Write the superlative form of the adjectives in brackets:
(Adopted from International Express. Pre-intermediate. Student´s book. Unit 4)