English Grammar: Comparative Adjectives

Summary

In this video, Emma explains the use of comparative adjectives in English, teaching viewers how to compare people, objects, and ideas using adjectives. She covers when to add 'er' to one-syllable adjectives, and how to use 'more' or 'less' for longer adjectives. Emma also delves into tricky spelling rules, such as doubling the final consonant and changing 'y' to 'i' before adding 'er'. Through engaging examples and clear explanations, she helps viewers understand the grammatical structure and improve their comparative adjective skills.

Takeaways

• 😀 Comparative adjectives are used to compare two things or people, describing differences between them.
• 😀 Nouns are words that refer to a person, place, or thing, while adjectives describe those nouns.
• 😀 To form comparative adjectives for one-syllable words, simply add 'er' to the adjective (e.g., 'older', 'longer').
• 😀 For longer adjectives (two or more syllables), use 'more' or 'less' to make comparisons (e.g., 'more difficult', 'more popular').
• 😀 Some two-syllable adjectives can use either 'er' or 'more' depending on the word (e.g., 'friendlier' vs. 'more popular').
• 😀 The rule for spelling comparative adjectives is to double the final consonant if the word follows a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern (e.g., 'big' becomes 'bigger').
• 😀 When adjectives end in 'y', change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'er' to form the comparative (e.g., 'happy' becomes 'happier').
• 😀 Comparative adjectives can be used to compare physical attributes (e.g., size, weight) or abstract qualities (e.g., popularity, difficulty).
• 😀 It’s important to practice spelling rules for comparatives, as they can be tricky but follow specific patterns (e.g., 'hot' becomes 'hotter', 'cold' becomes 'colder').
• 😀 English grammar includes exceptions, particularly for two-syllable adjectives that can either add 'er' or use 'more', which can sometimes confuse learners.

Q & A

What are comparative adjectives?

Comparative adjectives are words we use when comparing two things or people. They help us describe how one item is different from another, often by highlighting a characteristic such as size, weight, or quality.

What is the rule for forming comparative adjectives with one-syllable adjectives?

When an adjective has one syllable, you add 'er' to the adjective to form the comparative. For example, 'old' becomes 'older' and 'new' becomes 'newer'.

What do we do when comparing adjectives that have two or more syllables?

For adjectives with two or more syllables, we use 'more' or 'less' to make comparisons. For example, 'serious' becomes 'more serious', and 'colourful' becomes 'more colourful'.

Can we add 'er' to all two-syllable adjectives?

No, not all two-syllable adjectives take 'er'. Some two-syllable adjectives require 'more' or 'less' instead of 'er'. For example, 'friendly' becomes 'friendlier', while 'difficult' becomes 'more difficult'.

What spelling rule applies when an adjective ends with a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern?

When an adjective ends in a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern, you double the final consonant before adding 'er'. For example, 'big' becomes 'bigger' and 'hot' becomes 'hotter'.

What happens to adjectives ending in 'y' when they are turned into comparative adjectives?

For adjectives ending in 'y', you change the 'y' to an 'i' and then add 'er'. For example, 'happy' becomes 'happier' and 'heavy' becomes 'heavier'.

What is an example of a comparative adjective using 'more' and 'less'?

An example would be comparing two people: 'Ryan Reynolds is more popular than Ryan Phillippe', or 'Ryan Phillippe is less popular than Ryan Reynolds'.

How do we compare two things that are very different in size, like swords?

When comparing two items like swords, you can use comparative adjectives like 'heavier' and 'lighter' or 'bigger' and 'smaller'. For example, 'This sword is heavier than this sword' or 'This sword is smaller than this sword'.

What should you do if an adjective has more than one syllable and is difficult to compare?

When an adjective has more than one syllable and is difficult to compare, you generally use 'more' or 'less'. For example, 'English grammar is more difficult than Spanish grammar'.

What is a tricky part about forming comparative adjectives with two-syllable words?

The tricky part is that some two-syllable adjectives can take either 'er' or 'more'. For example, 'friendly' becomes 'friendlier', but 'difficult' requires 'more difficult'.