Adjectives (Comparisons)

Adjectives of:	Positive	Comparative	Superlative
one syllable	Tall	Taller (than)	The tallest (of/in)
two syllables ending in -er, -ly, -y, -w	Happy Friendly	Happier (than) Friendlier (than)	The happiest (of/in) The friendliest (of/in)
two or more syllables	Modern	More modern (than)	The most modern (of/in)

3.1 Write the comparative or superlative of the adjectives in brackets:

1. It's warmer today than it was yesterday. (warm)

2. This is the most expensive dress in the shop. (expensive)

3. What's the _____________ mountain in your country? (high)

4. This car is too small. We need to get a _____________ one. (big)

5. It was the _______________________ music I've ever heard. (beautiful)

6. Your computer is _______________________ than mine. (modern)

7. Australia is the earth's _____________continent. (old)

8. My sister was always ______________ than me. (pretty)

9. This year's exam was __________________ than last year's. (difficult)

10. This is the __________________ pan we've got. (large)

Irregular forms:

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Good/well	Better	The best
Bad/badly	Worse	The worst
Much	More	The most
Many
Little	Less	The least
Far	Further/farther	The furthest/the farthest

Comparative constructions:

1. As … (positive) … as Not so/as … (positive) … as	Paul is as heavy as Tom. Jane is not so/as tall as Mary.
2. Less … (positive) … than The least … (positive) … of/in	Betty is less hard-working than Kate but Jean is the least hard-working of all.
3. The + comparative …, the + comparative	The harder you work, the more money you earn.

3.2 Complete these sentences:

1. The weather is much warmer than it usually is at this time. (warm)

2. Going by car took twice as long as going by train. (long)

3. It was by far the worst time of my life. (bad)

4. The train's a lot ____________ all the other ways of getting there. (fast)

5. This exam was a bit _____________________ all the other tests. (easy)

6. I think English spelling is by far ____________________. (difficult)

7. The food isn't nearly ________________ it has been in the past. (good)

8. She's a bit ______________________________ her brother. (sensitive)

9. Flying's a lot _____________________ going by car. (quick)

10. First class is much _________________________ second. (expensive)

11. This is easily ______________________ restaurant in London. (good)

12. Ellen was a bit ________________________ she usually is. (cheerful)

13. He's not nearly ________________________ his sister. (intelligent)

14. The journey was three times ______________ we had expected. (long)

15. The film wasn't ________________ I had thought it would be. (good)

Present Simple

Use

1) permanent situations or states

She works as a nurse. She owns a large shop.

2) repeated / habitual actions (especially with frequency adverbs: often, usually etc)

I usually get up at 7.30.

3) permanent truths or laws of nature

Money doesn't buy happiness.

Water freezes at 0°C.

4) timetables / programmes (future meaning)

The match finishes at 7.45.

The plane leaves at 6.05.

5) reviews /sports commentaries / dramatic narrative

Meryl Streep acts brilliantly in this film.

Time expressions: every day / week / month / year, usually, often, always, rarely, never, sometimes, in the morning / evening / afternoon, at night, on Mondays etc.

4.1 Rewrite each sentence according to the instructions (Present Simple):

1. I visit my parents very often. (negative) – I don’t visit my parents very often.

2. Does he go to school every day? (positive) – He goes to school every day.

3. She comes from Germany. (question) – Does she come from Germany?

4. She goes to work by car. (question)

5. We watch television every night. (negative)

6. He doesn't walk to work every day. (positive)

7. She plays football every Saturday. (question)

8. He washes his car every week. (question)

9. They live in Australia. (question)

10. They go to school by bus. (question)

11. Does she finish work at five o'clock? (positive)

12. He goes to the cinema on Fridays. (question)

13. I come from Africa. (negative)

14. Does he live in this street? (positive)

15. He works in a restaurant. (question)

16. She gets up at five o'clock. (question)

17. They eat a lot. (negative)

18. Does he work here? (positive)

4.2 Complete the sentence with the affirmative form of the verb in brackets:

1. I (drive) drive but my sister (cycle) _____________.

2. The Sun (rise) _________ in the east and (set) _________ in the west.

3. The Prime Minister (travel) ________ abroad in his own private aeroplane.

4. It (cost) ________ $ 20 million to be a space tourist for one week in the International Space Station.

5. The European Commission (meet) _________ in Brussels.

6. My dad (read) ________ two books every week.

7. I (understand) ________ geography more than science.

8. My favourite TV programme (start) _________ at half past ten.

9. The teachers at our school (give) _________ us lots of homework.

10. We (like) ________ swimming because it's fun and good exercise.

4.3* Complete the sentence with the affirmative or negative form of the verb in brackets. Use contractions:

1. The plane (leave) leaves in half an hour but Nick (not/be) _________ at the airport yet.

2. My best friend (love) _________ science fiction films but they (not/interest) _________ me.

3. I (not/study) _________ chemistry because it (be) __________ difficult.

4. I (not/dance) _________ because I (look) _________ stupid.

5. The sun (not/go) ________ round the Earth, the Earth (go) ________ round the Sun!

6. My new computer (do) ________ lots more things than my old one, and it (not/crash) ___________.

7. My dad (not/have) ________ any qualifications but he (have) __________ a really good job.

8. Fire (need) ________ oxygen to burn. It (not/burn) _________ without oxygen.

9. My teacher (not/own) _________ a mobile phone because some people think they (be) _________ bad for your health.

10. According to scientists, animals (live) _______ longer if they (not/eat) __________ too much.

4.4 Complete the text with the negative form of the verbs in brackets:

ROMEO AND JULIET

Two families, the Montagues and Capulets, live in Verona, Italy, but they 1) (get on) don't get on with each other. Romeo, son of Montague, thinks he is in love with Rosaline, but unfortunately she 2) (love) _______ him. He goes to see her at a party at the house of his enemy Capulets, but there he sees Juliet, Capulet's daughter. She 3) (know) _______ his name because he has a mask. Tybalt, one of the Capulet family, tries to fight with Romeo, but Capulet 4) (allow) _______ this. However, Tybalt 5) (agree) _______ with him, and 6) (forgive) _______ Romeo for coming to the house. Romeo manages to talk to Juliet, and he kisses her. They 7) (understand) _______ that their families are enemies. When Romeo learns the truth, he 8) (care) _______ that his love for Juliet could be very dangerous. Later he goes back to the house and stands in the garden. Juliet is standing on the balcony talking to herself about Romeo, but 9) (see) _______ him below in the garden. After he talks to her, they soon show their love for each other, and agree to get married. However, they 10) (realize) _______ that a terrible tragedy is about to happen.

4.5* Complete each sentence using a verb from the list in the present simple form. Then match each sentence a to j with a description 1 to 10 of where you might read or hear it:

a) Mrs Douglas retires at the end of this term, and we wish her all happiness for the future. - 7

b) There has been a change to the schedule and your flight now _______ at 18.40.

c) The exhibition _______ until 31 December. Don't miss it!

d) The match _______ at three o'clock, so please be here by two.

e) The opening ceremony _______ on 27 July.

f) Saturday 18 March. The sun _______ at 6.08.

g) The licence for this software _______ one year from the agreement day.

h) This offer _______ on 30 September so buy now to avoid disappointment!

i) The 4.30 to York _______ from Platform 1. Cross the footbridge at the end of this platform.

j) Doors _______ at 18.00.

1. Cinema door

2. Advertisement

3. Airport check-in desk

4. News announcement

5. Travel information desk

6. CD-Rom leaflet

7. School newsletter

8. Newspaper review

9. Notice on a sports club notice board

10. Diary

Present Continuous

Use

1) temporary situations

They 're staying at the Park Hotel at present.

2) actions happening at or around the moment of speaking

She is looking for a better job.

3) fixed arrangements in the near future

The Browns are visiting ustonight. (It's all arranged.)

4) changing or developing situations

His English is getting better.

Time expressions: now, at the moment, at present, nowadays, today, tonight, always, still etc.

5.1 Rewrite each sentence according to the instructions (Present Continuous):

1. She is watching TV now. (question) – Is she watching TV now?

2. He isn’t staying at his hotel. (positive) – He’s staying at his hotel.

3. She’s reading. (negative) – She isn’t reading.

4. They’re working. (question)

5. He's writing a letter. (question)

6. He's eating. (negative)

7. I'm not working. (positive)

8. She's studying at the moment. (question)

9. I'm sleeping. (negative)

10. You're reading my newspaper. (question)

11. She's writing a letter. (question)

12. He's talking to Mary. (question)

13. They're not playing football. (positive)

14. He's listening to the radio. (question)

15. You're playing with my football. (question)

5.2 Complete the sentence with the affirmative form of the verb in brackets:

1. Look, all the people (leave) are leaving.

2. The Earth's temperature (rise) _______ because people (use) _____ too much energy.

3. She (study) _______ economics and he (study) _______ philosophy.

4. You (stand) _______ too close to the road.

5. We (stay) _______ in a lovely hotel by the beach.

6. I (go) _______ to the supermarket now, do you need anything?

7. The cat (chase) _______ the dog.

8. Technology (become) _______ cheaper all the time.

9. Pawel and Marek (train) _______ for the football game next week.

10. Manuela (listen) _______ to music in her room.

5.3* Complete the text with the present continuous form of the verbs in brackets:

Good afternoon, everybody. I 1) (speak) am speaking to you from Mount Surprising, the giant volcano. A team of scientists 2) (visit) _______ the volcano, and I’m here for Big TV, just in case anything exciting happens. I 3) (stand) _______ here near the top of the crater, and 4) (look) _______ down into the volcano. At the moment the four scientists 5) (climb) _______ down into the crater. It doesn't look very dangerous, I must say, but they 6) (wear) _______ special clothes and a rescue team 7) (stand by) _______ just in case! A little bit of smoke 8) (rise) _______ from the volcano, but that is normal. Now the scientists 9) (set) _______ up their equipment. They 10) (try) _______ to collect some gas, which will help them understand what exactly 11) (go on) _______ under the volcano. Wait a minute! Something 12) (happen) _______! The ground 13) (shake) _______! The four scientists 14) (climb) _______ out of the volcano as quickly as they can. They 15) (shout) _______ something as well. I think it's time to leave!