GRAMMARMini Lessons

Correct order of adjectives Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

TEST REVIEW

DAY 1: CORRECT ORDER OF ADJECTIVES

*Sometimes you can use more than one adjective in the same sentence to describe just one noun. For example, “The lion ate three, juicy steaks.” The words three and juicy describe the steaks. (Three tells HOW MANY? and juicy tells WHAT KIND?)

Try it-- Turn and describe your partner’s shirt using two adjectives in the same sentence.

*Discuss – is it correct to say, “I love your green, soft sweater?” How does that sound? Is there a better way to say this sentence?

STRATEGY!

How will I know if adjectives are in the correct order in a sentence when I read or write?

Be a good listener. Your

ears will lead the way. If adjectives are out of place, the sentence will sound awkward to the trained ear.

Billy’s hamster did long, four laps on his hamster wheel. (BOOOOOO! That’s awkward!)

 Sometimes, adjectives do not come before the noun they are describing. Sometimes adjectives come after a linking verb.

FOR EXAMPLE—I would not say, “I have an ill teacher.”

INSTEAD—I would say, “My teacher is ill.” *the linking verb is comes before the

adjective ill*

ALSO, KEEP IN MIND…

TRY IT OUT!

For each set of sentences shown, hold up a #1 or #2 to show your teacher which sentence shows correct order of adjectives.

Ex.

1--The sneaky, black cat crept through the alley.or2--The black, sneaky cat crept through the alley?

HERE WE GO!

1– Mrs. McHugh likes Chinese, yummy food.

2—Mrs. McHugh likes yummy, Chinese food.

KEEP GOING!

1– Miss Z. cannot wait to swim in the peaceful, blue waters of Sanibel Island.

2—Miss Z. cannot wait to swim in the blue, peaceful waters of Sanibel Island.

ONE MORE TIME!

1--Mr. Welsh and Mr. Massucci kicked the red, giant ball while they were playing kickball with their students.

2– Mr. Welsh and Mr. Massucci kicked the giant, red ball while they were playing kickball with their students.

DAY 2: COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVES

Dad tells me interesting things.

Mom’s stories are a little interestinger.

SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE. Let’s find a way to make this better!

COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVESCOMPARATIVE ADJECTIVES ARE USED TO COMPARE 2 PEOPLE, PLACES, ANIMALS, OR THINGS. Examples: Roger is younger than Teresa.

Grandma’s cookies are better than Aunt Amy’s.

Gianna’s giraffe is taller than Ted’s giraffe.

The fiction story is more interesting than the non-fiction story.

SPECIAL RULES:

**If an adjective has 1 or 2 syllables, you add er to the end to make it comparative.

tall taller**If an adjective has 1 or 2 syllables and has a c-v-c pattern, you double the final consonant, then add –er.

thin thinner**If an adjective has 1 or 2 syllables and ends in –e, you drop the –e and add –er. nice nicer **If an adjective has 1 or 2 syllables and ends in a –y, drop the y, change it to an -i and add –er.

friendly + i+ er friendlier

TRY SOME!

Take out your dry erase boards. Form the comparative form of each adjective:

sillythincoldweteasybright

ADJECTIVES WITH MORE THAN 2 SYLLABLES

Which sounds better?

*The blue bird is beautifuler than the red bird.

*The blue bird is more beautiful than the red bird.

DISCUSS. Come up with a rule to follow whenever an adjective has more than 2 syllables and you want to make it comparative.

*MOST Adjectives with more than 2 syllables have the word more (or less) added in front to make the comparative form.

TRY IT!! HOLD UP 1 FINGER TO CHOOSE CHOICE A, 2 FINGERS TO CHOOSE CHOICE B.

Mrs. Butera saw a _________________________dress at Macy’s than the one she saw at Target.

A—more fashionableB—fashionabler

Mrs. Athanas was ___________________________ than Mrs. Ewonce about the science video. A– excitederB—less excited

LAST BUT NOT LEAST!

Some comparative adjectives are IRREGULAR.

not regular

So, they will NOT follow the rules you just learned.

EXAMPLES*good better*bad worse*far farther

TRY IT!

Respond with a 1 for A; 2 for B; 3 for C; 4 for D

That test was _________________ than the other test. A-more easyB-easyerC-easierD-easiest

TRY ONE MORE!

Clayton is _____________________ than Benny. A-thinerB-thinnierC-thinnerD-more thin

SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES Superlative adjective forms compare 3 or more

people, places, things, animals, or ideas-----

Examples:Dana makes the tastiest cookies in the world.

Of all my sisters, Michelle has the bluest eyes.

Chad shows the most appropriate behavior at school.

Mrs. Butera makes the most delicious appetizers.

SPECIAL RULES:

**Most adjectives with 1 or 2 syllables, add -est to the end to make it comparative.

tall tallest**If an adjective has 1 or 2 syllables and has a c-v-c pattern, you double the final consonant, then add –est.

thin thinnest**If an adjective has 1 or 2 syllables and ends in –e, you drop the –e and add –est. nice nicest **If an adjective has 1 or 2 syllables and ends in a –y, drop the y, change it to an -i and add –est.

friendly + i+ est friendliest

TRY SOME!

Take out your dry erase boards. Form the superlative form of each adjective:

greenoldwarmcoldheavydark

ADJECTIVES WITH 2 OR MORE SYLLABLES Which sounds better?

*The gold necklace is the spectacularest piece in my jewelry box.

*The gold necklace is the most spectacular piece in my jewelry box.

DISCUSS. Come up with a rule to follow whenever an adjective has more than 2 syllables and you want to make it superlative.

*MOST Adjectives with more than 2 syllables have the word most (or least) added in front to make the superlative form.

TRY IT! HOLD UP 1 FINGER FOR A; 2 FINGERS FOR B!

A-That lion is the fiercest creature in the jungle. B-That giant is the most fierce creature in the jungle.

A-Jake is the sillyest boy in the neighborhood.B-Jake is the silliest boy in the neighborhood.

A-Of the three writing samples, mine was the most sloppy of all. B-Of the three writing samples, mine was the sloppiest of all.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST…

Some superlative adjectives are IRREGULAR.

not regular

So, they will NOT follow the rules you just learned.

EXAMPLES*good better BEST

*bad worse WORST

*far farther/furtherFARTHEST/FURTHEST

TRY IT!

Respond with a 1 for A; 2 for B; 3 for C; 4 for D

Leslie’s car was the ________________________ of all. A-less expensiveB-expensiverC-expensivestD-least expensive

LAST ONE…

Today, I feel the ________________________ that I have ever felt before.

A-happierB-most happyC-happiestD-more happy

TEST REVIEW

What ADJECTIVE describes the word garden in this sentence?

The talented farmer planted a colorful garden full of many different vegetables.

A-talentedB-differentC-plantedD-colorful

What ADJECTIVE describes the word theater in this sentence?

My best friend and I walked quietly into the crowded theater to watch an interesting movie.

A-crowdedB-bestC-quietlyD-interesting

Which NOUN does the adjective four describe in the sentence below?

I told him not to touch the four prickly branches in the vast backyard.

A-pricklyB-branchesC-vastD-backyard

Which NOUN does the adjective sour describe in the sentence below?

Tami’s little sister did not like the taste of the sour grapes.

A-littleB-grapesC-tasteD-sister

What change should be made in the sentence below?

Erika wore her black best skirt and her new white shirt to the chorus concert.

A-change chorus to ChorusB-change new white to white newC-change Erika to erikaD-change black best to best black

What change should be made in the sentence below?

Sarah carried her yellow stylish purse as she walked down the quiet country road to visit her two awesome friends.

A-change yellow stylish to stylish yellowB-change quiet country to country quietC-change Sarah to sarahD-change two awesome to awesome two

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO COMBINE THE SENTENCES BELOW?

The last vacation Mrs. Broad took was in the winter. She rode a plane. The plane was old. It was powered by fuel. It flew across the blue sky. The sky was full of clouds.

A-On her last winter vacation, Mrs. Broad rode a fuel-powered old plane across the blue cloudy sky.

B-On her last winter vacation, Mrs. Broad rode an old fuel-powered plane across the cloudy blue sky.

C- On her winter last vacation, Mrs. Broad rode a fuel-powered old plane across the cloudy blue sky.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO COMBINE THE SENTENCES BELOW?

We went on a camping trip. It was short. I wore a coat. It was black and new. I wore socks. They were comfortable and wool.

A-On our short camping trip, I wore my new black coat and my wool comfortable socks.

B-On our short camping trip, I wore my black new coat and my comfortable wool socks.

C-On our short camping trip, I wore my new black coat and my comfortable wool socks.

What kind of adjective is shown in the adjective phrase more important?

My grammar test is more important than my video games.

A-superlative adjectiveB-irregular adjectiveC-comparative adjectiveD-comparalative adjective

Which form of the word small best fits in the sentence below?

Of all the houses, this house is the ______________.

A-smallerB-smallestC-more smallD-most small

Which change should be made in the following sentence?

That is the brown fiercest bear I have ever seen.

A-change fiercest to fiercerB-change fiercest to more fierceC-change brown fiercest to fiercest brownD-change fiercest to most fierce

Which change should be made in the following sentence?

Aunt Paula makes the most tasty banana cream pie.

A-change most tasty to tasiestB-change most tasty to tastierC-change most tasty to more tastyD-change most tasty to tastyier

MORE!!

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/grammar/partsofspeech/adjectives/comparatives.shtml

http://pbskids.org/lions/games/trampolini.html

http://www.eslgamesplus.com/comparatives-superlatives-wild-zoo-animals-vocabulary-grammar-interactive-monkey-fun-activity/