An Interactive Grammar Lesson for ELLs in the

Primary Grades

Learn what comparative and superlative adjectives are

Identify them in sentences and questions Use them correctly

***Remember, adjectives describe a noun!***

Before we begin our lesson, let’s watch this video to become familiar with the topic:Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Comparing two things Comparing three or more things

Add –er

Bigger SmallerFaster SlowerTaller Shorter

Stronger Weaker

The word thanthan comesafter a comparative

adjective in a sentence orquestion.

Example: My older brother

is taller than me.

Add –est

Biggest SmallestFastest SlowestTallest ShortestStrongest Weakest

The word thethe comesbefore a superlative

adjective in a sentence orquestion.

Example: My dad is the tallest person in my family.

Add –er or –est to the red word to complete each sentence:

A basketball is __(large)__than a golf ball.

The North Star is the __(bright)__ star in the sky.

A basketball is larger than a golf ball.

We use –er because we are only comparing two things, a basketball and a golf ball.

Hint: The word than appears after the adjective.

The North Star is the brightest star in the sky.

We use –est because we are comparing many things- all of the stars in the sky.

Hint: The word the appears before the adjective.

The bear on the floor is ____________ than the bears on the shelf.

The turtle’s head is ____________________ than his body.

The blocks are the ____________________ toys in the store.

Let’s pretend that we are at the toy

store…

Use one of these words to

complete each sentence below:

greenersmallestbigger

Use this weather map to make sentences and

questions that contain comparative and

superlative adjectives.

Try to use words like hotter, hottest, colder,

and coldest.

Examples:

Is Denver colder than Los Angeles?

Dallas has the hottest weather in Texas.

You cannot add –er and –est to all adjectives

Sometimes you need to add the words more or most before the adjective instead

Hint: In order to decide if you need –er/-est or more/most, you need to count how many syllables are in the adjective. If there are 2 or more syllables, you usually use more or most.

*** Remember that syllables are just “chunks of sound”. We have already learned about them!***

Add more

More interestingMore expensiveMore annoying

A video game ismore expensivethan a candy bar.

The word than stillcomes after the

adjective

Add most

Most interestingMost expensiveMost annoying

Bob is the mostannoying boy in

theclass.

The word the still comes

before the adjective

Draw a line to connect the fish to the pole that completes the sentence.

Not all fish will have a pole!

You are the _______ polite student in the class!

I think that science is ______ interesting than math.

than

most

more

Do you have any questions about comparative and superlative adjectives?

If you want to test your skills, try answering some of the questions on this website:

Test your skills!!

Good luck- I know you can do it!