Week 3_Lesson 5_Grammar_Comparatives

1.

Astana IT university
Department of General
Disciplines
Foreign Language 1. B 1- level.
WEEK 3.LESSON 5.GRAMMAR.
COMPARATIVES.
2025-2026 academic year

2.

LESSON OUTLINE
1. Grammar Explanation & Rules
2.Practice Exercises 1-5
3.Review & Common Mistakes

3.

LESSON OBJECTIVES
1. Understand the rules for forming comparative
adjectives.
2.Use different comparative structures.
3.Identify and avoid common mistakes with
comparatives.

4.

Grammar Explanation

5.

THE AS...AS STRUCTURE
We can use
with an adjective to say
that two things are the same, or
as to say that one thing is less than
another.
For example:
Her hair is as long as mine.
It's not as sunny as yesterday.

6.

COMPARATIVE EXPRESSIONS
We can also use expressions like different
from, similar to and the same as.
For example:
England is different from the United
Kingdom.
His car is similar to mine.
The results from the first test are the
same as the results from the second.

7.

SHOWING BIG DIFFERENCES
1. We can use much, so much, a lot, even or
far with comparative adjectives.
2.We can use nowhere near with
3.We can use very, really, completely or
totally with different from.
For example:
• Sales in July were a lot higher than sales in
June.
• He was far less experienced than the other
applicant.
• The interview was nowhere near as difficult as
the written exam.
• They may be twins, but they're completely
different from each other.

8.

SHOWING SMALL DIFFERENCES
1. We can use slightly, a little, a bit, a little bit or not
much with comparative adjectives.
2.We can use almost, nearly, not quite, roughly, more
or less or about with
and the same as.
3.We can use very or really with similar to.
For example:
• The number of registrations has been slightly
lower than we expected.
• Houses in my city are not much more expensive
than flats.
• She's almost as old as I am.
• The figures for May are more or less the same as
the figures for June.
• My son looks really similar to my father when he
was that age.

9.

SHOWING THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE
1. We can use exactly
emphasise that there is no difference.
For example:
• My grandma's cakes still taste exactly the
same as when I was a child!
• A new phone can be just as expensive as a
new computer these days.
to

10.

EXERCISE 1. MATCH THE SENTENCE ON THE LEFT WITH THE
CORRECT GRAMMAR RULE ON THE RIGHT.
Sentence
Rule
1. This recipe is nowhere near as complicated as the
one you showed me.
e) Using not as...as with a modifier to show a very
large negative difference.
2. The final design was almost exactly the same as
our original idea.
b) Using as...as to show things are equal.
3. My new laptop is far more efficient than my old
one.
a) Using a modifier to show a big difference with a
comparative adjective.
4. His teaching style is completely different from
yours.
d) Using a modifier to emphasise a very strong
contrast with different from.
5. This fabric feels just as soft as real silk.
c) Using a modifier to show a small difference with
the same as.

11.

EXERCISE 2. CHOOSE THE CORRECT MODIFIER
1. The meeting was (slightly / far) longer than necessary. It
lasted 4 hours!
2.I'm sorry, but your answer is (not quite / a lot) the same
as mine. Let's compare.
3.For a beginner, her technique is (even / slightly) better
than some advanced players.
4.The two political parties seem (really / nowhere near)
similar to each other these days; it's hard to tell them
apart.
5.The new version of the app is (more or less / much) easier
to use. I can't find anything!

12.

EXERCISE 3. FIND AND CORRECT THE MISTAKE.
1. The climate in the north is very different than
the climate in the south.
2.This suitcase is much heavy than that one.
3.In my opinion, action films are not as interesting
than documentaries.
4.The test was a lot more easier than I thought it
would be.
5.His new album is totally similar his last one; it's
very disappointing.

13.

EXERCISE 4. REWRITE THE SECOND SENTENCE SO IT HAS A SIMILAR
MEANING TO THE FIRST, USING THE WORD IN CAPITAL LETTERS. DO NOT
CHANGE THE WORD GIVEN. YOU MUST USE BETWEEN 3 AND 5 WORDS.
1. John's car is fast, but Sarah's car is faster. NEARLY
John's car isn't _______________________ Sarah's.
2. There is a very small difference between the two brands. SLIGHTLY
This brand is _______________________ the other one.
3. The two brothers have no differences in their appearance. JUST
The older brother looks _______________________ the younger one.
4. The first movie was boring. The sequel was very boring too. JUST
The sequel was _______________________ the first movie.
5. My old phone was not expensive. My new phone was very expensive. LOT
My new phone was _______________________ my old one.

14.

EXERCISE 5. COMPLETE THE TEXT WITH THE CORRECT COMPARATIVE
FORMS OF THE WORDS IN THE BRACKETS, PLUS ANY NECESSARY
MODIFIERS OR PREPOSITIONS.
Some people think individual sports, like tennis, are
(1. interesting) _________ team sports, like football.
However, the skills you learn in a team sport are often
(2. useful) ______ in daily life, as they teach you about
cooperation. While being a fast runner is good, being a
strategic
thinker
is
(3.
even
/
important)
___________________ in many games. Of course, training for
a marathon is (4. not / easy) _________ training for a long
hike; they require different mindsets. But the feeling of
accomplishment you get is (5. more or less / same)
______________. Ultimately, any activity you enjoy is (6. far
/ good) _______________ no activity at all!

15.

REVIEW & COMMON MISTAKES
Common Mistake
Double Comparative
Missing 'than'
Missing 'as'
Wrong Preposition
Incorrect Example
Correct Example
❌ This is more
✅ This is easier.✅ He
easier.❌He is less
is less strong.
stronger.
❌ My car is faster your ✅ My car is faster
car.
than your car.
❌ It's not sunny today ✅ It's not as sunny as
as yesterday.
yesterday.
❌ It's different than ✅ It's different from
mine.❌ This is similar mine.✅ This is similar
than that.
to that.

16. Go to the quiz on MS Teams. Check your knowledge by taking the quiz. Note: 1. Consider the deadline 2. Gain at least 6 points

• Go to the quiz on MS Teams.
• Check your knowledge by taking the quiz.
Note:
1. Consider the deadline
2. Gain at least 6 points