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Episode: Comparatives and superlatives

Author: BBC Radio
Duration: 00:06:12

Episode Shownotes

Catherine and Finn discuss comparatives and superlatives… and commuting! FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus LIKE PODCASTS? Try some of our other popular podcasts including: 6 Minute English ✔️ 6 Minute Vocabulary ✔️ The English We Speak ✔️ They're all available by

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Full Transcript

00:00:00 Speaker_01
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

00:00:06 Speaker_03
I'm Nicola Coughlan, and for BBC Radio 4, this is history's youngest heroes. Rebellion, risk and the radical power of youth.

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00:00:37 Speaker_01
This is a download from BBC Learning English. To find out more, visit our website. Hello and welcome to 6 Minute Grammar with me, Finn.

00:00:54 Speaker_05
And me, Catherine. Hello.

00:00:56 Speaker_01
Today we're talking about comparatives and superlatives. So let's start with comparatives. We use them to compare one thing or person with another. So Catherine, how was your journey to work this morning?

00:01:13 Speaker_05
OK. Well, my journey to work wasn't great, actually. I woke up later than usual, so I took the bus because it's quicker than walking. And it's easier than cycling, too.

00:01:24 Speaker_05
But the traffic was much busier than normal, and we went slower and slower, and the people became more and more impatient. The slower the bus went, the more impatient the people became,

00:01:37 Speaker_01
You poor thing. But lots of comparatives there in your story. We had later and quicker. Catherine woke up later than usual and she said the bus is quicker than walking.

00:01:52 Speaker_05
I did. And to make the comparative form of short adjectives or adverbs, we just add the letters er. So quick, quicker. But if the word already ends in e, we just add the letter r – late, later.

00:02:10 Speaker_01
Remember that we often use the word than in comparative sentences, but sometimes we can leave it out, for example in the question, which is quicker, the bus or the train?

00:02:22 Speaker_05
I also said that the bus is easier than cycling and the traffic was much busier than normal. For adjectives and adverbs that end in the letter Y and the sound E, make comparatives by losing the letter Y and adding the letters IER.

00:02:40 Speaker_05
So the comparative of easy is easier.

00:02:44 Speaker_01
And busy becomes busier. In fact, Catherine said the traffic was much busier. Now we can use much or a lot before an adjective or adverb to emphasise the difference. Much busier, a lot easier.

00:03:02 Speaker_05
To make comparative forms of most adjectives and adverbs with two or more syllables, we use more.

00:03:10 Speaker_01
For example, impatient has three syllables – im-pa-tient. So the comparative of impatient is more impatient.

00:03:20 Speaker_05
That's right. And to emphasise how something changes, we can repeat comparatives or the word more with and in the middle, like this.

00:03:31 Speaker_01
The bus went slower and slower and people became more and more impatient.

00:03:37 Speaker_05
Don't remind me. Here's another way to use comparatives. Listen to this sentence. The slower the bus went, the more impatient the people became.

00:03:48 Speaker_01
I'm not surprised. Here Catherine used two different comparatives, slower and more impatient, with the to say how one thing changes when something else changes. So, the slower the bus went, the more impatient the people became.

00:04:08 Speaker_01
Really not a good morning, was it, Catherine?

00:04:10 Speaker_05
Not at all. And it got worse when the bus broke down.

00:04:14 Speaker_01
Really? Yes. Couldn't believe it. But perfect for us because worse is the comparative adjective of bad. It's irregular. The comparative adverb is badly. Catherine's morning went badly.

00:04:29 Speaker_05
Very badly. And the comparative of both good and well is also irregular. It's better. And we're talking about comparatives and superlatives.

00:04:46 Speaker_01
Let's look at superlative adjectives and adverbs. They help us compare one person or thing with several others. So, Catherine, what is the quickest way for you to get to work?

00:04:59 Speaker_05
Well, usually the bus is quickest, but not today. But walking is the most reliable way and it's also the easiest.

00:05:07 Speaker_01
OK. We make superlatives in a similar way to comparatives.

00:05:12 Speaker_05
but the ending for short words is est.

00:05:15 Speaker_01
So quick becomes the quickest.

00:05:18 Speaker_05
And we use most for words with two or more syllables.

00:05:21 Speaker_01
So the superlative of reliable is the most reliable.

00:05:26 Speaker_05
That's right. Now for two-syllable words ending in the letter y, change the y to i and add est. So easy becomes the easiest.

00:05:38 Speaker_01
And don't forget to put the before a superlative adjective or adverb. So it's, walking is the best way to get to work.

00:05:47 Speaker_05
Though we can use possessive adjectives instead of the word the like this.

00:05:53 Speaker_01
My best friend is getting married today.

00:05:55 Speaker_05
And did you spot the irregular superlative best? This is the superlative form of good and well.

00:06:03 Speaker_01
And the irregular superlative of bad is worst.

00:06:08 Speaker_05
Now for the quiz. Which is correct? A. Your internet connection is faster than mine. Or B. Your internet connection is fastest than mine.

00:06:19 Speaker_01
It's A. Good.

00:06:22 Speaker_05
And the last one. A. I hope I have a better journey home tonight. Or B. I hope I have a best journey home tonight.

00:06:30 Speaker_01
Well, it's A and we do hope you have a much better journey home tonight, Catherine.

00:06:36 Speaker_05
Thank you.

00:06:37 Speaker_01
There's lots more about this on our website at bbclearningenglish.com. Join us again soon for more 6 Minute Grammar. Bye. Bye.

00:06:55 Speaker_02
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