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I can make comparisons using a variety of structures.
1 SPEAKING Describe the photo. What are the people doing? What might they be saying?
2 Read the dialogue, ignoring the gaps, and check your ideas from exercise 1.
Jenny I think this flat is the best we've seen so far. Rents seem to be getting higher and higher. But this one's the least expensive and it's the 1__________ (near) to the city centre.
Beth But it's the one with the fewest rooms and the least space.
Jenny So you prefer the flat in the 2__________ location and with the 3__________ (bad) (high) rent?
Beth The location isn't that bad. It's 4__________ (far) from the centre than the other two, but you can get to the train station more easily. And it's much 5__________ two flats. (spacious) than the other
Jenny Can we afford it, though? The more we spend on rent, the less we'll have for other things.
Beth Actually, it's less expensive than it seems because the rent includes all the bills.
3 Complete the dialogue with the comparative or superlative form of the adjectives in brackets.
LEARN THIS! Comparative and superlative forms
a We often use a superlative with the present perfect.
That's the biggest mansion I've ever seen.
b We use double comparatives to emphasise that something is changing.
Property is getting cheaper and cheaper.
c We use The..., the... and comparatives to say that one thing changes with another.
The closer you are to the centre, the more you pay in rent.
d We usually use more and most to form comparative and superlative adverbs. However, we add -er and -est to some short adverbs.
The flat sold more quickly than I expected.
Houses sell faster in the spring.
e Like more and most, we can use less and least with long adjectives, adverbs and uncountable nouns.
This is the least spacious house in the road.
There's less space in my room than in yours.
f We use fewer and fewest with countable nouns.
Which flat has the fewest rooms?
There are fewer big flats in the town centre.
4 Read the Learn this! box. Match each highlighted phrase in the dialogue with a rule (a-f).
→ Grammar Builder 4.1 page 119
5 🎧2.06 Look at the table. Then listen and decide if the sentences are true or false. Correct the false sentences.
1 Flat 1 has got the highest rent.
False. Flat 1 has got the lowest rent.
| Flat 1 | Flat 2 | Flat 3 | |
| Rent per month | £200 | £250 | £300 |
| From centre | 1.5 km | 2 km | 500 m |
| From station | 3 km | 2 km | 1 km |
| Size | 40 m² | 55 m² | 75 m² |
| Rooms | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Comfort | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★★ |
6 USE OF ENGLISH Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first using the word in brackets and the correct comparative or superlative form.
1 Houses sell less fast in December. (slowly)
Houses______________________________________.
2 The cottage isn't as spacious as the villa. (less)
The cottage______________________________________.
3 Houses are becoming increasingly expensive. (more) Houses
4 As the flat gets older, it becomes more dilapidated.
(the)
The______________________________________.
5 I've never seen a cosier living room! (the)
This is______________________________________!
7 SPEAKING Work in pairs. Ask and answer using a superlative form (-est / most / least) and the present perfect with ever.
1 Impressive building/visit
2 Interesting person / know
3 Long book/read
4 Exciting film/see
What's the most impressive building you've ever visited?
