Unit 9ab Book

When listening to the radio car show, you may have noticed that the speaker used various grammar forms to compare the two vehicles. However, as it´s only the Spyder roadster, and not the Zoomster XL motorcycle that actually exists, let´s now compare the Spyder to another existing vehicle instead. And in order to make it possible to use the superlative forms as well, let´s compare the Spyder not just to one vehicle, but more than one.  The criteria will be the price, top speed, dimensions, weight, engine output and the maximum range, as you can see below:

Before you start comparing the vehicles, make sure you know how to talk about the criteria listed on the left. Convert the criteria into questions in this task. Also, google the pictures of all the vehicles, so that you know what they look like.

Now, try to recall what the speaker in the recording said:

• The Spyder was as fast as the Zoomster.
• The maximum speed of both vehicles was the same.
• The Spyder´s brakes were more efficient and more powerful than the Zoomster´s.
• Spyder´s acceleration was slower.
• The Zoomster had better suspension.
• The Spyder was less dangerous than more normal motorbikes, but also less exciting.
• The storage space was larger than the container on the back of the Zoomster.
• The Spyder is more expensive than the Zoomster.

Now, what if the Spyder was compared against more vehicles than just one? Let´s compare all the vehicles from the table above:

• The Segway is the cheapest vehicle.
• The Skycar is the most expensive vehicle of them all. (… of all of them).
• The least expensive vehicle is the Segway.
• The Segway is the vehicle which is the least heavy of the four vehicles.
• I think the Carver is the best one.

Why do we say: cheaper/the cheapest but: more expensive/the most expensive? Well, this is the basic grammar related to the comparatives and superlatives of adjectives. You had probably learned this grammar before you entered university, but if you feel you need to revise this grammar point, read this grammar overview. Then practise comparative and superlative adjectives by completing this task.

Sometimes, it´s not only adjectives that are used to compare and contrast phenomena. Sometimes adverbs can be used as well. The main difference between adjectives and adverbs is that adjectives modify nouns, but adverbs modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. Basically, they answer the question “how?” while adjectives answer the question “what?” Regular adverbs are formed by adding -ly to adjectives: slow + -ly = slowly. However, some adverbs are irregular or have a slightly different meaning when adding -ly. Look at these regular and irregular examples of the use of comparative and superlative adverbs:

• You can buy the Segway more cheaply than the Skycar.
• You cannot buy the Skycar as cheaply as the Segway.
• You cannot buy the Skycar so cheaply as the Segway.
• You cannot buy the Skycar less cheaply than the Segway.
• You can operate the Segway more economically than the Skycar.
• I would never buy the Skycar because it is only possible to operate is less economically than the other vehicles.
• The Skycar can go fastest of all the vehicles. It can go faster than all the other vehicles.
• The Skycar can go furthest of all the vehicles. It can go further than all the other vehicles.
• The Carver can last longer than the Skycar. The Carver can last longest of all the vehicles.
• The Skycar can last less long than the Carver. The Skycar can last least long of all of them.

Like in adjectives, comparative and superlative adverbs is a grammar point usually covered at elementary schools. Still, if you feel that you need to brush off your knowledge, read this grammar overview and then practise the grammar by completing this quiz and this gap-fill task.

Comparatives and superlatives of adjectives and adverbs can even be further modified to fiddle with the tiny nuances of meaning. Thus, instead of just saying that something is more expensive or cheaper, you can say that it is much more expensive or much cheaper. One car may be faster than another, but you can be more specific by saying that it is twice as fast as another one. You can do a job more effectively or even far more effectively. There is a long list of these modifiers and you can find at least some of them in this document. After going through it, practise the modifiers here by comparing two types of bulb.