Comparatives: The Grammar Gameshow Episode 15

Hello, and welcome to today’s Grammar Gameshow!

I’m your host, Will!

This is my game show.

There are many like it, but this one is mine.

And of course let’s not forget Leslie,

our all-knowing voice in the sky.

Hello, everyone!

Tonight, we’re going to ask you three questions about…

Comparatives!

Those useful words and expressions

for measuring one thing against another!

OK! Now, let’s meet our contestants!

Hello, all.

My name’s Selene!

And contestant number two?

It’s nice to meet you. I’m June!

Great!

Nice to see you again, Selene.

How are you feeling?

I’m doing OK.

Why?

Well, you know… that...

tragic accident that happened to Mark.

Oh, Mark!

Why? Why?

Well, just don’t think about him, and you’ll be fine.

It’s only true love,

it’s not that important.

OK. Let’s get going,

and don’t forget

you can play along at home too.

Now, our first round is a grid round.

Look at this grid and choose a number.

Then use the revealed word to make a comparative

about someone in this room.

Are you ready?

On your marks…

Oh!

Sorry!

I shouldn’t have said that!

Selene, you can go first.

I’ll have number three, please.

Brainless!

Oh…

Oh, my…

Will is…

June is more brainless than I am.

Correct!

Ouch!

June!

Time for revenge! Choose a number.

I’ll take number one.

Fat!

Selene is fatter than me.

Correct!

Are you going to take that?

Quick, choose a number!

I choose six.

Ugly!

June is uglier than I am.

Correct!

How dare she!

She’s gone mad with grief!

Go on, get her back!

I’ll choose number two, please.

Bad!

Selene is a worse person than I am.

Correct!

Don’t we all know it.

That’s why Mark left.

Don’t think about him, Selene!

Number four!

Handsome.

Will

is handsomer than everyone…

Correct!

That’s the kind of spirit we need.

…except

Mark.

Whoa!

Factually incorrect there.

Minus 1 point.

Leslie?

Comparatives are adjectives

that allow us to compare two or more things.

To make one, modify an adjective.

If it has one syllable, add ‘ER’.

If it has two syllables, it may take 'ER' or 'more' or both!

Check a dictionary.

If it has three syllables or greater, we add ‘more’.

Lastly,

the third type is irregular, such as ‘good’ and ‘bad’.

And don’t forget to use ‘than’!

Well done! Twenty points each,

minus the one Selene lost.

I’ll just mark that down.

Oh sorry…

poor choice of words.

On to our second round,

one syllable and

two syllable adjectives ending in ‘Y’,

change their spelling when they become comparatives.

Which of these comparative spelling rules is incorrect?

Basic adjective + ‘ER’

Ends in ‘E’: + ‘R’

Ends in vowel consonant:

Double consonant + ‘ER’

Ends in ‘Y’:

Change ‘Y’ to ‘I’ + ‘ER’

I don’t seem to remember C.

I think that one is incorrect

Sorry. That’s wrong, I’m afraid.

I’m going to have to give you a black mark.

Oh! Sorry! Sorry!

I put my foot in my mouth again.

June?

This is a trick question.

All of the rules are correct.

Well done, June!

You’ve beat Selene!

That’s bound to leave a mark.

Oh!

Sorry!

Faux pas!

Faux pas!

Leslie?

Excellent, June.

One syllable and two syllable adjectives ending in ‘Y’,

change their spelling when they become comparatives.

We add ‘ER’ to the basic adjectives.

If the adjective ends in ‘E’, we only add ‘R’.

If it ends in a single vowel followed by a consonant,

we double the consonant and add ‘ER’.

Finally,

if the adjective ends in ‘Y’,

we replace the ‘Y’ with an ‘I’ and add ‘ER’.

Well done, June. Three points for you.

You’re doing quite well.

Do you think you’ll win?

Oh, I will.

Mark my words.

I’ll have to mark that one down.

Oops… sorry, sorry!

OK. On to our last round.

Comparatives are not just able

to communicate a difference,

but also how much of a difference exists.

I’m going to show you some comparatives

and I want to know if there’s a big difference,

small difference,

or no difference at all.

Here we go:

Mark is as nice as Mark.

No difference.

Correct!

Wow, June.

That was quick off the mark. Whoopsie!

Here’s the next one:

Mark is twice as handsome as Mark.

No.

Sorry, you’re well off the mark there.

Big difference.

Correct!

Mark is a little bit less interesting than Mark.

Small difference.

Correct!

Last one:

Mark is nothing like as cool as Mark.

Mark!

Big difference

Leslie… can we?

Well done!

Comparative and comparative structures

can be modified to include

the size of the difference being illustrated.

Words like ‘much’,

‘not as…’,

‘nowhere near as…’,

‘a bit’

and ‘as… as…’ are useful here!

Well done, June! Six points for you.

And that brings us to the end of today’s

Grammar Gameshow.

And the winner is…

Selene!

Well...

we could hardly send you…

'home'.

Not when you’re being so much fun!

Besides, you’re too easy a mark.

Whoops!

Here’s what you’ve won!

It’s a permanent marker!

So you can mark down the days

since you lost your love.

Oh, I love you Leslie.

We’ll see you again next week,

where you can play for another prize.

And June?

You played well

and really tried to make your mark… whoops!

But it wasn’t meant to be.

That’s not fair.

Just because she’s heart-broken…

Release the dolphins!

Some people just have no empathy!

Isn’t that right, Mark?

It looks like we’ll need another contestant.

Thanks for joining us.

Say goodbye, Leslie.

Hoşça kal, Leslie.

See you next time.