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S1 English | Comparatives and Superlatives Lesson Guide for Tutors | -er, -est, more and most
Students say bigger happily, then write more bigger, happyer and gooder. Meaning is never the problem: syllable count and spelling are handled as one muddled rule, and than and the go missing.
Objectives — Students can: (1) choose -er/-est or more/most by counting syllables; (2) apply the doubling rule (big to bigger) and the y-to-i rule (happy to happier); (3) recall the irregular forms of good, bad and far; (4) place than and the correctly and use as adjective as for equality.
01 Prerequisites (3-minute check)
If any of these fails, fix it before the lesson starts.
| Skill | Quick check | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective position | tall sits before the noun in a tall boy | Gives three adjectives |
| Syllables | Happy has two beats, tall has one | Claps the syllables |
| Basic comparison | How to say A is taller than B | A is taller than B |
02 Lesson flow (45 minutes)
| Time | Stage | Tutor does | Student does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-5 min | Error diagnosis | Ask for “this book is more expensive than that one” | Writes more expensive or more dearer |
| 5-15 min | Syllables choose the form | Model -er for one syllable and more for three | Sorts ten adjectives into three columns |
| 15-25 min | Three spelling rules | Model big to bigger and happy to happier | Rewrites eight words |
| 25-32 min | Irregulars and sentences | Drill good, bad, far; model than and the | Completes six sentences |
| 32-40 min | Independent practice | Circulates without hints | Finishes four items and circles than or the |
| 40-45 min | Exit check | Collects three answers | Answers orally with the rule |
03 Teaching script (read it out)
Scene 1: Syllables decide -er or more
One-syllable adjectives take -er and -est: tall becomes taller and tallest.
Two-syllable adjectives ending in y change y to i and add -er/-est: happy becomes happier and happiest.
Everything else of two syllables or more takes more and most in front: expensive becomes more expensive and most expensive.
The rule that matters most: never use both, so more taller and more bigger are wrong.
Two-syllable adjectives ending in y change y to i and add -er/-est: happy becomes happier and happiest.
Everything else of two syllables or more takes more and most in front: expensive becomes more expensive and most expensive.
The rule that matters most: never use both, so more taller and more bigger are wrong.
Students sort ten adjectives into three columns and justify each one
Scene 2: Three spelling rules
First, a short vowel before a single final consonant doubles it: big becomes bigger, hot becomes hotter.
Second, a final y after a consonant becomes i: happy becomes happier, easy becomes easier.
Third, a final e only takes r and st: nice becomes nicer and nicest.
After writing, students read the last two letters aloud; a wrong spelling is audible.
Second, a final y after a consonant becomes i: happy becomes happier, easy becomes easier.
Third, a final e only takes r and st: nice becomes nicer and nicest.
After writing, students read the last two letters aloud; a wrong spelling is audible.
Students rewrite eight words and underline the doubled letter or the changed y
Scene 3: Irregulars and the sentence slots
Good becomes better and best; bad becomes worse and worst; far becomes further and furthest; many and much become more and most.
Three slots matter: a comparative is followed by than, a superlative is preceded by the, and equality uses as adjective as.
Give one wrong sentence to repair: She is more taller than me, and the fix is to drop more.
Three slots matter: a comparative is followed by than, a superlative is preceded by the, and equality uses as adjective as.
Give one wrong sentence to repair: She is more taller than me, and the fix is to drop more.
Students complete six sentences and circle every than and the
04 Question types and worked steps
| Type | Example | Steps | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| One syllable | tall, big, hot | Add -er/-est; double a final consonant after a short vowel | taller, bigger, hotter |
| Ending in y | happy, easy, busy | Change y to i, then add -er/-est | happier, easier, busier |
| Multi-syllable | expensive, beautiful | Put more/most in front and leave the word alone | more beautiful, most beautiful |
| Irregular | good, bad, far | Change the whole word; never add -er | better, worse, further |
Sanity check (teach this): Sanity check: a word carries only one comparative marker, so more never appears beside -er and most never beside -est; if the syllable count can be clapped the column is obvious, and beautiful takes three claps so it takes more; doubling happens only with a short vowel and a single final consonant, which is why visit, stressed on the second syllable, becomes visiting with one s; the most practical check is circling than and the, because a comparative needs than and a superlative needs the, and a missing one means a missing word.
05 Independent practice (3 questions)
| Question | Answer | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| One syllable | Comparative of big | bigger |
| Ending in y | Superlative of happy | happiest |
| Multi-syllable | Comparative of expensive | more expensive |
| Sentence | She is ___ (tall) than me. | taller |
06 Common mistakes and what to say
| Mistake | Student writes | Say this |
|---|---|---|
| Two markers at once | more bigger, most tallest | More and -er do the same job. Pick one; using both says it twice. |
| Missing double letter | biger, hoter | A short vowel with one consonant borrows one before -er: big becomes bigger. |
| y left unchanged | happyer, easyer | A final y after a consonant becomes i before -er: happy becomes happier. |
| Superlative without the | She is tallest in the class. | A superlative points at one thing, so it needs the. Without it the sentence is unfinished. |
07 Homework (paper, section and question numbers)
- Secondary English chapter index — All chapters, starting with the two either side of this one
- Teaching guide index — The same ten sections for other subjects
- Redo this chapter — Worksheet questions 1 to 10, naming the rule used for questions 7 to 10
08 Exit check (last 5 minutes)
| Question | Answer | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Comparative of big | bigger | Answering biger means the doubling rule is not secure |
| Comparative of good | better | Answering gooder means the irregular list is not learned |
| Fix: more taller than me | taller than me | No change means two markers at once went unnoticed |
09 Tutor FAQ
When is it more and when is it -er?
Count syllables: one syllable takes -er, three or more take more, and two syllables depend on the ending, with y usually becoming i.
Can than be dropped?
No. A comparative needs something to compare with, and without than the as adjective as pattern is needed.
Do spelling slips lose marks?
Yes. These forms are tested in writing, and a missed double letter or an unchanged y costs marks.
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A TutorZone lesson-prep guide. Written by the TutorZone team; questions and lesson flow are original and are not taken from any school or publisher material.