Language and Grammar: Make Comparisons

Pair Talk Work with a partner. Compare experiences between groups in the selection or between your families’ traditions. Remember to look for ways the experiences or traditions are alike and different. Use comparative adjectives in your discussion.

We open presents after breakfast on the holidays.

That’s interesting. We always have an earlier celebration. We open gifts right after dinner the night before the holidays.

Writing and Grammar: Write to Compare

Study the Models When you write to compare things or ideas, you want your reader to understand your comparisons. Be sure to use words that show a comparison clearly so that your reader can understand what you have to say.

Not Ok

This holiday is importanter than any other holiday of the year. We have fireworks and music, so it may be noisyer than usual around here. Some people think the day is interestinger for adults, but the more young citizens have fun, too. They dance and sing and eat delicious foods!

The reader thinks: “What is the writer comparing? It’s hard to tell from these words.”

Ok

This holiday is more important than any other holiday of the year. We have fireworks and music, so it may be noisier than usual around here. Some people think the day is more interesting for adults, but the younger citizens have fun, too. They dance and sing and eat delicious foods!

The comparative words are correct. Now it is clear what the writer is comparing.

Add Sentences Think of two sentences to add to the OK model above. Look for more ways that the holiday is similar or different.

Illustration of the pen icon WRITE ON YOUR OWN Write about a change you have made in your life. How are you different now from before? How are the places and people you have known different from those you know now? Make sure you use the correct forms of the comparison words.

    Remember

  • • Add -er to adjectives that have one syllable. If the adjective ends in y, change the y to i before you add -er.

    I am friendlier than I was before.

  • • Add more before adjectives that have three or more syllables.

    My new school is more difficult than my old school.