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E6 E - As … as and richer comparisons

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E6 E - As … as and richer comparisons

Mini-description: Compare people, animals, places and activities in short connected descriptions. Use as … as, not as … as, comparatives with than, stronger or softer comparisons such as much and a bit, and familiar superlatives.

Look and think: What can you compare in this picture? Try English first.

Hint: Think about size, colour, speed, comfort and interest.

Deutsch-Hilfe: Du brauchst keine lange Übersetzung. Suche zuerst ein passendes englisches Adjektiv.

Example: A double-decker bus is bigger than a small car.

I can ...

I can say when two things are equal: The two bags are as heavy as each other.
I can say when they are not equal: The blue bag is not as heavy as the red bag.
I can use comparatives: This route is shorter than that route.
I can make comparisons richer: The train is much faster than the bus. / This game is a bit easier.
I can use familiar superlatives: It is the tallest building in the picture.
I can give reasons in a short connected description.

Warm-up: notice comparisons

Read the mini-dialogue.

Mia: Tower Bridge looks old, but it is not as old as some buildings in London.

Noah: I think it is more interesting than a normal road bridge.

Aisha: The two towers look almost as tall as each other.

Mia: And the river is much wider than the street next to it.

Your turn: Find four comparison phrases.

Hint: Look for as, than, more and much.

Deutsch-Hilfe: Markiere nur die Vergleichsstellen, nicht den ganzen Satz.

Solution: not as old as, more interesting than, almost as tall as, much wider than.

Quick prior-knowledge check

Choose the sentence that sounds right.

A bike is cheaper than a car.
My bag is as heavy as your bag.
This book is more interesting than that one.
Today is a bit colder than yesterday.

If these patterns look familiar, you are ready. If not, use the next section slowly.

Watch and listen

First watch: Listen for as … as. Do not try to understand every word.

Second watch: Complete the idea: I am as ___ as James.

Hint: After the first as, use the normal adjective form.

Deutsch-Hilfe: Bei as … as steht das Adjektiv in der Grundform.

Solution: I am as tall as James.

More comparison forms

Watch this short grammar input for comparatives and superlatives.

Listening task: Write down one comparative and one superlative you hear.

Privacy note: You do not need an account, comment or upload for the learning task. If a video platform is not available in class, your teacher can use the text examples on this page.

Picture input: compare animals

Read the short text.

A cheetah and an elephant are very different. An elephant is much heavier than a cheetah. A cheetah is faster than an elephant. The young animals are not as big as the adults. In both pictures, the animals are close to other animals of the same species.

Notice: The text uses facts from the pictures only where you can see them. Do not invent exact weights or speeds without checking a reliable source.

Vocabulary in context

heavy: The elephant is heavy.
fast: A cheetah is fast.
wide: The river is wide.
busy: A city street can be busy.
quiet: A park can be quiet.
interesting: The bridge is interesting.
comfortable: This seat is comfortable.
expensive: A taxi can be expensive.

Mini-task: Choose three words and make one comparison for each.

Example: A park is usually quieter than a busy road.

Understand the patterns

Equal: as … as

Use as + adjective + as when two things are equal or very similar.

Example: The blue bike is as fast as the green bike.

With a softener: The towers are almost as tall as each other.

Not equal: not as … as

Use not as + adjective + as when one thing has less of a quality.

Example: The small bag is not as heavy as the big bag.

Think: This often gives you another way to say a comparative.

The small bag is lighter than the big bag.

Comparative + than

Short adjectives often take -er.

small → smaller

fast → faster

big → bigger

Some longer adjectives use more.

interesting → more interesting

comfortable → more comfortable

Example: The museum is more interesting than the shop.

Richer comparisons

Add a small word to show how big the difference is.

much faster = a big difference

far better = a big difference

a bit colder = a small difference

slightly easier = a small difference

Example: The train is much faster than the bus, but the bus is a bit cheaper.

Less … than

Use less + adjective + than when one thing has less of a quality.

Example: The side street is less busy than the main road.

Compare:

The side street is less busy than the main road.

The side street is not as busy as the main road.

Both can express a similar idea.

Familiar superlatives

Use a superlative when you compare one thing with a group.

small → the smallest

interesting → the most interesting

Example: For Mia, the science museum is the most interesting place on the map.

This is Mia's opinion. Other people can choose differently.

Reading: Three places after school

Read about three fictional places.

Green Park is quiet and free. It is not as busy as City Sports Centre. It is also much greener than Market Square.

City Sports Centre is more active than Green Park. The climbing wall is a bit more difficult than the table-tennis area. For Leo, it is the most exciting place.

Market Square is as easy to reach as the sports centre, but it can be noisier. The cafés are more expensive than a picnic in Green Park.

Question: Which place would you choose after school? Give two comparison reasons.

Hint: Use because, but or and.

Example: I would choose Green Park because it is quieter than Market Square and it is free.

Listening without an upload

Work with a partner. One person reads Text A, the other listens. Then swap.

Text A: My old bike is lighter than my new bike, but the new bike is much more comfortable. Both bikes are almost as fast as each other.

Task: Write three key words while you listen. Then retell the idea in your own words.

Hint: Do not copy every sentence.

Deutsch-Hilfe: Höre auf die Vergleichswörter und erzähle den Sinn mit eigenen Worten nach.

Possible retelling: The old bike is lighter. The new bike is more comfortable. Their speed is nearly the same.

Pronunciation: clear comparisons

Say these chunks slowly, then naturally:

as FAST as

MUCH faster than

a BIT cheaper than

MORE interesting than

the MOST exciting

Focus: Stress the important adjective. Small grammar words such as as and than are often less strong.

Speaking tip: Clear meaning is more important than copying one accent.

Optional private practice: You may record yourself on your own device and listen back. Do not upload the recording unless your teacher has planned a safe school activity and you want to take part.

Speaking: mini comparison challenge

Choose two familiar things, for example two school subjects, two games, two routes or two fictional cafés.

Speak for about 30–45 seconds.

Use at least:

one as … as or not as … as sentence
one comparative with than
one richer form such as much, far, a bit or slightly
one reason with because

Example: The library is not as noisy as the sports hall. The sports hall is much bigger, but the library is a bit more comfortable for reading. I like the library because I can concentrate there.

Writing: one short connected text

Write 5–7 sentences about two places, activities or fictional products.

Try English first.

Hint 1: Start with a simple topic sentence.

Hint 2: Use but, and or because to connect ideas.

Hint 3: Add one small degree word: much, far, a bit, slightly or almost.

Deutsch-Hilfe: Du sollst keinen Listen-Text schreiben. Verbinde Deine Sätze zu einer kurzen Beschreibung.

Example: The Blue Café and the Green Café are both near school. The Blue Café is much bigger than the Green Café, but it is also noisier. The Green Café is not as expensive as the Blue Café. Its chairs are a bit more comfortable. For me, the Green Café is the better place because it is quieter.

Language mediation

Your German-speaking exchange partner asks: Welcher von zwei fiktiven Freizeitorten ist ruhiger und günstiger?

Read the notes:

River Club: quiet, €4, small rooms

City Club: busy, €7, bigger rooms

Answer in simple English. Do not translate every German word.

Possible answer: The River Club is quieter and cheaper than the City Club. The City Club has bigger rooms.

Feedback: check your comparison

Use this short checklist.

Did I compare clear things?
Did I use as + adjective + as correctly?
Did I use than after a comparative?
Did I choose more for a longer adjective when needed?
Did I add a degree word only when it makes sense?
Did I connect my ideas?
Can another learner understand my message?

AI note: If you use an approved AI tool in a school task, check every suggestion and write the final text yourself. Do not send personal data, private recordings or classmates' work to an external AI service.

Use again: picture comparison

Look again at the London images.

Make a three-sentence comparison. You may compare size, age, shape, movement or how interesting something looks.

Challenge: Use not as … as once and much or a bit once.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

Which sentence shows that two bikes have the same speed? (The red bike is as fast as the blue bike.) (!The red bike is faster as the blue bike.) (!The red bike is more fast than the blue bike.) (!The red bike is the fast as the blue bike.)

Which sentence is correct? (The small park is not as busy as the city square.) (!The small park is not busy than the city square.) (!The small park is not as busier as the city square.) (!The small park is not more busy as the city square.)

Choose the correct comparative. (This route is shorter than that route.) (!This route is short than that route.) (!This route is more short than that route.) (!This route is shortest than that route.)

Which sentence uses a richer comparison correctly? (The train is much faster than the bus.) (!The train is much fastest than the bus.) (!The train is much fast as the bus.) (!The train is more faster than the bus.)

Which sentence shows only a small difference? (This task is a bit easier than the last task.) (!This task is the easiest than the last task.) (!This task is as easier as the last task.) (!This task is much easiest than the last task.)

Which sentence with less is correct? (The side street is less noisy than the main road.) (!The side street is less noisier than the main road.) (!The side street is less noisy as the main road.) (!The side street is least noisy than the main road.)

Which sentence uses a long adjective correctly? (The museum is more interesting than the shop.) (!The museum is interestinger than the shop.) (!The museum is most interesting than the shop.) (!The museum is as more interesting as the shop.)

Which sentence is a correct superlative? (This is the most comfortable chair in the room.) (!This is the more comfortable chair in the room.) (!This is the comfortablest chair than the room.) (!This is most comfortable than the chair.)

Which sentence uses almost as correctly? (The two towers are almost as tall as each other.) (!The two towers are almost taller as each other.) (!The two towers are almost as taller than each other.) (!The two towers are almost more tall as each other.)

Which short text connects comparisons clearly? (The park is quieter than the square, but the square is more exciting for me.) (!The park quieter the square and exciting more.) (!The park is quietest than the square because more exciting.) (!The park as quiet than the square but excitingest.)

Memory

as tall as	equal comparison
not as noisy as	unequal comparison
much faster than	big difference
a bit cheaper than	small difference
more interesting than	comparative with a longer adjective
the most comfortable	superlative

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
as fast as	same speed
not as heavy as	lower weight
much bigger than	large difference
a bit easier than	small difference
the most exciting	top of a group

Kreuzworträtsel

equal	Which word describes a comparison with the same degree?
faster	What is the comparative form of fast?
heavier	What is the comparative form of heavy?
quieter	What is the comparative form of quiet?
biggest	What is the superlative form of big?
interesting	Which adjective can follow more in a comparison about something that holds your attention?

LearningApps

Lückentext

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Bildvergleich: Choose two objects in one Commons image on this page and write three comparison sentences.
Satzwerkstatt: Rewrite The red bag is heavier than the blue bag with not as … as without changing the main idea.
Aussprache: Read four comparison chunks aloud and mark the adjective that carries the main stress.
Mini-Dialog: Create a six-line dialogue in which two fictional pupils compare two after-school activities.

Standard

Orte vergleichen: Write 5–7 connected sentences about two places you know without giving private addresses.
Hörtext: With a partner, create a 30-second comparison text, read it aloud and let your partner retell the key idea.
Umfrage: Ask classmates which of three fictional school-event ideas they find more interesting, quieter or easier to organise. Summarise the answers without names.
Mediencheck: Choose one image from Wikimedia Commons and explain which visible features can be compared safely and which facts would need an extra source.

Schwer

Präsentation: Give a one-minute comparison of two hobbies. Use as … as, a comparative with than, one degree word and a superlative.
Nacherzählung: Listen to a partner's short description once, take only key-word notes and retell the comparison in your own words.
Sprachmittlung: Turn a short German note about two fictional youth clubs into a natural English recommendation without translating word for word.
Textrevision: Write a first draft, use the feedback checklist, then improve the text. If an approved AI tool is used, check every suggestion and explain one change you accepted and one you rejected.

Lernkontrolle

Vergleich erklären: Explain how The green bag is lighter than the red bag and The green bag is not as heavy as the red bag are connected in meaning.
Wirkung von Gradwörtern: Compare faster, much faster and a bit faster. Describe how the message changes.
Text verbessern: Improve this mini-text so it becomes connected: The park is quiet. The square is busy. The park is green. I like the park. Use at least two comparison forms and one connector.
Passende Form wählen: You want to say that two games are nearly equal in difficulty. Create a sentence with almost as … as and explain why a strong comparative would change the meaning.
Transfer: Compare two fictional travel options for a school trip. One is cheap but slow; the other is expensive but fast. Write a balanced three-sentence recommendation for two different needs.
Quellenbewusstsein: In a photo you can see that one object looks bigger. Explain why an exact statement such as three times heavier needs additional reliable information.

Lernnachweis

For a successful learning record, you should be able to:

use as … as and not as … as in meaningful sentences
form familiar comparatives with -er or more
use than correctly
use much, far, a bit, slightly or almost to show degree
use less … than where it fits
use familiar superlatives in a group comparison
connect several comparison sentences into a short clear text
understand the main idea of a short spoken comparison
speak clearly enough to be understood
revise your own work with feedback
use media and digital tools carefully, without sharing unnecessary personal data

Can-do check

Tick what you can do now.

I can compare two things with as … as.
I can show a difference with not as … as.
I can use -er than or more … than.
I can show a big or small difference.
I can give a short spoken comparison.
I can write a connected comparison text.
I can check and improve my own language.

If you tick 5–7 points: Move on to the follow-up course.

If you tick 3–4 points: Repeat the picture task and the quiz.

If you tick 0–2 points: Return to Understand the patterns and work with one pattern at a time.

Follow-up

Continue with a course on describing choices and giving reasons in longer mini-presentations. Useful links: adjectives, comparatives, superlatives, English grammar, speaking, writing.

OERs zum Thema

Useful media on this page come from Wikimedia Commons. The grammar videos are embedded from BBC Learning English on YouTube.

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