Welcome to today's episode of Living English.

Later we're going to look at how we compare things.

... and add words for the places where we live.

First though here's our drama 'Sisters and Brothers'.

So Anne, have you been to Australian [...]?

No, never.

It's a beautiful home Sarah.

So big.

The rooms are much bigger than at home.

There's more space here.

Do you live in a house?

No Steve - she lives in an igloo.

Actually no, we live in an appartment.

[...].

Singapore is much busier than Adelaide, and more crowded.

Yes, and more exciting.

It's so boring here.

It's quieter.

Some people like that.

Well, I think it's boring.

Adelaide is very beautiful city.

It's a better place to live than...

... anywhere else I've been.

Have you ever been anywhere?

Mark hates travelling.

I love it.

I just don't see the point of it.

And what about you Steve?

Do you like to travel?

Yes.

I've been to Guadeloupe and to Bali.

Bali [...].

I've been to the zoo.

You're lucky.

I haven't been to the zoo.

I'd love to go to the zoo.

I'll take you.

Steve does seem very keen to take Anne to the zoo.

Perhaps he likes Anne.

You have to keep watching to find out.

But to start with today let's go back and listen to Anne...

... comparing Sarah's home to hers.

It's a beautiful home Sarah.

So big.

The rooms are much bigger than at home.

There's more space here.

When we want to describe things like houses...

... we use words called adjectives.

Listen for the words Anne uses to describe Sarah's home.

It's a beautiful home Sarah.

So big.

She says that Sarah's home is beautiful and big.

These are adjectives.

They describe Sarah's house...

... which is also her home.

Sarah has a big home.

Now listen to what Anne says when she compares it to her home in Singapore.

The rooms are much bigger than at home.

The rooms are bigger.

Rooms can be big.

And other rooms can be bigger.

A word can be small.

And another word can be smaller.

To compare two things we change some adjectives by adding an 'er' sound.

Big.

Bigger.

Small.

Smaller.

These sorts of adjectives are called comparatives.

We lead the things we are comparing with the word 'than'.

Listen for an example of this use of 'than' and the comparative in this clip.

Singapore is much busier than Adelaide, and more crowded.

Busier.

Singapore is much busier than Adelaide.

The city of Adelaide is busy.

It has lots of people doing lots of things.

But Singapore is busier than Adelaide.

It has more people doing more things.

Try saying 'busier than' with Anne.

Singapore is much ... Adelaide, and more crowded.

Singapore is much busier than Adelaide, and more crowded.

Singapore is more crowded than Adelaide.

Instead of adding the 'er' sound to 'crowded' we say 'more crowded'.

This is crowded.

This is more crowded.

And this is much more crowded.

We mostly use 'more' with long adjectives...

... and 'er' with short adjectives.

Crowded - more crowded.

Big - bigger.

Now listen to what Steve says about Singapore compared to Adelaide.

Singapore is much busier than Adelaide, and more crowded.

Yes, and more exciting.

He said that Singapore is more exciting.

Exciting is a long adjective.

So we say 'more' before it.

More exciting.

Now listen to what Mark says about Adelaide.

It's a better place to live than...

... anywhere else I've been.

Better.

There are too important adjectives that don't have 'more' said before them...

... or 'er' added to them.

These adjectives are good and bad.

Things can be bad.

And they can be worse.

One thing can be good.

But another thing can be better.

Have a look at saying 'better' with the clip.

... anywhere else I've been.

It's a better place to live than...

... anywhere else I've been.

And here's who makes Living English better. Here's Michelle Crowden.

Hello Michelle.

Hello Brenton.

Hello everyone.

Let's compare a few things.

Which one of us is taller?

Stand up please.

I'm taller than you.

Yes.

Brenton is taller than me.

That makes me shorter than you.

Oh, that's true.

But you have longer hair.

Yes.

My hair is much longer than yours.

Now let's compare places to live.

First listen to what Anne calles her home.

Do you live in a house?

No Steve - she lives in an igloo.

Actually no, we live in an appartment.

Her family lives in an appartment.

Michelle what's an igloo?

An igloo is a home made of ice.

People who live in very cold places such as Alaska or Greenland might build an igloo.

But Anne lives in an appartment.

What are the words we use for an appartment Brenton?

A flat.

In Australia an appartment is often called a flat.

And what is that?

A group of rooms on one floor of a building.

So they are not very big.

No. Houses are bigger than flats.

What's bigger than a house?

A mansion.

A mansion is bigger than a house.

And what's bigger than a mansion?

A palace.

A palace is bigger than a mansion.

That is the biggest a home you can get.

A palace would be harder to clean than an apartment.

And we know that Singapore is busier than Adelaide.

Listen to Sarah compare Adelaide to Singapore.

It's quieter.

Some people like that.

Quieter.

If Adelaide is quieter than Singapore Brenton...

... than what is Singapore compared to Adelaide?

Singapore must be noisier than Adelaide.

Now it's your turn to use some comparative adjectives.

Here I have a pencil and a needle.

Both of them are sharp.

But which one is sharper?

What do you think Brenton?

Ouch!

The needle is sharper than the pencil.

True.

Now here is another pencil.

They are very long.

But which pencil is longer?

The red one?

Or the blue one?

You tell me.

The red pencil is longer than the blue one.

And you can also use the word 'short'.

The opposite of long.

Which pencil is shorter?

The blue pencil is shorter than the red one.

Now let's try some longer adjectives.

Remember for longer words we use the word 'more' in front of them.

What about the word beautiful?

Who is more beautiful?

Brenton?

Or me?

That's right.

I'm more beautiful than Brenton.

I'm not so sure about that.

Well, tell me this.

Here are two animals.

Which animal is more dangerous?

The lion?

Or the mouse?

The lion is more dangerous than the mouse.

Which animal is more frightening?

The mouse is more frightening than the lion.

I don't think so. I think that the lion is more frightening than the mouse.

Not to me.

What about this one?

The snake is much more frightening than the mouse.

I agree.

Something that is frightening is something that makes you afraid.

Michelle and I have a different opinion about what is frightening.

Michelle thinks a mouse is frightening.

But I don't.

Listen to Sarah giving her opinion about travelling.

Mark hates travelling.

I love it.

She says that Mark hates travelling.

'Hates' is more intense than 'doesn't like'.

Mark doesn't like travelling.

He really doesn't like it.

Mark hates travelling.

Sarah also said 'I love it'.

'Love' is an exaggerating way of saying 'like'.

I like it.

I really like it.

I love it.

You can say that you hate going to work...

... or that you love watching football.

Yes.

It's a way of saying that you more than just don't like going to work...

... and that you really like football.

Actually I hate football.

I love it.

Now you try saying whether you love something or hate it.

Icecream.

I hate icecream.

I love icecream.

Travelling.

I hate travelling.

I love travelling.

Rain.

I hate rain.

I love rain.

Dogs.

I hate dogs.

I love dogs.

So you can say 'I hate' or 'I love something'.

And you can also say whether you would love to do something.

Listen to Anne expressed her opinion about going to the zoo.

And then say it with her.

I'd love to go to the zoo.

Anne is talking about something she would like to do in the future.

You can use this if someone invites you to do something.

Brenton.

Would you like to have a lunch with me?

I'd love to have lunch with you.

But you don't usually say "I'd hate to have lunch with you".

You say 'I wouldn't like to have lunch with you'.

Michelle.

Would you like to go to a football match?

No.

I wouldn't like to go to a football match.

Now you try at home.

Say whether you'd love to do something...

... or whether you wouldn't like to.

Have a holiday.