Ask the class to give you the names of six famous people, for example, Gandhi, Lance Armstrong, Mother Teresa, Julia Roberts, Ernest Hemingway and Barack Obama. Write these on the board. Divide the class into groups of three or four. Draw a line between two of the names, such as Gandhi and Ernest Hemingway, and invite the class to compare them by using a comparative adverb. The first student to tell you a grammatically correct and meaningful sentence, such as, “Hemingway wrote more elegantly than Gandhi,” wins one point for his group. Continue drawing lines between names and awarding points for correct sentences. After 20 minutes, stop the activity and declare a winner. Ask each group to write down as many sentences as they can remember. Go around the room and help with vocabulary and grammar, if necessary. This activity is suitable for English-language learners at an intermediate and upper-intermediate level.
Divide the class into groups of three or four. Give each group a piece of paper on which you have written 10 comparative sentences about members of the class, but with the comparative adverbs omitted. For example, “Jose arrives --- than Sandra,” or “Anna does her homework --- than David.” Students work in their groups to produce grammatically correct sentences by adding comparative adverbs. For example, “Jose arrives more promptly than Sandra,” or “Anna does her homework more accurately than David.” After 15 minutes, stop the activity and ask the groups to read their sentences to the class. This activity is suitable for English-language learners at an intermediate level.
Divide students into groups of two. Give each pair a set of 20 index cards with a superlative adverb written on each card. For example, a card could have on it “the most tidily” or “the most carefully.” Each student takes a turn picking a card and using it to ask her partner a question about the class. For example, “Whose desk is arranged the most tidily?” or “Who in the class answers questions the most carefully?” The partner answers appropriately, for example, “Juan’s desk is arranged the most tidily,” or “Juan answers questions the most carefully.” This activity is suitable for English-language learners at an intermediate and upper-intermediate level.
Draw a simple version of your family tree on the board. As you circle each member, tell students something about the relative by using a superlative adverb, for example, “This is David, my brother. He sings the most beautifully.” Ask the students to draw their own family trees and then divide the class into pairs. Students take turns using a superlative adverb to tell their partners a little about each family member. After 20 minutes, stop the activity and ask each student to tell the class one interesting thing he found out about his partner’s family. This activity is suitable for English-language learners at a lower-intermediate and intermediate level.