Comparative Adjectives Drawing Games

Comparative adjectives drawing games

Game 1: Drawing drilling game

Instructions for teachers and students

Work in groups of four or more. Split each group into two teams, e.g. two people against three people in a group of five. Teams take turns doing the drawing and guessing activity for three minutes.

One person from the team draws things from the left-hand column below, without saying or writing anything. They should show which sentence they are drawing to the people on the other team, but not to their partner or partners (who aren’t allowed to see the worksheet at all).

Whenever their partner thinks that they know what the drawing is, they write the sentence under the drawing. If there are two or more options divided by slashes (/) on the worksheet, the second person only has to write one of the options. However, what they write must exactly match something there. If the sentence is different in any way from the words in the left-hand column below, the person who drew it should just shake their head (still without speaking or writing), then continue drawing. Alternatively, they can give up on that one and switch to drawing a different thing.

If the written words match the left-hand column, the person who drew that thing should nod their head (to mean “Yes”), then their partner should write the comparative version of the sentence next to it and then try to draw that thing. For example, if the first person drew “A messy room”, the second person should write that, write “A messier room”, and then try to draw an even more chaotic room. Whenever the person who did the original drawing and the people in the other team agree that the second person’s drawing and words are correct, the first person should do the same with another word from the left-hand column below. They get one point for every pair of correct adjective and comparative pictures (with accompanying words) that they can do together in three minutes.

Teams take turns doing the same thing, each time for three minutes per go, with a different person drawing the original pictures each time.

Students then try to remember the comparative forms that they used, then classify each group of words on the worksheet, first with their own ideas and then using the mixed categories under the fold to help.

--------------------------------fold, cover or cut----------------------

Mixed categories

• double letter + er
• irregular
• more + one syllable
• more + three or more syllables
• more + two syllables
• one syllable + er
• two syllables + er
• -y changes to -ier

 

a high building/ a tall building	a higher building/ a taller building
a long train	a longer train
a short tie	a shorter tie
an old bicycle/ an old-fashioned bicycle	an older bicycle/ a more old-fashioned bicycle
a small hat	a smaller hat
a cold dog	a colder dog
a thick book	a thicker book
a broad river/ a wide river	a broader river/ a wider river
a cheap meal	a cheaper meal
a loose belt	a looser belt
a tight belt	a tighter belt
a big hammer/ a large hammer	a bigger hammer/ a larger hammer
a hot woman	a hotter woman
a thin man	a thinner man
a narrow door	a narrower door
a high-tech office/ a high-tech workplace	a more high-tech office/ a more high-tech workplace
a sharp pencil/ a pointed pencil	a sharper pencil/ a more pointed pencil
an expensive computer/ a pricey computer	a more expensive computer/ a pricier computer
a dangerous road	a more dangerous road
a fun theme park/ an exciting theme park	a more fun theme park/ a more exciting theme park
a bent knife/ a curved knife	a more bent knife/ a more curved knife
a dirty car	a dirtier car
a messy desk/ an untidy desk	a messier desk/ an untidier desk
an angry man	an angrier man
a happy cat	a happier cat
an ugly woman	an uglier woman
a bumpy road/ a rough road	a bumpier road/ a rougher road
an easy calculation/ a simple calculation	an easier calculation/ a simpler calculation
an unhealthy meal/ unhealthy food	an unhealthier meal/ unhealthier food
a far station/ a distant station	a farther station/ a further station/ a more distant station

 

Comparative adjective forms presentation

Try to remember the comparative forms of the words below, then classify each section.

a high building/ a tall building
a long train
a short tie
an old bicycle
a small hat
a cold dog
a thick book
a broad river/ a wide river
a cheap meal
a loose belt
a tight belt
a big hammer
a hot woman
a thin man
a narrow door
a high-tech office/ a high-tech workplace
a pointed pencil
an expensive computer
a dangerous road
a fun theme park
a bent knife/ a curved knife
a dirty car
a messy desk/ an untidy desk
an angry man
a happy cat
an ugly woman
a bumpy road
an easy calculation
an unhealthy meal/ unhealthy food
a far station

 

Game 2: Comparatives drawing challenge

Choose an adjective and try to make a picture representing that thing as extremely as you can, e.g. an incredibly happy cat. Challenge your partner to make a picture that is even more extreme, e.g. “Can you draw a happier cat?” When you finish, another student will say which one is more extreme.

 

Game 3: Criticising drawings with comparative adjectives

In 45 seconds, make as complicated a drawing as you can. Your partner will then have two minutes to draw as near to that picture as they can. When they finish, make as many sentences as you can comparing their version and your version. You get one point for each comparison you make with a different word that they agree is true. Your teacher will tell you if you can use the list of suggested words or not. 

Suggested comparatives for comparing versions of a picture

bendier/ more curved – straighter

neater/ tidier – messier/ untidier

longer – shorter

broader/ wider – narrower

higher/ taller – shorter

thicker – thinner

more beautiful/ prettier – uglier

cuter – more frightening/ scarier 

 

Game 4: Picture dictation with comparatives

Secretly draw something simple such as a house for one minute. Explain the house to your partner for them to draw and give them advice on what is wrong about their drawing using phrases like “The… should be (much/ quite a lot/ a little/ a tiny bit)… er/ more…” Don’t make gestures, give other hints, point at their picture, or show your picture to them. After five minutes, show the two versions of the drawings to another group for them to find and explain differences.