Comparison and Contrast

1. Comparison andContrast

2. Comparison and contrast • In most academic subjects it is often nedded to compare and contrast things • The language of comparison and contrast is frequently needed when studying tables and other statistical information

3. Comparison- formation • Theregularcomparativeand superlative formsofadjectivesandadverbs • theendings-er and –estto wordswith one syllable • byplacingthewordsmoreandthe mostinfrontofwordswith more syllables

4. Irregularcomparison • A smallgroupofveryfrequentadjectives: good-better-best, bad-worse-worst, far-further-furthest, many-more-most A smallgroupofadverbs: badly-worse,worst, little-less-least, much-more-most

5. Languageconstructions • Showingequivalence (i.e. the same): as…as, the same…as, as many…as, as much…as • Showingnon-equivalence not as/so…as, than, more…than, not as many…as, not as much…as 3. Showing one itemcomaredwith a number (i.e. the superlative) 4. Showingparallelincrease The more, themerrier

6. Comparison • Look at Table 3 (p. 52) • Write at least three sentences comparing the mountains mentioned

7. Extended Comparison • Read the text on p. 52 • Complete the sentences below the text by choosing from the list of words and phrases

8. Answer key • More...than • Greater...than • As many...as • Most • The same ...as • Least • Not as many...as • As much ... As • More... Than • biggest

9. Exercise 2 • Compare the dictionaries and recommend one on the basis of Table 4 (p. 53)

10. Generalisation • Making general comments or generalisingabouttheinformation • Generalisationscanbemade more precisebyqualifyingthem • Whenwemake a qualification, wemaybegivingour own opinion or interpretingtheinformation • If we are giving our opinion or are interpreting the informaton, caution is needed

11. Exercise • ReadA SurveyofUnemployment (p. 64-65); underlinegeneralisationsinthesecondparagraph

12. Generalisations • Allthoseregistered as unemployedinsteadof one million • Themajorityofmeninsteadof 60 % ofmen • A likelihoodofbeingunemployedinsteadof a one ineightchance • A littleunemploymentinsteadof one intwentywereunemployed

13. Exercise • Identify the qualifications of quantity, frequency and probability in the text

14. Answer key • Quantity: all, minority, majority, a little, most, a number • Frequency: usually, seldom, generally • Probability: likelihood, undoubtedly, likely, definitely

15. Caution • Impersonal verb phrases: it appears that, it seems that, it tends to be, it is said that, some writers say that, it has been suggested that, it is now generally recognised that • Useful nouns: assumption, claim, estimate, possibility, presumption, chance, likelihood

16. Thankyou for yourattention!