B1 Lesson 17: Decribing Buildings + Comparative & Superlatives

WARM UP

Think about buildings and places you know.

• What is the most historic building in your city?
• Do you prefer modern or traditional buildings? Why?
• Have you ever visited a spectacular building?
• Do you like living in a cosy home?
• What makes a building look unusual?

Answer in full sentences.

VOCABULARY – DESCRIBING BUILDINGS: AGE & OPINION

• brand new – completamente nuevo
Example: They moved into a brand new apartment last month.

• original – original
Example: The house still has its original wooden doors.

• spectacular – espectacular
Example: The hotel has a spectacular view of the mountains.

• unusual – inusual
Example: That building has an unusual shape.

• fresh – renovado / fresco
Example: The office looks fresh after the renovation.

• classic – clásico
Example: The restaurant is located in a classic stone building.

• historic – histórico
Example: We visited a historic castle during our trip.

• traditional – tradicional
Example: Many villages have traditional houses.

• cosy – acogedor
Example: Their living room feels warm and cosy.

• modern – moderno
Example: The city centre has several modern buildings.

Say each word out loud.
Think about buildings you have seen recently.

GRAMMAR – COMPARATIVE & SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES

We use comparatives to compare two things.

We use superlatives to compare three or more things.

Comparatives

• small → smaller
• large → larger
• modern → more modern
• unusual → more unusual
• spectacular → more spectacular

Examples

• This building is more modern than that one.
• The castle is older than the museum.
• My apartment is cosier than my previous one.
• That hotel is more spectacular than the others.

Superlatives

• small → the smallest
• large → the largest
• modern → the most modern
• unusual → the most unusual
• spectacular → the most spectacular

Examples

• It is the most modern building in the city.
• That castle is the oldest building here.
• This is the cosiest café in town.
• It is the most spectacular hotel I have ever seen.

More Examples

• The historic church is older than the modern shopping centre.
• This house looks more traditional than the apartment next door.
• That is the most unusual building in the neighbourhood.
• The brand new office is more impressive than the old one.

DIALOGUE – CHOOSING A PLACE TO STAY

Anna: Which hotel do you prefer?

Mark: I like the modern one near the river.

Anna: Really? I think the historic hotel is more interesting.

Mark: It is, but the other hotel is more modern and more comfortable.

Anna: Maybe, but the historic one has the most spectacular architecture.

Mark: That's true. It also feels much cosier.

Read again and practise.

SHORT ARTICLE

Last month, I visited several interesting cities. One city was famous for its historic centre, where many buildings still had their original features. Another city was known for its modern architecture and brand new skyscrapers. My favourite building was a spectacular museum with an unusual design. It looked more modern than any other building nearby, but it also respected traditional architectural styles. Inside, the atmosphere felt warm and cosy, even though the building was enormous. It was easily the most impressive place I visited during the trip.

Read the article twice. Focus on the comparative and superlative forms.

LANGUAGE SUPPORT

Comparatives

• more modern than
• more traditional than
• more unusual than
• cosier than

Superlatives

• the most spectacular
• the most modern
• the most unusual
• the cosiest

Describing buildings

• a historic building
• a brand new apartment
• an original design
• a classic style

Full sentence model

• This historic building is more beautiful than the modern one across the street.

PERSONAL QUESTIONS

Answer in full sentences.

• What is the most historic building in your city?
• Do you prefer modern or traditional architecture? Why?
• Have you ever stayed in a cosy hotel?
• What is the most spectacular building you have ever seen?
• Are brand new buildings always better than older ones? Why or why not?
• What makes a building look unusual?
• Do you prefer homes with original features or modern designs?
• Which building in your city is the most modern?
• What is the most traditional place you have visited?
• If you could live anywhere, what type of building would you choose?

HOMEWORK (WRITE & RECORD)

Writing

Write 8 sentences:

• 4 sentences using comparatives
• 4 sentences using superlatives

Use at least 8 vocabulary words from the lesson.

Recording

Read your sentences aloud clearly.
Focus on the pronunciation of comparative and superlative adjectives.