Unit 13: Welcome to BBC Broadcasting House

Comparatives and superlatives

We use comparatives to compare one person or thing with another person or thing.
My new phone is smaller than my old phone.
The film is more exciting than the book.
Hes better than me at tennis.

We use superlatives to compare one person or thing with several other people or things
of the same kind. Superlatives tell us which thing or person is the greatest in some way.
Its the smallest room in the house.
Weve got the cutest dog in the world.
Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth.

Form

Comparatives
We make comparatives in two ways: by adding -er to an adjective or by putting more in
front of the adjective. We often use the word than after the comparative, but not always.
David is older than Juan.
Who is more famous Brad Pitt or Benedict Cumberbatch?

We add er to adjectives with one syllable, but if the adjective ends in -e, just add -r.
old older
small smaller
nice nicer
wide wider

If an adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant and add
-er (except when the final consonant is w).
hot hotter
big bigger
new newer
few fewer

If an adjective has two syllables and ends in -y, change the y to i and add -ier.
happy happier
noisy noisier
easy easier

We put more before other adjectives with two or more syllables.

Sit in the chair its more comfortable than the sofa.
A tablet is more useful than a desktop.

Take note: (not) as as

To say that two things or people are similar in some way, use as + adjective + as.
I think that skiing is as dangerous as snowboarding.
We can use not as + adjective + as to say that two things or people are not equal in
some way.
Isabel is not as successful as her sister.

Superlatives

We make superlatives in two ways: by adding -est to an adjective or by putting most in

front of the adjective. We usually use the before the superlative.
Usain Bolt is probably the fastest man in the world.
Its the cheapest restaurant in town.
If an adjective has one syllable, add -est to form the superlative, but if the adjective
already ends in -e, just add st.
high highest
small smallest
nice nicest
wide widest

If an adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant and add
-est (except when it ends in w)
hot hottest
big biggest
new newest

If an adjective has two syllables and ends in -y, change the y to i and add -est
happy happiest

funny funniest

We put most before adjectives with two or more syllables.

Its the most beautiful painting Ive ever seen.

Take note: superlative and present perfect

We often use the superlative with the present perfect.

Its the most delicious meal Ive ever had.

Anna is the friendliest girl hes ever met.

Remember!
After superlative adjectives, we usually use in, not of.
He was the tallest person in his family.

Take note: irregular comparatives and superlatives

Some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms.
good better best
bad worse worst
Its the best film Ive seen in a long time.
Its the worst winter in history.

6 Minute Vocabulary: Similar words

Rob
similar words - words that are close in meaning, but which we use in different ways.
Sophie
let's listen to two architects travelling up the Burj Khalifa building in Dubai.
Rob
what's special about this building?

Marisa
We've reached the top. How high are we?
Jon
We're on the 124th floor.

Marisa
Wow - so this is the tallest building in the world. It's pretty impressive.
Jon
You can really see how big the city is. And also what a large number of construction
projects are happening here.
Marisa
So why did we come here today?
Jon
Well, I've got some big ideas about our next building project that I want to discuss!

Sophie
it's the tallest building in the world.
Rob
And 'tall' is one of today's similar words.
Sophie
and 'high' is another. These words have a similar meaning - they describe something that
is more than average height.
Rob
So what's the difference, Sophie?
Sophie
We usually use 'high' for things that are wider than their vertical height, for example, high
mountains or a high wall. And we use 'tall' for things that are narrower than their vertical
height, like people or trees.
Rob
Or buildings - as we heard just now. Buildings with many floors often have greater height
than width, like the Burj Khalifa.
Sophie
But we can also talk about 'high buildings': Sherlock Holmes fell from the top of a high
building.
Rob
Context is always important for choosing the right word. We use 'high' in this sentence
because it's the position of the top of the building that's important - not the building as a
whole.
Rob
'Big' and 'large'. These words both mean something that is more than average size. In
general, we use 'big' more often than 'large' - and we use it to talk about real things, like
'big cities', and abstract things, like 'big ideas'.

Rob
my big idea of the day is world peace. You hear about so much death and destruction in
the news I really think that world peace is what we should be aiming for.
Sophie
big idea - big because unfortunately it's quite an abstract idea, which is why we say big
idea and not large idea. So, when do we use large?
Rob
we use 'large' when we want to sound more formal, for example, Dubai has the largest
population in the United Arab Emirates.
Sophie
We also use 'large' in some fixed expressions. Jon talks about Dubai having 'a large
number of construction projects' in progress.
Sophie
Big and large. Meaning more than average size.
Rob
'Big' for real and abstract things: big city, big house, big decision, big ideas. 'Large' for real
things with a more formal tone: a large population, a large number of projects, a large
amount of money.
Sophie
High and tall. Meaning more than average height.
Rob
'High' for things that are wider than their vertical height: high mountains, high wall, high
windows, high bookshelf. 'Tall' for things that are narrower than their vertical height: tall
buildings, tall people, tall trees, tall grass, tall Sophie!
Sophie
And remember that context is very important!
Rob
And now it's quiz time. Is the English in these sentences right or wrong? Number 1: My
brother is 180cm high.
Sophie
And the answer is: Wrong. He's 180cm tall.
Number 2. I looked down from the high window to the garden below.
Sophie
And the answer is: Right. And finally, number 3. Moving house is a large decision to make.
Rob
And the answer is: Wrong. It's a big decision!
Rob
here's our big tip for remembering vocabulary: use internet search engines to check how
often words are used together. It'll help you choose the right words!

Vocabulary points to take away

tall
more than average height
Example 1: Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world.
Example 2: My brother is six foot tall.
high
more than average height
Example 1: Sherlock Holmes fell from the top of a high building.
Example 2: I put the books on a high shelf.
big
more than average size
Example 1: You can see how big the city is.
Example 2: Moving house is a big decision.
large
more than average size
Example 1: Dubai has the largest population in the United Arab Emirates.
Example 2: I made a large chocolate cake for the party.

Comparatives and superlatives explained

New Broadcasting House provides a better working environment for BBC staff.
This is now the BBC's largest creative hub in the UK.

The redevelopment of Broadcasting House involved the BBC's biggest relocation

of staff in its 90 year history.
New Broadcasting House is a 12-storey extension that's connected to the
original smaller home of the BBC.
There are many TV and radio studios using some of the latest technology.
It's busier than ever but there are plenty of places to meet and talk to colleagues.

These are all examples of comparative and superlative adjectives.

Comparative adjectives tell us how something is different (the original smaller home of the
BBC) or how something has changed (It's busier than ever).
Look at these other examples. How do we form comparative adjectives?
The BBC News Service is now faster than ever.
This redevelopment took place to meet higher demand for BBC services.
New Broadcasting House is bigger than the previous building.
Due to 24-hour programming and online services, the BBC is much busier than it
was 20 years ago.
In most cases, we add er to the adjective to form a comparative (large - larger, fast faster).
If the adjective finishes with a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern (like big), the final
consonant is doubled when er is added (big - bigger, fat - fatter).
If the adjective ends with a consonant + y, we change the y to an i (busy - busier, funny funnier).
We use than to make a direct comparison with something else (I am taller than my
brother.)

Superlative adjectives highlight (resaltan) something that is bigger, better or more than
everything else (the largest live newsroom in Europe, the latest technology).
Look at these examples. How do we form superlative adjectives?
The BBC news team is one of the fastest in the world.
New Broadcasting House was the biggest building project in BBC history.
The Learning English staff are the busiest and happiest at the BBC!

In these examples, we add est after the adjective. We also use the before the adjective
(fast - the fastest, large - the largest).
If the adjective finishes with a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern (like big), the final
consonant is doubled (big - the biggest, fat - the fattest).
If the adjective ends with a consonant + y, we change the y to an i (busy - the busiest,
funny - the funniest).

One more thing there are always irregular forms in English! This is true for
comparativeand superlative adjectives as well. Here are some of the common irregular
forms:
adjective

comparative

superlative

good

better (than)

(the) best

well

better (than)

(the) best

bad

worse (than)

(the) worst

ill

worse (than)

(the) worst

far

further (than)

(the) furthest

Much and more

New Broadcasting House now provides the most advanced digital broadcast and
production centre in the world.
It's a more accessible building for the public.
Broadcasting House is one of the most iconic buildings in the world.
In the 1960s, the Beatles were the most famous band in the world.
The comparatives and superlatives are different in these sentences. We use more before
the adjective to make a comparative form and the most to make a superlative. Do you
know why?
It is because these adjectives have 2 syllables or more and they dont end in y.
Here are some more examples:
The new Broadcasting House was the most expensive project in BBC history.

Having one central location makes the BBC more efficient.

The new John Peel
popular presenters.

Wing is

named

after

one

of

the

BBCs most

The new studios are more comfortable than the old ones.
When we make comparisons, we sometimes also use much or a lot before the adjective
for emphasis. Look at these examples:
The new building is much nicer than the old one (antiguo).
I love this new furniture (mobiliario). It is a lot more comfortable than the old stuff.
Our studios are much more modern now.
My office is a lot bigger than before. Its great!
We do not use much or a lot with superlatives because they do not need extra emphasis!

Much more than that!

The BBC reaches a worldwide audience of more than 150 million every week.
New Broadcasting House has more departments than the old building.
BBC One has the most viewers (espectadores) in the UK.
These sentences compare nouns, not adjectives! We use more than with a noun to mean
a greater number than and the most with a noun to mean the greatest number.
For example, if you have three sisters and your friend has one, you can say I have more
sisters than you.
Or if you have travelled all around the world but your friends havent been abroad very
often, you can say Out of all of us, I have visited the most countries.
We can use much and many for emphasis. Do you know when we use much and when
we use many? Look at the following examples and think about it:
I feel sick. I ate much more chocolate than you.
I have many more friends in my hometown than I do here.
We use much more before an uncountable noun (like chocolate or money) and many
more before a countable noun (like friends or countries).

6 Minute Grammar
More about comparatives and superlatives

Sophie
Yes, we use comparatives and superlatives to compare people and things.
Rob
I'm taller than you.
Sophie
But I'm thinner than you!
Rob
The sentences I'm taller than you and I'm thinner than you both use the comparative form.
Sophie
We use comparatives to compare two people or things that are different in some way.
Sophie. We usually use than in comparative sentences.
Rob
But not always, for example, I can ask: Who is taller you or me?
Sophie
Now, there are different ways to make the comparative form: For short words, just add 'er'.
That's spelled e r. So tall becomes taller
Rob
thin becomes thinner
Sophie
Adjectives like happy, funny, easy that end in the sound /i/ [phonemic sound 'y'], spelled
with a 'y', add 'ier', spelled: i e r.
Rob
so happy becomes happier
Sophie
...easy becomes easier.
Neil
English is easier than Chinese.
Rob
Now, adjectives that have two or more syllables but don't end in /i/ (spelled 'y'), use 'more'.
Neil
A tablet is more useful than a laptop.

The film of 'The Hobbit' is more exciting than the book.

Rob
'Useful' has two syllables and 'exciting' has three, so we say more useful and more
exciting.
Rob
What's the longest river in the world?
It is the Amazon. 'The longest river' is a superlative. We use superlative forms to compare
one person or thing with several others in a group. We often use them to say which thing
or person is the greatest, the biggest
Sophie
the most beautiful, the best in some way.
Rob
To make the superlative of short words like high, deep, tall, add 'est'. That's spelled e-s-t.
Sophie
So, the highest mountain, the deepest ocean, the tallest person
Rob
And remember to put 'the' before the adjective. So it's: I'm the tallest person in my family.
Sophie
Now for longer adjectives, with two or more syllables, we use most.
Sophie
'the most famous actor'. So it's the + most + adjective.
Rob
For adjectives that end in /i/ spelled 'y' like funny, and happy, we add 'iest' that's i-e-st. Here's an example.
Neil
The funniest show on TV is 'The Simpsons'.
Sophie
Now, finally, look out for the irregular comparatives and superlatives.
Neil
My iPhone 5 was better than my iPhone 4, but the iPhone 6 is the best phone on the
market now, in my opinion.
Rob
The comparative form of good is better and the superlative form is best.
Sophie
The comparative of bad is worse.
Rob
and the superlative is worst. Listen to these examples:

Neil
Winters have been bad the last few years. 2012 was worse than 2011, but 2013 was the
worst winter since records began.
Rob
Number 1: the word is 'old'. Jenny is ten and Simon is fifteen, so Simon is ______ than
Jenny.
Sophie
And the answer is: older. Simon is older than Jenny.
Rob
Next word: 'beautiful'. The Taj Mahal is the ___________ building I've ever seen.
Sophie
And the answer is: most beautiful. The Taj Mahal is the most beautiful building I've ever
seen.
Rob
Final word: 'good'. Using BBC Learning English is the _____ way to improve your English.
Sophie
Best. Using BBC Learning English is the best way to improve your English.

A superlative guide
For many science-fiction fans, one of the most interesting things in the video is the
Dalek from Doctor Who. John describes it as one of the most famous things in this
building.
They are superlatives (the most interesting, the most famous) but there are two very
important words just before them: one of
Broadcasting House is one of the most iconic buildings in London (London is full of
iconic buildings like Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and The Gherkin and Broadcasting
House is one of them).
The BBC news team is one of the fastest in the world (It would be difficult to say which
news team is actually the fastest but with its highly-professional team and state-of-the-art
modern technology, the BBC news team is one of them.)
The new John Peel Wing is named after one of the BBCs most popular presenters.
(The BBC has had many popular and famous presenters. John Peel was highly popular
with music fans so we can say he was one of the most popular).
Mm-mmm! That is one of the best lasagnes I have ever eaten! (Said in the BBC
canteen? I have eaten and enjoyed so many lasagnes in my lifetime but this one is really
great!)

As John says at the end of the video: I hope it's been as informative as you had hoped!
In this case, we do not see a comparative (more informative than) or a superlative (the
most informative) Instead, we see as informative as What does this mean?
I am 3 years older than my brother but he is as tall as me. We are both 1m80 tall.
Paul McCartney is as old as my grandfather! They were both born in 1939.
Despite many changes over the years, the BBC is still as important as ever in the UK and
around the world.
Answer: We use the structure as + adjective + as to describe two things that are the
same in some way.

All (of) the best

When John shows us a radio studio, he says "it contains all the latest technology". What
does this mean? Well, it simply means that every single piece of modern technology is
available in this studio - it has everything! In this case, we can say it is the most
advanced studio in the world, not one of the most advanced.
Here are some more examples using 'all':
Broadcasting House contains all of the BBC's most popular services.
All the best programmes are made in its studios.
Note that after 'all' using 'of' is optional. It does not change the meaning.

Even better (incluso mejor)

John promises there are "even more exciting things" to see in the TV studios. In this
example, we use even for emphasis. For instance, we might say:
The original Broadcasting House was one of the BBC's most important centres,
but New Broadcasting House is even more important than before.
The Beatles were one of Britain's most famous bands when they played at
Broadcasting House in 1963. However, they got even more popular later that year.

Not as simple as you think

we looked at using as...as to describe two things that are similar or the same.

Paul McCartney is as old as my grandfather! They were both born in 1939.

However, if we say...:
Paul McCartney is NOT as old as my grandfather...
When we say 'Old Broadcasting House was not as modern as New Broadcasting House',
we mean 'New Broadcasting House is newer than the old building.