Your comparison
Say your homework comparison again. Do not correct anything yet — just say it as you naturally would.
Before you repeat your comparison, predict:
1. Which two English words are frequently confused because they sound almost identical in fast speech?
Comparing two real plants
Podocarpus vs. Pittosporum
Podocarpus is taller than Pittosporum at maturity.
Pittosporum is denser as a screen, especially when young.
Podocarpus is more drought-tolerant than Oleander, but less tolerant of full shade.
Of the three, Oleander is the thirstiest in its first two years.
Check what you just read.
1. Which shrub is described as the thirstiest in its first two years?
2. Which shrub is denser as a screen, especially when young?
Comparatives and superlatives
Short and long adjectives
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| tall | taller than | the tallest |
| dense | denser than | the densest |
| drought-tolerant | more drought-tolerant than | the most drought-tolerant |
| thirsty | thirstier than | the thirstiest |
The rule that decides -er vs more: syllable count. Short adjectives (one syllable, most two-syllable ones ending in -y) take -er/-est: taller, thirstier. Longer ones take more/most: more drought-tolerant, most established. "Thirsty" looks long but is only two syllables ending in -y, so it takes -ier, not "more thirsty" — a common overcorrection.
Than, not that, after a comparative. Podocarpus is taller that Pittosporum — this is a genuinely common slip, not because the grammar is unclear but because than and that sound similar in fast speech. Lesson 6 comes back to this specifically.
Match each adjective to its comparative and superlative forms.
Build the comparison
Complete each comparison. One word per gap.
Podocarpus is taller Pittosporum. Of the three shrubs, Oleander is the in its first two years. Podocarpus is more drought-tolerant Oleander, but less tolerant of full shade.
Each sentence has one comparative error. Rewrite it.
1. Podocarpus is taller that Pittosporum.
2. Oleander is more thirsty than Podocarpus.
3. Of the three, Liquidambar is the more tall.
Compare your own five
Task card
The five plants you brought to Lesson 2
Make five comparisons across them — size, water need, density, anything real.
- Use than, not that, every time.
- Use at least one superlative — "of the five, X is the most…".
- If you are not sure which is actually taller or thirstier, say so honestly.
Complete this reminder before you make your five comparisons.
Use " ", not "that", every time. Use at least one — "of the five, X is the most…".
Than or that?
Did "that" slip in anywhere? Say the corrected sentence aloud now, slowly, and notice the difference.
One more round — a fresh sentence, not from Phase 04.
1. Pittosporum is denser that Podocarpus, especially when young.
Before the next lesson
Homework. Pick one plant and predict its size in five years. Write the sentence, using "it’ll" if you can.
One check before you go.
1. What should you write for homework?