UNIT 7:

WHAT… LIKE?
COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE
ADJECTIVES
1. WHAT… LIKE?

• Use:

What … like? Means “describe somebody or something. Tell me about

them. I don’t know anything about them”

‘Like’ in this question is a preposition, not a verb:

“What are key performance indicators like?” “They’re not just

mathematical equations. They can be used like that but that is not
where the true value of KPI’s lie”.
In the following sentences like is a verb:

“What does the manager like?” “He likes giving us practical

recommendations rather than encouraging and inspiring words”

Note

How’re your crew members? Asks about someone’s general health or about
the condition or state of something, or how people experience something. It
doesn’t ask for a description.

“How’re your crew members?” “They’re very motivated and

committed”.
• Form
1. Present Tense

What to be subject like?

am I
are you
is he/she/it
What like?
we
are you
they
eg.
What is our headquarters like? - “It’s very large and high-tech”
Note
We don’t use like in the answer
It’s modern. NOT it’s like modern.
 2. Past Tense

What to be subject like?

was I
were you
was he/she/it
What like?
we
were you
they

eg.
What was maintenance like in the 70’s? – “It was mostly a run to failure
process”.
 Exercises: translate into English:

1. ¿Cómo fue la reunión del equipo de mantenimiento?

______________________________________
2. ¿Cómo es el Nuevo gerente?
________________________________________________
3. ¿Cómo era la gestión de la información antes de las computadoras?
_____________________________________________
4. ¿Cómo son tus nuevos operarios?
______________________________________________
5. ¿Cómo eras cuando estudiante?
___________________________________________________________
 Exercises: translate into English:
1. ¿Cómo fue la reunión del equipo de mantenimiento?
What was maintenance team meeting like?
2. ¿Cómo es el Nuevo gerente?
What is the new manager like?
3. ¿Cómo era la gestión de la información antes de las computadoras?
What was data management like before computers?
4. ¿Cómo son tus nuevos operarios?
What are your new operators like?
5. ¿Cómo eras cuando estudiante?
What were you like when you were a student?
2. COMPARATIVES
• Use:
We use comparatives to compare one thing, person, or action with another.

The manager’s more skilled than you.

Tokyo’s a better market than Taipei.

Adjective Comparative

Cheap Cheaper
Short adjectives Small Smaller
*big Bigger

* Short adjectives with one vowel + one consonant double the consonant:
Hot/hotter, fat/fatter.
 Adjective Comparative

Funny Funnier
Adjectives that end
Early Earlier
in consonant + y
Heavy Heavier
Careful More careful
Adjectives with two Boring More boring
syllables or more Expensive More expensive
Interesting More interesting
 Adjective Comparative
Far Farther
Good Better
Irregular adjectives Bad Worse
Little Less
Many More

*Much can come before the comparative adjectives.

This machine’s much nicer than yours.
Is Tokyo much more modern than New York?
  Form

Statement1 Comparative Than Point of reference

The machines
higher than yesterday
temperature today are

Francis is more skilled than Other crew members

Your team work is

worse than ever
getting

We started working earlier than last year

 Exercises: write in the blanks the correct comparative form of the
adjectives in the brackets:

1. KPI’s assessment nowadays is ____________ (accurate) than before.

2. Manager’s responsibility is ________ (big) than the crew member’s.

3. Our meetings are ____________ (productive) than yours.

4. Productivity in our Tokyo branch is much _______ (good) than ours.

5. Key performance indicators are ______________ (meaningful) than

mathematical equations or formulas.
 Exercises: write in the blanks the correct comparative form of the
adjectives in the brackets:

1. KPI’s assessment nowadays is more accurate (accurate) than before.

2. Manager’s responsibility is bigger (big) than the crew member’s.

3. Our meetings are more productive (productive) than yours.

4. Productivity in our Tokyo branch is much better (good) than ours.

5. Key performance indicators are more meaningful (meaningful) than

mathematical equations or formulas.
3. EQUALITY RELATIONSHIP
• Use:
as…as Shows that something is the same or equal.

• Form:

Statement1 as adjective as Point of reference

He’s working now as hard as the others

Improve employees eliminate
as important as
training opportunities is unnecessary work
The manager is as worried as the staff

Operators are as committed as senior management

Exercises: translate into English:

1. Estamos trabajando tan eficientemente como ustedes.

____________________________________
2. Nuestros logros son tan significativos como los de la sede central.
___________________________________________________
3. Los operarios están tan satisfechos como los clientes.
____________________________________
4. El proceso de mantenimiento es tan confiable como rentable.
____________________________________
5. Las instalaciones de la fábrica son tan modernas como las oficinas.
______________________________________________
Exercises: translate into English:

1. Estamos trabajando tan eficientemente como ustedes.

We are working as efficiently as you
2. Nuestros logros son tan significativos como los de la sede central.
Our achievements are as meaningful as the headquarters’ ones
3. Los operarios están tan satisfechos como los clientes.
The operators are as satisfied as the customers
4. El proceso de mantenimiento es tan confiable como rentable.
The maintenance process is as reliable as profitable
5. Las instalaciones de la fábrica son tan modernas como las oficinas.
The factory facilities are as modern as the offices
4. INEQUALITY RELATIONSHIP
• Use:
Not as/so … as shows that something isn’t the same or equal.

• Form:

Not as/ Point of

Statement1 adjective as
Not so reference
To measure
not as simple as it seems.
performance’s
KPI’s are not so incomprehensible as you think

The monthly report was not as bad as we expected

His words were not so encouraging as I wanted.

 Exercises: translate into English:

1. El sistema de evaluación de los KPIs no es tan eficiente como debería.

___________________________________________
2. El análisis no fue tan preciso como necesitábamos.
___________________________________________
3. El sistema de evaluación de los KPIs no es tan eficiente como debería.
___________________________________________
4. El trabajo de mantenimiento no es tan bueno como el de producción.
___________________________________________
5. Nuestro sistema de comunicación no es tan confiable como antes.
___________________________________________
 Exercises: translate into English:

1. El sistema de evaluación de los KPIs no es tan eficiente como debería.

KPI’s assessment system is not as efficient as it should.
2. El análisis no fue tan preciso como necesitábamos.
The analysis was not as accurate as we needed.
3. El sistema de evaluación de los KPIs no es tan eficiente como debería.
KPI’s assessment system is not as efficient as it should.
4. El trabajo de mantenimiento no es tan bueno como el de producción.
Maintenance work is not as good as production’s.
5. Nuestro sistema de comunicación no es tan confiable como antes.
Our communication system is not as reliable as before.
5. SUPERLATIVE
• Use:
1. We use superlatives to compare somebody or something
with the whole group.

Adjective Superlative

Cheap The cheapest

Short adjectives Small The smallest
*big The biggest

Funny The funniest

Adjectives that ends in
Early The earliest
consonant + y
Heavy The heaviest
 Adjective Superlative

Careful The most careful

Adjectives with two Boring The most boring
syllables or more Expensive The most expensive
Interesting The most interesting
Far The farthest
Good The best
Irregular adjectives
Bad The worst
Little The least

*Short adjectives with one vowel + one consonant double the consonant:
Hot/hottest, fat/fattest.
 Form

Subject Verb The Superlative (complement)

I
You
He/she/it
Produce(s) the best drilling fluids
We
You
they
 Exercises: write in the blanks the correct superlative form of
the adjectives in the brackets:
1. We have __________ (late) technology.
2. My company is _________________ (competitive) in its area.
3. The last meeting we had with the maintenance manager was
_________________ (boring) of all.
4. We need _________________ (radical) changes ever!
5. The new regulations seem to be ______________ (fuzzy) in the
last decades.
 Exercises: write in the blanks the correct comparative form of
the adjectives in the brackets:
1. We have the latest (late) technology.
2. My company is the most competitive (competitive) in its area.
3. The last meeting we had with the maintenance manager was
the most boring (boring) of all.
4. We need the most radical (radical) changes ever!
5. The new regulations seem to be the fuzziest (fuzzy) in the last
decades.