Learners cope with routine tasks and exchanges. They can talk about the past and the future, compare things, and describe their background and immediate environment in short connected sentences.
Printable one-to-one lesson plan
Comparatives & superlatives
Compare items on a clear scale, identify an extreme within a defined set, express equality and degree, and support recommendations with evidence.
Use after the complete A2 sequence, not as a lesson quiz.
Open diagnostic →15–20 minutes optional: Tutor-read comparative reference, superlative set, equality, unequal degree, exact difference, and tied-extreme listening check · Five-minute next-day scale, set, equality, and spelling retrieval
Derived from this lesson’s source
Lesson-specific teaching brief
This is not a second lesson registry. The plan reads the same native content that produces the learner page.
What the learner should do
Compare items on a clear scale, identify an extreme within a defined set, express equality and degree, and support recommendations with evidence.
What must become clear
Can-do: By the end, you can compare two values, identify an extreme within a defined set, express equal or unequal degree, and justify a recommendation with exact evidence.
High-value friction points
- Maple is larger than Cedar.Standard comparison uses one comparative marker, so more must be removed before larger.
- Pine is as quiet as Maple.As...as expresses equal degree around a base adjective, so quieter must become quiet.
- Maple is our largest room.Do not combine possessive our with article the in the same noun phrase.
Protect these lesson moments
- Three checks from earlier lessons
- Discovery check: connect grammar to the table
- Drill 1: build the form from the exact condition
- Drill 2: complete the comparison frame
- Tutor-read listening check
Learner production
Establish the evidence: Compare all three rooms on area, price, noise, and capacity. Include one exact difference and one as...as statement.
- Define the set: Make three superlative claims, name the comparison set, and identify any claim that would change if a fourth room entered the list.
- Change the client: Recommend a room for a 20-person class with a $45 limit, then for a 35-person reception with no price limit. Explain why the best match changes with the criteria.
- Final production: give a 45–60 second room recommendation. State the fictional client’s capacity, budget, and noise needs; use two comparatives, one measured difference, one equality or unequal-degree frame, and one superlative with a defined set; then justify one defensible recommendation from the table.
Carry this language into the next session
Retrieve Comparatives & superlatives in one true sentence at the next lesson.
Use while teaching
Operational teaching notes
Choose a route before class, but change it when the learner’s production gives you better evidence.
Ask before explaining
- Which examples in “Three checks from earlier lessons” express the same core meaning?
- How would you explain this decision in your own words: Can-do: By the end, you can compare two values, identify an extreme within a defined set, express equal or unequal degree, and justify a recommendation with exact evidence.
- What needs to change in this repair, and why: Maple is larger than Cedar.
Correct for the stage
- Controlled work: correct immediately, then require the complete repaired sentence.
- Fluency building: note repeated errors and reformulate after the learner finishes the thought.
- Communication: interrupt only when meaning breaks down or the target decision is the lesson’s main evidence.
Retrieve, do not reteach
Retrieve Comparatives & superlatives in one true sentence at the next lesson.
Short, core, or extended
Choose the route
All three routes end in learner production. More time means more contrast and transfer, not a longer explanation.
Short route
Retrieve for 3 minutes. Notice and discover for 8. Use the two most diagnostic tasks from Three checks from earlier lessons and Discovery check: connect grammar to the table for 12. Protect 9 minutes for Learner production, then reflect for 3.
Core route
Follow the six-stage sequence below. Reduce repeated controlled items when accuracy is already stable, but keep the nearest useful contrast and final production.
Stretch route
Add Tutor-read comparative reference, superlative set, equality, unequal degree, exact difference, and tied-extreme listening check · Five-minute next-day scale, set, equality, and spelling retrieval, then repeat the communication task with a new situation or stricter success criteria.
50–60 minutes core working plan
Session sequence
Protect the final communication and reflection time. If the learner needs more support, reduce the number of controlled items instead of removing production.
- 5 min
Retrieve
Activate what the learner already controls and check any prerequisite language.
Teacher move: Open with the first practice route: Three checks from earlier lessons · Discovery check: connect grammar to the table · Drill 1: build the form from the exact condition.
- 6–8 min
Notice
Let the learner observe meaning and form in a small sample before naming the rule.
Teacher move: Keep the noticing conversation anchored to this decision: Can-do: By the end, you can compare two values, identify an extreme within a defined set, express equal or unequal degree, and justify a recommendation with exact evidence.
- 8–10 min
Discover
Connect form, meaning, use, word order, and the nearest useful contrast.
Teacher move: Test the learner’s explanation against this repair: Maple is larger than Cedar. Standard comparison uses one comparative marker, so more must be removed before larger.
- 12–15 min
Build + drill
Move from accurate choices to faster retrieval and sentence construction.
Teacher move: Prioritize these lesson tasks: Three checks from earlier lessons · Discovery check: connect grammar to the table · Drill 1: build the form from the exact condition · Drill 2: complete the comparison frame. Reduce repetitions if needed, but keep the final production time.
- 12–15 min
Communicate
Use the target language for a real adult purpose the learner cannot complete by copying.
Teacher move: Learner production: Establish the evidence: Compare all three rooms on area, price, noise, and capacity. Include one exact difference and one as...as statement.
- 3–5 min
Reflect
Make progress visible and choose one specific next use.
Teacher move: Retrieve Comparatives & superlatives in one true sentence at the next lesson.
Tutor-only source
Listening scripts
Read these lines from the tutor plan while the learner lesson remains on screen. Each clip names the learner item it supports.
Tutor-read comparative reference, superlative set, equality, unequal degree, exact difference, and tied-extreme listening check
- Clip 1
Read: Cedar is quieter than Maple.
Supports: What is Cedar compared with in Clip 1?
- Clip 2
Read: Maple is the largest of the three rooms.
Supports: What comparison set limits the claim in Clip 2?
- Clip 3
Read: Pine is as quiet as Maple.
Supports: What equality does Clip 3 express?
- Clip 4
Read: Pine is not as large as Cedar.
Supports: What does Clip 4 establish?
- Clip 5
Read: Cedar is fifteen dollars more expensive per hour than Pine.
Supports: What exact difference does Clip 5 give?
- Clip 6
Read: Pine is one of the cheapest rooms in the building.
Supports: Why does Clip 6 use one of ?
Keep only useful evidence
After-lesson notes
These notes are for deliberate tutor records or printing. Nothing is stored in the learner’s browser.
The learner can now…
Write one observable use of the target language.
Still needs support with…
Record one repeated error, contrast, or point of hesitation.
Next retrieval prompt
Write one short prompt the learner will answer at the next session.
Anonymous live-lesson evidence
Learner pilot worksheet
A2 · Comparatives & superlatives
Pilot 1 of 30 recorded · 3 remaining
Date
Approximate starting level
Core lesson time
Starting evidence
What did the learner already control? What was the first misconception, hesitation, or contrast that mattered?
Did the principle become clear?
Can-do: By the end, you can compare two values, identify an extreme within a defined set, express equal or unequal degree, and justify a recommendation with exact evidence.
Did the first hint help?
Record the first item that caused difficulty and whether the contextual hint led to self-correction before the full repair appeared.
Could the learner do the outcome?
Compare items on a clear scale, identify an extreme within a defined set, express equality and degree, and support recommendations with evidence.
Listen for: The learner uses the target language independently for a real purpose.
What remained available?
If possible, check before rereading in the next session. Record what returned independently and what still required a cue.
Keep, revise, or investigate?
Note any explanation the tutor still had to supply, the smallest useful revision, and whether another pilot should test the same issue.