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Comparative Adjectives Reversi Memory Games

A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS

Memorising comparative adjective forms card games based on Othello, with synonyms and antonyms versions.

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Lesson Plan Content:


Comparative adjectives reversi memory games

Instructions for teachers

Choose which set of cards you want to use with your class (opposites or synonyms) and cut up one set per group of two to four students. Cut off and keep the left-hand column (with the grammar explanations), but don’t cut between the two other columns – leave the opposites or synonyms connected to each other. Give out the cards and ask students to fold them so that there are synonyms or antonyms on each side, taking a quick look at both sides as they do so. It doesn’t matter which side is up as they lay the folded cards on the table before they start playing the game.

To play the game, students must choose a card and guess what is on the other side, then turn over and check. They must get exactly what is on the other side, but if there is more than one option (divided by a slash) then just one of the options is enough (they don’t need to say all the words that are written there). If they guess correctly, they can do the same with other cards, continuing until they make a mistake. If they guess something which isn’t on the other side of the card, play passes to the next person. The next person can do the same cards as the previous person did, different cards, or (probably) a mix of the two kinds. Cards which were guessed correctly stay turned over, to be guessed in the opposite direction the next time.

There are three different ways of scoring the game:

  • Students choose any cards that they like each time, and the longest string of correct guesses in a row during the whole game (e.g. one player doing seven cards in a row before making a mistake) wins the game
  • Students choose any cards that they like each time, and the total number of correct guesses over the whole game wins the game (added up together, with correct guesses of the same card also counting as more than one point, e.g. 23 correct guesses over the length of the game)
  • Students lay the cards in a single column on the table to represent a ladder, and must start at the bottom of the ladder each and every time, with the person who first reaches the top or gets highest before the teacher stops the game being the winner

If students get stuck, you can give them a minute or two to look at both sides of all the cards and/ or let them work together rather than competing (but with the same game rules).

After finishing the game, ask students to unfold the cards and put them into groups by each rule for making comparative adjectives, looking at just the words in italics (not the other words on the cards) as they categorise them. Then give them the descriptions in the left-hand column to match to each of those groups to help. Students check with an un-cut-up version of the worksheet, then test each other (orally) in pairs.

 

Opposites version

Cards to cut up/ Suggested answers

 

one syllable + er

 

 

broader/ wider

 

 

narrower

 

longer

 

 

shorter

 

more powerful/ stronger

 

 

weaker

 

higher/ taller

 

 

lower

 

looser

 

 

tighter

 

blunter

 

 

more pointed/ sharper

 

gentler/ smoother

 

 

rougher

 

one syllable + double letter + er

 

 

 

bigger/ larger

 

 

smaller

 

 

cooler/ colder

 

 

hotter/ warmer

 

 

thicker/ fatter

 

 

thinner

 

 

drier

 

 

wetter

 

more + one syllable

 

 

more boring

 

 

more fun/ more interesting

 

more fake

 

 

more real

 

 

more bored

 

 

more excited/ more interested

 

two syllables + er

 

noisier

 

 

quieter

 

more complicated/ more difficult/ harder/ trickier

 

 

easier/ simpler

 

more + two syllables

 

 

more local

 

more cosmopolitan/ more international

 

 

more relaxing

 

 

more stressful

 

 

more careful

 

 

more careless

 

 

more tiring

 

 

more energising

 

more worthwhile

 

more pointless

 

 

more + three or more syllables

 

 

cheaper

 

 

more expensive

 

more dangerous/ riskier

 

 

safer

 

 

more personal/ more private

 

 

more public

 

more modern

 

 

more traditional/ more old-fashioned

 

 

 

-y changes to –ier

 

 

earlier/ sooner

 

 

later

 

happier

 

 

unhappier/ sadder

 

cleaner

 

dirtier

 

 

more serious

 

 

sillier

 

nastier

 

 

nicer

more beautiful/ better looking/ more handsome/ prettier

 

uglier

 

 

Irregular

 

 

better

 

 

worse

 

closer/ nearer

 

 

farther/ further

 

 

elder/ older

 

 

younger

 

Synonyms version

Cards to cut up/ Suggested answers

 

one syllable + er

 

broader

 

 

wider

 

faster

 

 

quicker/ speedier

 

higher

 

 

taller

 

neater

 

 

tidier

 

more powerful

 

 

stronger

 

one syllable + double letter + er

 

hotter

 

 

warmer

 

bigger

 

 

larger/ bulkier

 

more + one syllable

 

 

more entertaining

 

 

more fun

 

more confused

 

 

more lost

two syllables + er

 

simpler

 

 

easier

 

more + two syllables

 

 

 

 

more tiring

 

 

more exhausting

 

more afraid

 

 

more frightened/  more scared

 

kinder

 

 

more caring

 

more concerned

 

 

more nervous/ more worried

 

more + three or more syllables

 

pricier

 

 

more expensive

 

more important

 

 

more significant

 

more disgusting

 

 

more revolting

 

more delicious

 

 

tastier

 

more fashionable

 

 

trendier

 

-y changes to –ier

 

noisier

 

 

louder

 

richer

 

 

wealthier/ more loaded

 

angrier/ more irritated

 

 

more annoyed

 

more dangerous

 

 

riskier

 

more amusing

 

 

funnier

 

Irregular

 

further

 

 

farther

 

older

 

 

elder

 

better looking/ prettier

 

 

more beautiful

 

better known

 

 

more famous

 

better value

 

 

more reasonable

 

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