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A2 Business English • Lesson 3.1
Making Business Comparisons
Using comparative adjectives to compare products, services, and ideas
⏱️ 30 minutes
🎧 Listening
🗣️ Speaking Prep
✍️ Writing

🎯 Learning Objectives

📖
Grammar Focus: Comparative Adjectives
8 minutes

📋 Form & Structure

One-Syllable Adjectives: Add -er
• fast → faster
• cheap → cheaper
• big → bigger (Note: consonant-vowel-consonant, double the last letter)

Two-Syllable Adjectives ending in -y: Change y to i and add -er
• easy → easier
• busy → busier

Two or More Syllable Adjectives: Use more
• expensive → more expensive
• difficult → more difficult

Irregular Adjectives: These change completely
• good → better
• bad → worse
• far → further / farther

Usage Rule: Always use the word than after the comparative adjective when the second item is in the sentence.
Example: "Project A is cheaper than Project B."

🔑 Key Learning Tip: "Short word, add -er. Long word, use more."

✅ Correct Business Usage

✓ "Our new office is bigger than our old one." (One-syllable adjective: big + -er + than)
✓ "The train is more expensive than the bus for business travel." (Multi-syllable adjective: more + expensive + than)
✓ "Her presentation was better than mine." (Irregular adjective: good → better)
✓ "I am busier this week than I was last week." (Adjective ending in -y: busy → busier)

❌ Common Business Mistakes

✗ "This report is more long than the last one."
✓ "This report is longer than the last one." ('Long' is a short, one-syllable adjective, so we add -er.)

✗ "The service from Company A is gooder than Company B."
✓ "The service from Company A is better than Company B." ('Good' is an irregular adjective. The comparative form is 'better'.)

✗ "His solution is more cheap."
✓ "His solution is cheaper than my solution." ('Cheap' is a one-syllable adjective. Also, remember to use 'than' when comparing two things in the same sentence.)
Product Comparison ✓
Performance Analysis ✓
Market Analysis ✓
Professional Communication ✓
🎧
Professional Listening Exercise
6 minutes

Listen to Anna, a Project Manager, and David, a Department Head, discussing software vendors for a new project.

Audio: Software Vendor Discussion
Ready
0:00 / 2:20

Audio Script: Software Vendor Discussion
(Word Count: 353 words; Estimated Speaking Time: 2:20)

Characters:
Anna: Project Manager
David: Department Head

(Sound of office background noise, then fades slightly)

David: Hi Anna, do you have a minute? I want to discuss the software vendors for the new project. Innovatech and SoftSolutions. What are your thoughts?

Anna: Hi David. Yes, I've looked at both. It's an interesting choice. On paper, SoftSolutions looks good because it is cheaper than Innovatech. Their basic package is much lower in price.

David: Okay, a lower price is good for the budget. But what about the features? Is one better than the other?

Anna: Yes. This is the important part. The Innovatech software is more powerful than the SoftSolutions one. It can handle more data, and its processing speed is faster. The user interface is also cleaner and easier to use. I think the team will learn it much more quickly than the SoftSolutions system.

David: So, Innovatech is more expensive, but it's a better product?

Anna: Exactly. I also spoke to their support teams. The support from Innovatech was more helpful than the team at SoftSolutions. Their response time was shorter, and they answered all my technical questions. The experience with SoftSolutions was... not great. Their team seemed busier and less focused.

David: That's a very important point. Bad support can be a big problem. A difficult system is also a risk.

Anna: It is. I think the long-term problems with SoftSolutions could be worse than the high price of Innovatech. The team might be less productive if the software is slower and more difficult to use.

David: I agree. It sounds like you think Innovatech is the clear choice. Your analysis is much more detailed than the document they sent us.

Anna: I believe so. It's a bigger investment now, but it will be safer and more efficient for the future.

David: Okay, Anna. Thank you. This was very helpful. Let's prepare the proposal for Innovatech.

(Sound of office noise fades in and out)

📝 Listening Questions

1. According to Anna, why is SoftSolutions attractive at first?
2. What is the main problem with the SoftSolutions software itself?
3. Complete the sentence from the audio: "The support from Innovatech was __________ the team at SoftSolutions."
🎯
Interactive Grammar Quiz
5 minutes
1. Our new delivery service is ______ than the old one.
2. The final proposal was ______ than the first draft.
3. Client feedback for Product A is ______ than for Product B.
✏️
Exercise A: True/False Grammar Check
4 minutes

Instructions: Read the sentences below. Are they grammatically correct? Choose True or False.

1. This laptop is more expensive that the other one.
2. The morning meeting is earlier than the afternoon one.
3. Our office is more modern than their office.
4. My new manager is friendlyer than my old manager.
5. This project is difficulter than the last one.
🔄
Exercise B: Transformation Exercise
5 minutes

Instructions: Create one sentence from two. Use the adjective in parentheses to make a comparative sentence.

1. Product A costs €50. Product B costs €100. (expensive)
Answer:
2. The old system was slow. The new system is fast. (fast)
Answer:
3. My workday is 8 hours. Your workday is 10 hours. (long)
Answer:
4. Team A's report has 2 pages. Team B's report has 10 pages. (detailed)
Answer:
📊
Exercise C: Fill the Table/Chart
4 minutes

Instructions: Look at the table comparing two company smartphones. Then complete the sentences below using the comparative form of the adjective in parentheses.

Feature Phone X (New Model) Phone Z (Old Model)
Price €800 €500
Weight 150g 200g
Battery 18 hours 12 hours
Screen 6.5 inches 6.0 inches
1. Phone Z is _______ (cheap) than Phone X.
Answer:
2. Phone X is _______ (light) than Phone Z.
Answer:
3. The battery on Phone X is _______ (good) than the battery on Phone Z.
Answer:
4. The screen on Phone X is _______ (big) than the screen on Phone Z.
Answer:
5. Phone X is _______ (expensive) than Phone Z.
Answer:
🗣️
Speaking Practice - Preparation for Class
8 minutes
📢 Preparation for Class Notice: These speaking tasks are designed to prepare you for practice with your teacher. No recording required - focus on organizing your thoughts and practicing the language structures.
🎯 Task 1: Controlled Practice - My Job vs. My Last Job (1 minute)

Instructions: Prepare to speak for 1 minute. Compare your current job with your last job (or a past project). Use the phrases below.

Preparation Tips: Think of one reason for each comparison.

  • "My current job is more interesting than my last job because..."
  • "The work is easier than / more difficult than my old work because..."
  • "My new team is bigger than / smaller than my old team."

Prepare this topic for your next class with your teacher.

💻 Task 2: Guided Practice - Choosing a Laptop (1 minute)

Instructions: Imagine you need to choose a new laptop for work. Look at the comparison below and prepare to tell your teacher which one you think is better and why. Use comparatives to explain your choice.

Feature Laptop A Laptop B
Price €900 €1,200
Speed Fast Very Fast
Weight 2 kg 1.5 kg

Preparation Tips: Use these adjectives: cheap/expensive, fast, heavy/light.

Prepare this topic for your next class with your teacher.

🏢 Task 3: Free Practice - Office vs. Home Office (2-3 minutes)

Instructions: Prepare to discuss with your teacher: What are the advantages of working from home compared to working in an office? Prepare to discuss for 2-3 minutes.

Preparation Tips: Think about:

  • Communication (e.g., easier, faster, more difficult)
  • Your work environment (e.g., quieter, busier)
  • Productivity (e.g., better, worse)
  • Work-life balance (e.g., healthier, more stressful)

Prepare this topic for your next class with your teacher.

👨‍🏫 Ready for Class - Teacher Notes

📋 Lesson Summary

Students learn to form and use comparative adjectives correctly in business contexts. Focus on one-syllable (-er), multi-syllable (more), and irregular forms. The lesson emphasizes practical business applications like comparing products, services, and performance.

⚠️ Key Challenges for Students

🗣️ Speaking Practice Guidance

Task 1: Encourage students to provide reasons for each comparison. Ask follow-up questions if they don't elaborate.

Task 2: If students struggle with choices, ask "Which is more important to you: price or speed?" to extend conversation.

Task 3: Facilitate natural conversation. If students struggle, offer prompts like "Is communication faster in the office than at home?"

💡 Teaching Tips

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