Lesson overview
Students talk about summer holidays and compare different holiday destinations.
Compare summer holiday places
Students compare beaches, cities, mountains and campsites using simple adjectives and travel vocabulary.
Lesson aims
- Talk about summer holiday places.
- Use comparative adjectives: hotter, cheaper, more relaxing.
- Use superlatives: the hottest, the cheapest, the most exciting.
- Use as + adjective + as: as beautiful as.
Warm-up
- Where do you usually go in summer?
- Do you prefer the beach or the mountains?
- What is your ideal summer holiday?
Key vocabulary
beach, city, mountains, campsite, hotel, sunny, crowded, relaxing, expensive, cheap, exciting, quiet
Choosing a summer holiday
Read the text and answer the questions.
Anna and Leo want to plan a summer holiday. Anna wants to go to the beach because she loves swimming and sunny weather. She thinks the beach is more relaxing than the city.
Leo prefers the mountains. He says the mountains are quieter than the beach, and the air is fresher. He also thinks a mountain holiday is cheaper than a beach hotel.
Their friend Mia wants to visit a big city. She says a city holiday is more exciting because there are museums, shops and restaurants. However, it can be more expensive and more crowded.
In the end, they choose a campsite near a lake. It is not as crowded as the city, and it is cheaper than a hotel. They can swim, walk and relax.
Choose the correct answer
Choosing a holiday destination
Listen to the audio and answer the questions. Then reveal the answers at the bottom.
Audio: Summer holidays
Comprehension questions
Holiday adjectives
Use these adjectives to describe and compare holiday places.
| Adjective | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| cheap | not expensive | A campsite is cheap. |
| crowded | full of people | The beach is crowded in August. |
| relaxing | calm and nice | A lake holiday is relaxing. |
| exciting | interesting and fun | A city holiday is exciting. |
| quiet | not noisy | The mountains are quiet. |
| sunny | with a lot of sun | Spain is sunny in summer. |
Choose the correct adjective
Making comparisons
Learn how to compare holiday places.
1. Comparative adjectives
Use comparatives to compare two things.
| Adjective | Comparative | Example |
|---|---|---|
| cheap | cheaper than | A campsite is cheaper than a hotel. |
| hot | hotter than | Spain is hotter than England. |
| quiet | quieter than | The mountains are quieter than the beach. |
| relaxing | more relaxing than | The beach is more relaxing than the city. |
2. Superlatives
Use superlatives to compare three or more things: the cheapest, the hottest, the quietest, the most exciting.
3. as + adjective + as
Use as + adjective + as when two things are similar: The lake is as beautiful as the beach.
Use not as + adjective + as when they are different: The city is not as quiet as the mountains.
Exercise 1: Choose the correct comparative
Exercise 2: Superlatives
Exercise 3: as adjective as
Compare holiday places
Work with a partner. Use comparatives, superlatives and as...as.
Speaking prompts
- Compare a beach holiday and a city holiday.
- Compare a hotel and a campsite.
- Compare the mountains and the beach.
- Say which holiday is the best for you and why.
Useful speaking model
I think a beach holiday is more relaxing than a city holiday. A city holiday is more exciting, but it is also more crowded. For me, the beach is the best place because I like swimming and sunny weather.
Final review
Check the grammar point: making comparisons.