Comparative Adjectives to Discuss Musical Preferences

MOTIVATION: To get students interested in the communicative goal and activate vocabulary

Show pictures of famous musicians from newspaper and magazine clippings and write: _________ is a famous __________ musician. for several examples. Elicit other musical genres using pictures or student knowledge.

PRESENTATION: Comparative structure and adjectives to describe music

1. Present comparative using recycled vocabulary and simple drawings. For example:

2. Have students count the syllables in tall and heavy through pronunciation drill. Demonstrate that with 1 syllable we add (+er); and with two or more we use (more + adjective).3. Elicit previous adjectives from students and convert a couple of examples into comparatives: Possible adjectives students will know: 4. Students will make comparative structures with 4-6 sample words, and then construct sentences about classmates and/or famous people.
 * Paul is more handsome than Francisco
 * Melissa is taller than Amy


 * thin - Jack is thinner than Matt.
 * beautiful - Jennifer is more beautiful than Raul.
 * handsome - Messi is more handsome than Ronaldo.

5. Present music adjectives:


 * fast; slow; hard; soft; popular; good; rhythmic; melodic; danceable, bad; relaxing

PRACTICE: Comparative adjectives to describe music

1. Students change adjectives to comparative forms

2.  Teacher teaches complete form to show how to compare music:

3. Elicit a few examples from students and board.

4. Draw a box on the board with: <p style="margin-bottom:0in">SALSA

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">ROCK

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">(POPULAR)

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">5. Elicit students to use those words to create a true comparative sentence: For example:

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">6. Offer a couple more examples. <p style="margin-bottom:0in">7. Students play board game, teacher monitors. <p style="margin-bottom:0in"> <p style="margin-bottom:0in">APPLICATION: Describing musical preferences <p style="margin-bottom:0in">1. Students presented dialogue: (Can be done as a listening activity) <p style="margin-bottom:0in">Do you prefer ______ or ________?
 * <p style="margin-bottom:0in">Reggaeton is more popular than classical
 * <p style="margin-bottom:0in">Salsa is faster than bachata.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">I prefer __________.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">Why?

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">Because ____________ is _____________ than ____________.

2. Students perform dialog via conversation circle or dinner party activity.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">Alternative APPLICATION

Before this activity, designate three parts of the room BANDA, REGGAETON, and ROMANTIC. For example the middle is Banda, the right part of the room is Reggaeton and the left is Romantic.

1. Students are presented with the following scenario:

You are organizing a free concert in [NAME OF CITY]! Three different groups will come, but only one will perform. One group sings Banda music, one group performs Reggaeton, and one does Romantic. Which group do you want to come? Why?

2. Students move into the part of the room that they choose. When they arrive, the teacher asks the students why they made their choice. You can write this on the board to help the students start:

I want the ______ group to come because ______.

For the students to return to their seat they must give their reason why they chose that genre of music. To sit down, they must use a different comparative than the 2 students before him or her.