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Year 10
Edexcel

Using comparatives and superlatives to effectively compare non-fiction texts

I can use comparative and superlatives adjectives to produce a detailed and evaluative comparison of two non-fiction texts.

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Year 10
Edexcel

Using comparatives and superlatives to effectively compare non-fiction texts

I can use comparative and superlatives adjectives to produce a detailed and evaluative comparison of two non-fiction texts.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A great comparison analyses how the writers convey their ideas and perspectives of the events they are describing.
  2. It may use comparatives and superlatives to evaluate the texts against one another.
  3. Comparatives use either a 'more' prefix or '-er' suffix to directly compare two texts or ideas.
  4. Superlatives use a 'most' prefix or 'est' suffix to form conclusions about a text in comparison to others.
  5. Comparatives and superlatives let us explore the relationship between the texts instead of analysing each in isolation.

Keywords

  • Overarching - something so important it affects all other areas - in English, we refer to a writer’s overarching idea

  • Shift - when applied to perspective, this refers to a change in the writer’s perspective

  • Superlative adjectives - words that make value judgements about two or more things (e.g. 'most' or 'least')

  • Comparative adjectives - words that compare two or more thing, show how one is different from the other (e.g. 'more' or 'less')

Common misconception

Effective analysis writing explores the attitudes in the first text and then, in another paragraph, explores the attitudes in the second text.

The most effective comparative analysis writing will weave comparisons of both texts together. The response will ideally move between examples from each text, weighing up and evaluating the writer's choices in each.


To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Using comparatives and superlatives to effectively compare non-fiction texts, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Students will need to have read both of the extracts to benefit from the exploration of the model answers in this lesson. There is time allocated in the lesson for students to read the texts, but you may wish to add in some extra time to explore the texts together and check for understanding.
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Teacher tip
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Equipment

You will need access to the articles 'Are we having fun yet?' by Elizabeth Day (Telegraph, 2005) and 'Greenwich Fair' by Charles Dickens (1839). Both can be downloaded from the additional materials.

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
A comparison between two things is ...
when you just look at the similarities.
when you just look at the differences.
Correct answer: when you look at both similarities and differences.
Q2.
What word beginning with 'P' is being described here: 'the way someone thinks or feels about a particular thing'?
Correct Answer: Perspective
Q3.
What does it mean to evaluate two texts?
Correct answer: weigh up the effectiveness of the themes, styles, and creative choices
to summarise the main ideas of both texts without comparing
o describe the authors' backgrounds and how they influence their writing
to identify which text has fewer grammatical errors
Q4.
Who has written a text, when it was written and what form it is would all be are examples of information.
Correct Answer: contextual, context
Q5.
Which of the following words is a synonym for 'nuanced'?
obvious
Correct answer: subtle
confusing
vague
evident
Q6.
When writing inferences, which of the options below could be useful synonyms for 'this suggests'?
Correct answer: this implies
Correct answer: this illustrates
this confirms
this concludes
Correct answer: this hints at

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is being described here: 'Words that make value judgements about two or more things (e.g. 'most' or 'east').'?
Correct Answer: superlatives, superlative, superlative adjectives, a superlative
Q2.
Which of the following are comparative adjectives?
Correct answer: better
tallest
Correct answer: more interesting
small
least dramatic
Q3.
What does it mean if a writer conveys a shift in their attitude?
As the text progresses, their initial attitude remains the same.
Correct answer: As the text progresses, their initial attitude changes.
As the text progresses, their initial attitude is shown to be untrue.
As the text progresses, their initial attitude becomes more confusing.
Q4.
Which of these sentences does not use a superlative?
This is the most exciting book I have ever read.
Correct answer: She is the smarter student in the class.
Of all the movies, that one was the best.
He gave the most detailed explanation of all the presentations.
Q5.
Andeep was given a target to 'identify the writer's overarching idea in your introduction'. What does overarching mean here?
Correct answer: a main idea - affecting all others
a secondary idea - not as important as the main idea
the most important idea of several
the idea the writer has supported most effectively with evidence
Q6.
Why is it effective to explore both similarities and differences in your comparative analysis?
it isn't - you should only focus on either similarities or differences
identifying differences is an effective way to show off your analysis skills
Correct answer: identifying an initial similarity enables you to explore nuanced differences
identifying similarities shows that you understand what both texts are about

Additional material

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