“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
As students begin studying the French construction for comparative adjectives, visuals can provide helpful reinforcement. Use simple images with obvious comparative qualities and short sentence descriptions to help students practice their grammar and have fun at the same time. In this activity, students will create a chart that illustrates the comparative and superlative sentences they will write.
This activity can be as simple or as challenging as you would like. Limit your students to comparison with regular adjectives (using plus/le plus or moins/le moins) or add in irregular adjectives (bon/mauvais). To get students started, provide them with an image and sentence in the base form column and ask them to complete the other squares, changing the. To allow for more creativity, show students the example above and ask them to fill in all the squares on their own with the blank template provided.
.(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a chart that illustrates various sentences comparing people and objects based on the adjectives provided.
Grade Level 6-12
Difficulty Level --- N/A ---
Type of Assignment Individual, Partner, or Group
Type of Activity: World Languages Activity Ideas
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Excellent 7 Points | Satisfaisant 4 Points | Insuffisant 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comparative Adjectives | The sentences follow the correct rules for expressing comparative, equal, and superlative adjectives. All adjectives agree in number and gender with the nouns they modify. | Most of the sentences follow the correct rules for expressing comparative, equal, and superlative adjectives. Most adjectives agree in number and gender with the nouns they modify. | Many sentences fail to follow the correct rules for expressing comparative, equal, and superlative adjectives. Comparative adjectives are misused and/or do not agree in number and gender with the nouns they modify. |
| Images | The storyboard depictions show effort and help convey the comparisons expressed in the text. The images align with the text in number and gender. | The storyboard depictions show some effort and partially convey the comparisons expressed in the text. Most images align with the text in number and gender. | The storyboard depictions show a lack of effort and fail to convey the meaning of the text. Images may be inconsistent with the text in number and gender. |
| Spelling/Grammar | All sentences and/or dialogue contain correct grammar and spelling (including accent marks) as appropriate for the class level. | Most sentences and/or dialogue contain correct grammar and spelling (including accent marks) as appropriate for the class level. | The sentences and/or dialogue contain many grammatical or spelling errors (including accent marks). |
As students begin studying the French construction for comparative adjectives, visuals can provide helpful reinforcement. Use simple images with obvious comparative qualities and short sentence descriptions to help students practice their grammar and have fun at the same time. In this activity, students will create a chart that illustrates the comparative and superlative sentences they will write.
This activity can be as simple or as challenging as you would like. Limit your students to comparison with regular adjectives (using plus/le plus or moins/le moins) or add in irregular adjectives (bon/mauvais). To get students started, provide them with an image and sentence in the base form column and ask them to complete the other squares, changing the. To allow for more creativity, show students the example above and ask them to fill in all the squares on their own with the blank template provided.
.(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a chart that illustrates various sentences comparing people and objects based on the adjectives provided.
Grade Level 6-12
Difficulty Level --- N/A ---
Type of Assignment Individual, Partner, or Group
Type of Activity: World Languages Activity Ideas
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Excellent 7 Points | Satisfaisant 4 Points | Insuffisant 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comparative Adjectives | The sentences follow the correct rules for expressing comparative, equal, and superlative adjectives. All adjectives agree in number and gender with the nouns they modify. | Most of the sentences follow the correct rules for expressing comparative, equal, and superlative adjectives. Most adjectives agree in number and gender with the nouns they modify. | Many sentences fail to follow the correct rules for expressing comparative, equal, and superlative adjectives. Comparative adjectives are misused and/or do not agree in number and gender with the nouns they modify. |
| Images | The storyboard depictions show effort and help convey the comparisons expressed in the text. The images align with the text in number and gender. | The storyboard depictions show some effort and partially convey the comparisons expressed in the text. Most images align with the text in number and gender. | The storyboard depictions show a lack of effort and fail to convey the meaning of the text. Images may be inconsistent with the text in number and gender. |
| Spelling/Grammar | All sentences and/or dialogue contain correct grammar and spelling (including accent marks) as appropriate for the class level. | Most sentences and/or dialogue contain correct grammar and spelling (including accent marks) as appropriate for the class level. | The sentences and/or dialogue contain many grammatical or spelling errors (including accent marks). |
Engage students by bringing familiar classroom items (books, pencils, erasers) for hands-on activities. Letting students physically compare objects helps them internalize the use of French comparative and superlative adjectives.
Speak example sentences using the objects, such as "Ce livre est plus lourd que ce cahier". Hearing patterns helps students gain confidence with new structures.
Invite students to pick two classroom items and say or write a comparative sentence in French. Peer sharing builds comfort and reinforces learning.
Ask small groups to rank 3–5 objects using superlative forms (le plus, le moins). Collaborative talk deepens understanding and makes grammar meaningful.
Create a visual reference listing key phrases like plus…que, moins…que, and le/la plus…. Having sentence frames visible supports ongoing use and student independence.
French adjectives of comparison are words used to compare people or objects, expressing differences or similarities in qualities like size, age, or happiness. They often use constructions like plus...que (more...than), moins...que (less...than), or aussi...que (as...as).
Use simple images that clearly show differences or similarities, and pair them with short descriptive sentences. Have students create charts with visuals and write comparative, superlative, and equality sentences to reinforce learning.
An example is: Marie est plus grande que Paul (Marie is taller than Paul). This uses the structure plus ... que to compare two people.
Have students draw a chart with columns for the base form, comparative, equality, and superlative. Provide an adjective and have students fill in each cell with a sentence and illustration that demonstrates the comparison.
Regular adjectives use patterns like plus/moins ... que, while irregular adjectives (such as bon and mauvais) have unique comparative forms: meilleur (better), pire (worse).
“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
“I'm doing a Napoleon timeline and I'm having [students] determine whether or not Napoleon was a good guy or a bad guy or somewhere in between.”–History and Special Ed Teacher
“Students get to be creative with Storyboard That and there's so many visuals for them to pick from... It makes it really accessible for all students in the class.”–Third Grade Teacher