Comparative and Superlative Tic-Tac-Toe Cards
Congratulations on your purchase of Really Good Stuff®
Comparative and Superlative Tic-Tac-Toe, a fun grammar game.
Using the traditional game of Tic-Tac-Toe, you can now offer your
students a great way to practice comparative and superlative
adjectives in context.
This Really Good Stuff® product includes:
For Item # 303375:
• 36 Comparative/Superlative Tic-Tac-Toe Cards
• This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
The rabbit is the fastest of
the three animals.
The correct answer is
fastest.
For Item # 304062:
• 36 Comparative/Superlative Tic-Tac-Toe Cards
• Tic-Tac-Toe Pocket Chart
• 9 “X” Cards and 9 “O” Cards
• This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
The sports car is the more
powerful of the two cars.
The correct answer is more
powerful.
Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives
Students must learn that some words will require a change of
spelling when the comparative or superlative ending (-er or -est)
is added. For example, when an adjective ends in -y, such as
happy, change the y to i and add -er or -est (happier, happiest).
When adjectives end in certain consonants, including d and t, we
double the consonant before adding -er or -est. In some cases,
the word changes completely (for example good becomes better
or best); however, this type of irregular adjective has not been
included in this set.
Exploring Comparatives and Superlatives
Comparative adjectives express a comparison between two
things; for example, something that is “more nice” than
something else is nicer. Superlative adjectives express a
comparison among three or more things; something that is the
“most nice” of a group is described as nicest.
As an added challenge, this set includes adjectives that don't
have a comparative or superlative form, such as delicate.
Eventually, students will learn which comparatives and
superlatives are formed simply by adding more or most before
the adjective: more delicate, most colorful, etc. They'll begin to
recognize patterns, for example -er and -est are never added
after suffixes -ful and -ous.
Before playing Comparative and Superlative Tic-Tac-Toe, explore
comparisons in writing and using people, objects, and pictures in
visual demonstrations. Have students practice using
comparatives and superlatives in sentences.
For example, have two students stand next to each other. Put
your hand over the taller student and ask the group to help you
think of the comparative adjective that describes David's height
in comparison to Danny's: “If David is more tall than Danny, what
comparative can we use to describe David?” When students
suggest taller, ask a volunteer to use taller in a sentence
describing David and Danny's heights: David is taller than Danny.
Also challenging are comparisons that describe something as
having less or the least of the quality being described. We have
included a few of these comparisons in the set. Advanced
learners will notice that the arrow is pointing to the less curvy
road, for example, and will use less or least in these answers:
less curvy, least comfortable, etc.
Next, display pictures of two animals, a pig and a cat. Write an
adjective, such as messy, on the board. Pointing to the pig, ask
students to make messy into a word that describes the pig in
comparison to the cat. If students need help, remind them you
are looking for the word that means the more messy animal, i.e.,
the messier animal: “We don't say the pig is more messy. What
do we say?” (The pig is messier.)
Once students are comfortable with regular comparatives and
superlatives, include the more challenging Cards in the Tic-TacToe game.
Meets State Standards
This type of practice in comparatives and superlatives helps
students meet grade-level expectations and prepare for
standardized testing. Playing Comparative and Superlative TicTac-Toe helps students develop their vocabulary, reading
comprehension, and grammar skills.
Using the Tic-Tac-Toe Cards
Side 1 (red borders) of the Comparative and Superlative Tic-TacToe Cards shows two or more images, one with an arrow pointing
to it, and an adjective. When playing the game, students will read
the adjective and then think about how many things are being
compared. If the arrow points to the image that shows more or
the most of this quality, they add the -er or -est ending to make
the adjective comparative or superlative (with some exceptions,
described in the next section). Side 2 provides the correct
answer in bold, making the game self-checking.
Oral Language Component
Comparative and Superlative Tic-Tac-Toe requires students
to read words and think aloud in front of a group. Given the
fun, familiar game setting, Comparative and Superlative TicTac-Toe also increases confidence in speaking.
All activity guides can be found online:
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
© 2009 Really Good Stuff
®
1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in Guangzhou, China #303375
Comparative and Superlative Tic-Tac-Toe Cards
Management
Adjective Tic-Tac-Toe Game 2
• Store the Comparative and Superlative Tic-Tac-Toe Cards along
with other sets of Tic-Tac-Toe Cards that you've purchased,
keeping the subject areas in separate file folders.
• For students who need a reminder of the rules while playing in
small groups, make copies of the game instructions for them
to use.
Players: Two teams of 4 to 6 players
Materials: 9 Comparative and Superlative Tic-Tac-Toe Cards, TicTac-Toe Pocket Chart, X and O Cards, timer or watch (optional)
Object: To name comparative and superlative adjectives in order
to fill three spaces in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row with X
or O Cards.
1. Select nine Comparative and Superlative Tic-Tac-Toe Cards,
and place them in the spaces of the Tic-Tac-Toe Pocket Chart.
2. Give X Cards to one team and O Cards to the other. The
players should sit in the order they will play.
3. Explain the game and provide the rules. The first word the
player names will count as his or her answer. Display the timer
and state the time limit if you have one. Encourage players to
use strategy in blocking the other team.
4. The first player from team 1 takes a turn. The player selects a
space, reads the adjective, looks at the pictures, and says the
comparative or superlative form of the adjective that
describes the picture with the arrow pointing to it (for
example, greenest). If the player correctly names the
comparative or superlative form, he or she gets to place one
of the team's X or O Cards in that space on the board. If not,
the turn is over.
Comparative and Superlative Tic-Tac-Toe Game 1
Players: Two teams of 4 to 6 players
Materials: 9 Comparative and Superlative Tic-Tac-Toe Cards, TicTac-Toe Pocket Chart, X and O Cards, timer or watch (optional)
Object: To name comparative and superlative adjectives in order
to fill three spaces in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row with X
or O Cards.
1. Select nine Comparative and Superlative Tic-Tac-Toe Cards. Set
up the Tic-Tac-Toe Pocket Chart, leaving the spaces empty.
2. Give X Cards to one team and O Cards to the other. The
players should sit in the order they will play.
3. Explain the game and provide the rules. The first word the
player names will count as his or her answer. Display the timer
and state the time limit if you have one. Encourage players to
use strategy in blocking the other team.
4. The first player from team 1 takes a turn. Hold up a Card,
showing side 1 (red border). The player reads the adjective,
looks at the pictures, and says the comparative or superlative
form of the adjective that describes the picture with the
arrow pointing to it (for example, greenest). If the player
correctly names the comparative or superlative form, he or
she gets to place one of the team's X or O Cards in a space on
the board. If not, the turn is over.
5. The first player from team 2 takes a turn, and so on.
Tic -Tac -Toe
X
O
X
O
O
5. The first player from team 2 takes a turn, and so on.
6. The first team to get three X's or O's in a row wins the game
and gets to go first next time.
7. Discuss any challenges before playing another game.
6. The first team to get three X's or O's in a row wins the game
and gets to go first next time.
7. Discuss any challenges before playing another game.
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
Variations
• Two students play against each other. They take turns
pulling Cards out of a box and get an X or an O to place if
they give the correct answer.
• When players encounter adjectives that require a spelling
change such as doubling the consonant or changing the -y
to i and adding -er or -est, challenge them to spell their
answers or write them on the board. They win the space only
if they can spell the word correctly.
© 2009 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in Guangzhou, China #303375