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Launching a Product: comparatives, modifiers and less vs fewer

This B2 Business English lesson plan teaches comparatives with modifiers and less vs fewer for a product launch.

Grammar
Comparatives and superlatives with modifiers (slightly cheaper, far lighter, by far the cheapest), as … as (twice as much as), the more…, the…, and less or fewer.
Topic
The launch of a Portland roaster's canned cold brew and its pitch to wholesale buyers, with words such as a selling point, back up a claim, shelf life and overpromise.
Activities
A launch post and a comparison table, a planning talk, self-checking drills, a chat with a hotel buyer, a wheel, and homework: a post or product description and a recorded pitch.

What's inside

  1. Chapter 1Warm-up: New on the Shelf

    • PictureUnlock
    • Open a box and discussOpen the boxUnlock
    • Study the vocabulary: launching a productVocabularyTry it
    • Match the phrases to the situationsMatchUnlock

  2. Chapter 2Reading: Cold Brew, Hot News

    • Read Wrenfield's launch postReal-life documentTry it
    • Read the facts for buyersReal-life documentUnlock
    • True or false? Check the post and the facts for buyersTrue or falseUnlock
    • Choose the correct answer: the post and the factsQuizUnlock

  3. Chapter 3Listening: Best in America?

    • Listen to Jess and SamListeningTry it
    • Transcript, for the teacherUnlock
    • Choose the correct answer: Sam's claims and Jess's factsQuizUnlock

  4. Chapter 4Grammar: Slightly Cheaper, Far Lighter

    • Study the scheme: comparing with modifiersGrammar schemeTry it
    • Choose the correct option: forms and modifiersChoose the optionUnlock
    • Drag the words into the gaps: how big is the difference?Drag and dropTry it
    • Fill in the gaps: put the words in the correct formFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Fill in the table: compare the three cold brewsFill in the tableUnlock

  5. Chapter 5Speaking: Sell It in Sixty Seconds

    • Choose the accurate, correct replyChatTry it
    • Spin the wheel and speakSpin the wheelUnlock

  6. Chapter 6Homework: Your Pitch, Your Proof

    • Choose the correct option: Jess's email to a buyerChoose the optionUnlock
    • Find the matching pairs: launch phrases and their meaningsMemory gameUnlock
    • Write a launch post or a product descriptionWriting, checked by the teacherUnlock
    • Record a two-minute pitchSpeaking, checked by the teacherUnlock

22 exercises in 6 chapters. Start a 7-day free trial to open all of them, copy any part into your own lessons, and teach the lesson live.

Product launch vocabulary

10 words and phrases from the lesson, each with a picture and audio in edio.

+7 more with pictures and audio in the lessonMore words

  • back up a claim
  • shelf life
  • stock a product
  • a wholesale price
  • hit the shelves
  • overpromise
  • a blind tasting

Grammar: comparatives and superlatives with modifiers

A sales pitch is a string of comparisons, and buyers check every one. After a review of the forms, learners measure each difference with a modifier and a figure, compare with as … as, rank with superlatives such as by far the cheapest, and choose between less and fewer.

Comparatives and superlatives with modifiers

Compare products precisely: how much cheaper, how much better, and which is the best of all

Forms: -er, more and the irregulars

Short adjectives add -er and -est (cheaper, the lightest), -y becomes -ier (easier), and longer ones take more or less. Good, bad and far are irregular: better, worse, farther. Never use -er and more together: more cheaper is wrong.

AdjectiveComparativeSuperlativeRule
cheap, long, lightcheaper, longer, lighterthe cheapest, the longest, the lightestOne syllable: add -er / -est.
bigbiggerthe biggestOne vowel + one consonant at the end: double the consonant.
easy, heavyeasier, heavierthe easiest, the heaviestTwo syllables ending in -y: y → -ier / -iest.
expensive, popularmore expensive, more popularthe most expensive, the most popularMost adjectives with two or more syllables: more / most.
popularless popularthe least popularThe opposite of more / most: less / the least.
good · bad · farbetter · worse · farther (further)the best · the worst · the farthest (furthest)Irregular.
many, much · littlemore · lessthe most · the leastIrregular: more cases, more sugar, less sugar.

How big is the difference?

For a big gap, put much, far, a lot, considerably or significantly before the comparative; for a small one, slightly, a bit or a little. Even more goes one step further, and no more recyclable than means no difference at all.

DifferenceModifier + comparativeExample
bigmuch, far, a lot (informal), considerably, significantly (formal)At $0.80, the supermarket can is far cheaper than ours at $1.60.
smallslightly, a bit (informal), a littleAt $1.60, ours is slightly cheaper than the New York chain's bottle at $1.80.
one step furthereven + comparativeOurs costs more than the supermarket can, and the New York chain's costs even more.
noneno + comparative + thanBoth are aluminum cans: ours is no more recyclable than theirs.

As … as: the same, less, twice

Just as big as means the same, not as long as means less, and nowhere near as popular as means much less. Multiples and fractions use the same frame: twice as much as, half as much sugar as.

PatternMeaningExample
just as … asthe sameOur can is just as big as the supermarket's: 250 ml each.
not as … aslessOur shelf life is not as long as the supermarket's: 9 months against 12.
nowhere near as … asmuch lessThe supermarket's was nowhere near as popular as ours: 9 votes against 22.
twice / three times as … as× 2, × 3Ours costs twice as much as the supermarket can: $1.60 against $0.80.
half as … as÷ 2The New York chain's has half as much sugar as the supermarket's: 4 g against 8 g.

By far the best, and the more…, the…

By far the and easily the mark a big lead; the second most popular and one of the best rank a product. Three or more things take the superlative: the most popular of the three. Two comparatives link cause and result: The more cases you order, the lower the price.

  • by far the / easily the + superlative, for a big lead: At $0.80, the supermarket can is by far the cheapest.
  • the second + superlative: The New York chain's was the second most popular in the tasting.
  • one of the + superlative + plural noun: It's one of the best coffees we've made.
  • For three or more things, use the superlative: the most popular of the three, not the more popular.
  • the + comparative, the + comparative: The more cases you order, the lower the price. Short: the sooner, the better.

Less or fewer?

Fewer goes with plural nouns, less with uncountable ones: fewer ingredients, fewer cans, but less sugar, less time. Amounts of money and time take less too: less than $2, less than a year.

less + uncountable nouns

  • less sugar, less time, less money
  • also with amounts of money and time: less than $2, less than a year

fewer + plural nouns

  • fewer ingredients, fewer cans, fewer people
  • fewer cases, fewer votes

Claims you can back up

In a pitch, the modifier and the figure travel together: slightly cheaper, $1.60 against $1.80. By far the best in America needs proof nobody has; the most popular of three cold brews in a blind tasting is a fact.

Claims you can back up

Buyers trust numbers more than adjectives. By far the best in America needs proof nobody has. The most popular of three cold brews in a blind tasting is a fact. Say how big the difference is (slightly, far, twice as … as) and give the figure.

Typical mistakes: forms

  • Ours is more cheaper than theirs.

    Ours is cheaper than theirs.

    -er or more, never both.

  • It's very cheaper.

    It's much cheaper.

    Very goes with the base form: very cheap.

  • It's the most best cold brew.

    It's the best cold brew.

    Best is already a superlative.

  • Our can is as light than theirs.

    Our can is as light as theirs.

    as … as, but -er … than.

Typical mistakes: modifiers and nouns

  • It has less ingredients.

    It has fewer ingredients.

    Ingredients is a plural noun.

  • The more you order, the more better the price.

    The more you order, the better the price.

    Better is already a comparative.

  • Ours costs twice more than theirs.

    Ours costs twice as much as theirs.

    Use twice as … as.

  • Ours was the more popular of the three.

    Ours was the most popular of the three.

    Three or more: the superlative.

More lessons on this grammar: Comparatives and superlatives lessons and exercises

Try the comparatives and less vs fewer exercises

Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.

More exercises

What's in the lesson

  • 10 auto-checked exercises
  • 3 games
  • 2 teacher-checked tasks
  • 2 real-life documents
  • 1 grammar scheme
  • 1 set of word cards
  • 1 audio clip
  • 1 picture
  • 1 transcript

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

  • say how big a difference is: slightly cheaper, far lighter, even more expensive, no more recyclable than
  • compare with as … as: just as big as, not as long as, nowhere near as popular as, twice as much as
  • choose fewer for plural nouns and less for uncountable nouns and amounts: fewer ingredients, less sugar, less than $2
  • pitch a product with claims you can back up: the most popular of three cold brews in a blind tasting, not the best in America

Lesson 11 comes in Problems and growth, unit 3 of Business English B2 · A Year at Wrenfield, where the course's fictional Portland roaster deals with a complaint and a delay, then launches a product and hires. It takes the comparatives, superlatives and as … as of English A2.1 · Then and Now (lessons 10, 13, 14 and 15) to B2, with modifiers that measure the difference, and lesson 12 turns to hiring. In a pitch, a vague comparison costs trust, so the lesson pairs its modifiers with figures.

The warm-up opens boxes of questions about launches, suppliers and packaging, then teaches ten phrases with pictures and audio, from roll out to a blind tasting. Students read the launch post with customers' comments and a table of facts for buyers on three cold brews, then hear the AI-voiced talk in which the sales head turns the marketing manager's big claims into ones they can prove. Four self-checking drills follow the scheme, among them a drag-and-drop on how big each difference is. In the chat, students answer a hotel buyer with replies that must be accurate and correct, and a wheel asks for pitches and comparisons.

Homework opens with an email to a buyer, where students choose the right forms, and a memory game of launch phrases, both self-checking. Students then write a launch post or a product description with four comparisons with modifiers and record a pitch against a competitor, and the teacher reviews both.

Grammar:
comparatives · superlatives · modifiers · as … as · less vs fewer
Topic:
product launch · comparing products · marketing claims

Teaching tips

  • Put the buyers' table on the board and have pairs write three true and three false comparisons; the class fixes each false one with a modifier: No, it's only slightly cheaper.
  • Pause the listening after each of Sam's claims and let learners say what's wrong with it before Jess answers; then compare their corrections with hers.
  • Let in-company learners pitch their own product against two competitors, with a figure behind every modifier; the only question the group may ask is Can you back that up?
  • One-to-one, edit the learner's real sales copy: circle every best, much better or cheaper, check it against the facts, and rewrite it with a modifier and a number.

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The whole course: Business English B2 · A Year at Wrenfield

20 lessons at B2 in American English that follow a year at Wrenfield Coffee Roasters in Portland, Oregon, as founder Claire Morgan and her team win a Dutch hotel contract. Learners network, write emails, run meetings, negotiate, handle complaints and present figures, with one grammar point per lesson.See the course

  1. Unit 1 First contacts

    networking, a company story, a business lunch and emails: present tenses, the present perfect, question tags, indirect questions

    1. Lesson 1Making ContactsPresent simple and present continuous at work
    2. Lesson 2Our Story: From Cart to RoasteryPresent perfect and past simple for company history
    3. Lesson 3The Business LunchQuestion tags and short answers
    4. Lesson 4Emails That Get AnswersIndirect questions and polite requests

  2. Unit 2 Meetings and figures

    scheduling, sales figures, running a meeting and negotiating: future forms, trends, gerunds and infinitives, conditionals

    1. Lesson 5Setting Up MeetingsFuture forms for meetings and schedules
    2. Lesson 6The Monthly FiguresDescribing trends
    3. Lesson 7Running a MeetingGerunds and infinitives in meetings
    4. Lesson 8Negotiating a DealFirst and second conditionals in a negotiation

  3. Unit 3 Problems and growth

    a complaint, a late shipment, a launch and hiring: the present perfect continuous, the passive, comparatives, relative clauses

    1. Lesson 9Handling a ComplaintPresent perfect simple vs continuous
    2. Lesson 10The Late ShipmentThe passive in all tenses
    3. Lesson 11 · you're hereLaunching a ProductComparatives and superlatives with modifiers
    4. Lesson 12Hiring the Right PersonDefining and non-defining relative clauses

  4. Unit 4 Reports, prices and feedback

    reporting back, explaining prices, expenses and feedback: reported speech, linking words, modals of obligation, past modals

    1. Lesson 13Reporting BackSay vs tell in reported speech
    2. Lesson 14Explaining PricesLinking words of contrast, cause and result
    3. Lesson 15Travel and Expenses: Can I Claim That?Modals of obligation, prohibition and permission
    4. Lesson 16Giving FeedbackShould have, could have and didn't need to

  5. Unit 5 Looking back and ahead

    what went wrong, other cultures, an agency and next year: the third and mixed conditionals, past deduction, the causative, the future perfect

    1. Lesson 17What Went WrongThird and mixed conditionals
    2. Lesson 18Working Across CulturesModals of deduction, present and past
    3. Lesson 19Working with an AgencyCausative have and get
    4. Lesson 20The Road AheadFuture continuous and future perfect

Questions about this lesson

What's the difference between fewer and less?
Use fewer with plural nouns and less with uncountable nouns: fewer ingredients, fewer cans, fewer people, but less sugar, less time, less money. The test is whether you can count the noun: one ingredient, two ingredients means fewer. A cold brew pitch in Launching a Product, a B2 Business English lesson on edio.ai, needs both: two ingredients instead of five, and no added sugar.
How do you use comparatives and superlatives in a sales pitch?
In a pitch, pair every comparative or superlative with a figure the buyer can check: At $1.60, ours is slightly cheaper than the New York chain's at $1.80. Superlatives need a clear group: the most popular of three cold brews in a blind tasting is a fact, while by far the best in America needs proof nobody has. Use the superlative for three or more things and the comparative for two.
Which words show how big a difference is?
Modifiers before the comparative show the size of the gap: much, far, a lot, considerably or significantly for a big one, slightly, a bit or a little for a small one. Even adds one more step (even more expensive), and no means no difference: no more recyclable than. Very doesn't work here: it's much cheaper, never very cheaper.
Is it "less ingredients" or "fewer ingredients"?
It's fewer ingredients, because ingredients is a plural noun. Less ingredients is a typical mistake: It has fewer ingredients than both of them: just coffee and water. Keep less for uncountable nouns: There's no added sugar, so it contains less sugar. One wrong reply in the chat of Launching a Product on edio.ai uses less ingredients as its trap.
Is it "less than $2" or "fewer than $2"?
It's less than $2: amounts of money and time take less, even with a number, because you think of the total, not the separate dollars. So: less than a year, less than $2 a can. With things you count one by one, use fewer than: Fewer than half of the people chose ours. The scheme of Launching a Product, a B2 lesson on edio.ai, lists money and time under less.
Is it "twice more than" or "twice as much as"?
Say twice as much as, not twice more than: Ours costs twice as much as the supermarket can: $1.60 against $0.80. Multiples and fractions use as … as: half as much sugar as. The frame gives other exact comparisons too: just as big as (the same), not as long as (less), nowhere near as popular as (much less). Never mix frames: as light as, not as light than.
What is a unique selling point?
A unique selling point, or USP, is what makes a product stand out from the competition. Any feature that makes customers want something is a selling point, such as no added sugar; it becomes unique when competitors can't say the same. State it with proof: It has fewer ingredients than both of them: just coffee and water. Launching a Product on edio.ai teaches both phrases as word cards with audio.
How do you announce a product launch in English?
A launch announcement names the product, the date and where to buy it: Something new is coming from our roastery. It hits the shelves next spring. Use roll out for a launch in stages: We're rolling it out in stages. Say who gets it first, add one or two selling points you can back up, such as no added sugar, and leave out claims you can't prove.
How do you present a selling point without overpromising?
Back up every selling point with a checkable fact. Instead of by far the best cold brew in America, say In a blind tasting of three cold brews, ours was the most popular. Admit where a rival wins (Our shelf life is not as long as the supermarket's), then explain why yours is still worth it. To overpromise is to claim more than you can deliver, and buyers will ask for proof.
How do I teach comparatives with modifiers to business English learners?
Give learners real figures to compare, such as prices, shelf life and test results, because a modifier only makes sense next to a number: $1.60 against $1.80 is slightly cheaper, not much cheaper. Let them correct exaggerated claims, then build their own with as … as and superlatives. In-company groups can compare their products with competitors'; one-to-one clients can rewrite their own sales copy.
Are there interactive exercises for comparatives and less vs fewer?
Yes: drag-and-drop gaps and chat replies show at once whether a comparison is accurate and correct. This page plays four parts of Launching a Product, a B2 Business English lesson on edio.ai, with no account: the launch post for a canned cold brew, a talk that turns big claims into provable ones, a drag-and-drop on how big each difference is, and an email chat with a hotel buyer. The other exercises are locked.
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