The Paradox of More
Grammar: Comparatives — advanced forms, hedged comparison, double comparatives, parallel structures
A Level 6 English lesson exploring psychology.
What's in this lesson
A Level 6 (proficiency) ESL lesson on psychology, practising comparatives — advanced forms, hedged comparison, double comparatives, parallel structures. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary, a grammar reference with practice and discussion questions.
From the reading: The Paradox of More
In 2000, psychologists Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper set up two jam-tasting tables in a California supermarket. One table offered six varieties; the other offered twenty-four. The larger display attracted far more browsers — but shoppers who stopped at the smaller table were ten times more likely to actually buy a jar. The finding was elegant in its simplicity, and it launched one of the most contested ideas in modern behavioural science: that the richer the menu of options, the less capable we become of choosing well.
Vocabulary
- acutely aware
- deeply contested
- heavily dependent
- starkly presented
Grammar: Comparatives and Superlatives
- Double comparative
- The more options you have, the harder it becomes to decide. — parallel increase/decrease
- Hedged comparison
- The harm is far less universal than Schwartz proposed. — use far / much / considerably to qualify degree
Discussion questions
- Do you find it harder to choose when you have more options?
- Is it better to compare everything carefully or trust your instincts?
- Can you think of a time when too much choice actually made things worse?
The Paradox of More
Grammar: Comparatives — advanced forms, hedged comparison, double comparatives, parallel structures
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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