including describing food and comparative adjectives
Choose one of the things on the next page below but don’t say which one. Describe it by comparing it to other things such as food from other countries until someone else guesses what you are talking about. After guessing correctly, your partner will try to add to and/ or improve on your description. Your teacher will tell you if, when and how you can use the list of possible things to compare to and/ or the useful phrases for comparing below.
| Useful phrases for comparing | |||
| (virtually/ nearly) identical to… but (almost/ nearly) the same as… but (extremely/ very/ quite) similar to… but (a lot/ quite/ a bit) like… but (slightly/ very) different to… because Unlike…, … In contrast to…, … … while… … whereas… | (slightly/ considerably/ much) (a bit/ quite a lot/ far) not (quite/ nearly) as | (more) (…er) | big bitter cheap chewy confusing fat filling formal hard healthy high hot light low narrow noisy oily posh salty soft spicy sticky strong sweet tasty thick thin weak wide |
When your teacher stops you, choose one which you think you and your partner came up with a good description of, and write it down. Then read out your description and see if anyone in the class can suggest improvements.
Ask about any which you are not sure how to describe, are not sure you described well, etc, working together to compare them to other foods each time.
Work together to compare the things on the following page.
Japanese food and drinks to compare to other things
- Amazake
- An donutsu
- Champon
- Chankonabe
- Chawan mushi
- Chuhai
- Daikon
- Edamame
- Fugu
- Genmai cha
- Goya
- Happoshu
- Hayashi rice
- Hijiki
- Hire-katsu
- Hoppy
- Izakaya
- Kakigori
- Kare pan
- Kareraisu
- Konnyaku
- Kushiyaki
- Matcha
- Mentaiko
- Mochi rice
- Negi
- Nira
- Okonomiyaki
- Omuraisu
- Ponzu
- Sembei
- Shabu shabu
- Shochu
- “Snack” bar
- Soba
- Somen
- Tamago yaki
- Tonjiru
- Tonkatsu sauce
- Tsukemono
- Udon
- Umeshu
- Wasabi
- Yaki-imo
- Yakitori
- Yuzu
Possible foods and drinks to compare
- Amazake – Sake/ Rice wine
- An donutsu – Jam donut/ Jam doughnut
- Champon – Ramen
- Chankonabe – Hot pot/ Stew
- Chawan mushi – Custard
- Chuhai – Soda/ Pop/ Fizzy drinks
- Daikon – Radish
- Edamame – Peas
- Fugu – Normal white fish
- Genmai cha – Green tea
- Goya – Cucumber
- Happoshu – Beer
- Hayashi rice – Curry
- Hijiki – Nori
- Hire-katsu – Tonkatsu/ Pork cutlet
- Hoppy – Beer
- Izakaya – Pub/ Tapas bar/ Restaurant
- Kakigori – Ice cream
- Kare pan – Donut
- Kareraisu – Indian curry
- Konnyaku – Jelly/ Jello
- Kushiyaki – Shish kebab
- Matcha – Green tea
- Mentaiko – Caviar
- Mochi rice – Normal white rice
- Negi – Spring onion/ Leek
- Nira – Leek
- Okonomiyaki – Pancake
- Omuraisu – Omelette
- Ponzu – Soy sauce
- Sembei – Crisps/ Potato chips
- Shabu shabu – Sukiyaki
- Shochu – Vodka/ Rice wine
- “Snack” bar – Pub
- Soba – Ramen
- Somen – Spaghetti
- Tamago yaki – Omelette
- Tonjiru – Miso soup
- Tonkatsu sauce – Ketchup/ Brown sauce/ Steak sauce
- Tsukemono – Pickles
- Udon – Soba/ Ramen
- Umeshu – Sake
- Wasabi – English mustard/ Horseradish (sauce)
- Yaki-imo – Baked potato/ Jacket potato
- Yakitori – Shish kebab
- Yuzu – Orange/ Lemon
Other Japanese things to describe by comparing
Do the same with these other Japanese things.
- Futon
- Geta
- Hagoita
- Hakama
- Ikebana
- Jimbei
- Kabuki
- Katana
- Keirin
- Kotatsu
- Kyotei
- O-bon
- Obi
- Pachinko
- Ryokan
- Sumo
- Tokyo Disney Sea/ Sanrio Puroland/ Yomiuri Land/ Fuji Q
- Tokyo Tower
- Washlette
- Yukata
- Zabuton
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Compare any things here which you haven’t yet:
Possible things to compare
- Futon – Bed/ Western-style “futon”
- Geta – Sandals/ Flipflops
- Hagoita – Badminton
- Hakama – Kimono
- Ikebana – Flower arranging
- Jimbei – Pajamas/ Pyjamas
- Kabuki – Shakespeare
- Katana – Sword
- Keirin – Tour de France/ Horse racing
- Kotatsu – Table
- Kyotei – F1
- O-bon – Halloween
- Obi – Belt
- Pachinko – Fruit machine/ Slot machine/ Pinball
- Ryokan – Hotel
- Sumo – Wrestling
- Tokyo Disney Sea/ Sanrio Puroland/ Yomiuri Land/ Fuji Q – Disneyland
- Tokyo Tower – The Eiffel Tower
- Washlette – Toilet
- Yukata – Kimono
- Zabuton – Cushion
Comparing language presentation
Without looking above or below for now, write collocations with each of the words below.
+ identical (to…)
+ the same (as…)
+ similar (to…)
+ like…
+ different (to…)
+ …er/ more…
Use the mixed answers below the fold to help. Many can be used more than once.
————————–fold, cover or cut———————————-
Mixed collocations
- a bit
- a lot
- almost
- considerably
- extremely
- far
- much
- nearly
- quite
- quite a lot
- slightly
- very
- virtually
Compare with the first page above. Other matches are possible, so check if you wrote something different.
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PDF for easy saving and printing:
Related pages
