Lesson 19 drill — Comparing customs without stereotyping
Cultural comparison needs two tools: COMPARATIVE structures and SOFT GENERALISERS. Comparatives: 'more + adjective + than' ('Meetings here are MORE formal THAN at home'), 'less + adjective + than' ('Lunch breaks are LESS rushed in Spain'), and 'as + adjective + as' ('Public transport isn't AS punctual AS in Japan'). But comparisons easily become stereotypes ('All Italians are loud'). Soften them with GENERALISERS — TEND TO + base verb ('People in the UK TEND TO queue'), IN GENERAL ('In general, dinner is later in Spain'), MOST + plural ('Most Brits apologise too much'), and IT'S MORE COMMON TO + base ('It's more common to greet strangers in small towns'). These let you describe a pattern without claiming every individual fits it.
Choose: 'Meetings here are ____ formal ____ at home.'
Choose: 'Public transport isn't ____ punctual ____ in Japan.'
Which softens a generalisation best?
Choose: 'In ____, people are friendlier in small towns.'
Which is the most respectful generalisation?
People here ____ to eat dinner quite late.
____ general, the weather is milder in spring.
It took some getting ____ to.
Meetings are more formal ____ they are at home.
Public transport isn't ____ punctual as in Japan.