Comparison

COMPARISON

how to form comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs

Elena Vázquez

Comparative adjectives are used to compare differences between the two objects they modify (larger, smaller, faster, higher). That house is bigger than my house.

Superlative adjectives are used to describe an object which is at the upper or lower limit of a quality (the tallest, the smallest, the fastest, the highest) That house is the biggest in my neighbourhood..

HOW TO FORM

comparatives and superlatives

We usually add –er to one-syllable adjectives to make comparatives and -est to make superlatives

Old older oldest Long longer longest Cheap cheaper cheapest

If a one-syllable adjective ends in –e, we add –r or -st

Nice nicer nicest Large larger largest

If an adjective ends in a vowel and a consonant, we double the consonant:

Big bigger biggest Fat fatter fattest

If an adjective ends in a consonant and –y, we change –y to –i and add –er or -est

Happy happier happiest Silly sillier silliest

However, with these common two-syllable adjectives, you can either add –er/–r, -est/st or use more:

common likelycruel narrow gentle polite handsome pleasant simple stupid

He is certainly handsomer than his brother. His brother is handsome, but he is more handsome. She is politer than her sister. She is more polite than her sister.

The adjectives good, bad and far have irregular comparatives and superlatives:

good better best bad worse worst far further/farther furthest/farthest

The adverbs well and badly have irregular comparatives and superlatives:

well better best badly worse worst

Remember to use THAN when you compare

That car is older THAN my car This t-shirt is more expensive THAN the other one

Remember to use THE when you use the superlative

That car is THE oldest in my neighbourhood. This is the most interesting book I've ever read

Remember to use MORE with adverbs ending -ly

My sister drives more slowly than me He is more friendly than his brother

Remember NOT to make any changes to the adjective or adverb when you speak about equality

This car is AS old AS that car This book is AS interesting AS that book

HAPPY LEARNING!