Comparative & superlative adjectives

Comparative & superlative adjectives

Form & uses

1- We use comparative adjectives to show change or make comparisons. We can say that someone or something has a superior quality, size or characteristic. Examples: . Susan feels happier now (change). . The weekly quizzes are very easy but the final exam is more difficult (comparison).

2- We use superlative adjectives to show how one person, thing or experience is different to all the others of its kind. When you want to say that one person or thing is superior to all others in a group, you need to use the most and when it is inferior you use the least. Example: . Paris is the most beautiful city I’ve ever visited. . The least difficult tense in English is the Simple Present.

. for the majority of one syllable adjectives, add –er, -st (e.g cheap – cheaper – the cheapest). . for one-syllable adjectives ending in –e, add –r, -st. (e.g. late – later – latest). . for one-syllable adjectives ending in –y, drop the –y and change to –ier/ -iest (e.g lucky – luckier – the luckiest). . for short adjectives ending in a vowel + a consonant, double the consonant (e.g big – bigger – the biggest / hot – hotter – the hottest). But do not double w (e.g new – newer – the newest). . some adjectives are irregular (e.g. good – better – the best / bad – worse – the worst / far – further – the furthest).

3- How to form comparative and superlative adjectives

4- We use more and most to make comparatives and superlatives for most two syllable adjectives and for all adjectives with three or more syllables. . careful - more careful - most careful . boring - more boring - most boring . confident - more confident - most confident

5- However, with these common two-syllable adjectives you can either add -er / -est or use more or most. . E.g. common: commoner or more common commonest or most common Other adjectives: cruel, gentle, handsome, narrow, pleasant, polite, simple, stupid.

6- Than / less / as ... as . We use than to refer to the two people, things, situations you are comparing. E.g Living in the city is better than living in the country. . We use less to say that someone or something has an inferior quality, size or characteristic. Eg. Walking is less tiring than running. . When we want to talk about things being the same, we use (not) as … as. E.g Your car is (not) as expensive as my car.

7- Adverbs and introductory expressions . We use the adverbs a little / a bit / slightly for small differences (mitigate). E.g. He was a little more interested than the last time. . We use the adverbs much / a lot / far for large differences (intensify). E.g. Our margin on computers is much lower than on software. . Some introductory expressions like in general, as a rule, on average, in my experience, to a certain extent, in theory, traditionally, etc. are used to present differences and similarities. e.g. On average, women are more intuitive than men.

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