Comparatives and Superlatives
Master the art of making comparisons in English
What Are Comparatives?
Comparatives are used to compare two things, showing that one has more or less of a quality than the other.
Examples:
• This book is more interesting than that one.
• Sarah is taller than her brother.
• Today is colder than yesterday.
• This book is more interesting than that one.
• Sarah is taller than her brother.
• Today is colder than yesterday.
How to Form Comparatives
One-syllable adjectives: Add -er
• tall → taller
• fast → faster
• old → older
• tall → taller
• fast → faster
• old → older
Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y: Change y to i and add -er
• happy → happier
• easy → easier
• busy → busier
• happy → happier
• easy → easier
• busy → busier
Longer adjectives (2+ syllables): Use “more” before the adjective
• beautiful → more beautiful
• expensive → more expensive
• intelligent → more intelligent
• beautiful → more beautiful
• expensive → more expensive
• intelligent → more intelligent
Irregular comparatives:
• good → better
• bad → worse
• far → farther/further
• good → better
• bad → worse
• far → farther/further
What Are Superlatives?
Superlatives are used to show that something has the most or least of a quality among three or more things.
Examples:
• This is the most interesting book I’ve ever read.
• Sarah is the tallest student in the class.
• Today is the coldest day of the year.
• This is the most interesting book I’ve ever read.
• Sarah is the tallest student in the class.
• Today is the coldest day of the year.
How to Form Superlatives
One-syllable adjectives: Add -est (use “the” before)
• tall → the tallest
• fast → the fastest
• old → the oldest
• tall → the tallest
• fast → the fastest
• old → the oldest
Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y: Change y to i and add -est
• happy → the happiest
• easy → the easiest
• busy → the busiest
• happy → the happiest
• easy → the easiest
• busy → the busiest
Longer adjectives (2+ syllables): Use “most” before the adjective
• beautiful → the most beautiful
• expensive → the most expensive
• intelligent → the most intelligent
• beautiful → the most beautiful
• expensive → the most expensive
• intelligent → the most intelligent
Irregular superlatives:
• good → the best
• bad → the worst
• far → the farthest/furthest
• good → the best
• bad → the worst
• far → the farthest/furthest
