COMPARATIVES AND
SUPERLATIVES
Comparative adjectives. When using comparatives we compare 2 elements
A--------B
Such a comparison may be of 3 different kinds:
a) Superiority
A is adj.+ -ER than B
more+ adj.
Ex. “Mary is taller /more beautiful than Jane”
b) Equality
A is as + adjective + as B
Ex. “Mary is as clever as Jane”
c) Inferiority
A is less + adjective than B
1
Ex. “Mary is less fast / intelligent than Jane”
In Superlatives we compare 1 element and a group
B C D
A----------------- E F G
H …
Again, we may have Superiority Superlative
A is the adj.+ -est of …(elements)
most + adj. in… (place)
Ex.”Stuart is the most intelligent/shortest boy of my classmates / in the school”
or Inferiority Superlative
of …(elements)
A is the least + adj.
in… (place)
Ex.”Stuart is the least intelligent /least short boy of my classmates/ in the
school”
How to form comparative and superlative adjectives
We usually add –er and –est to one-syllable words to make comparatives and
superlatives:
2
ol olde oldes
d r t
If an adjective ends in –e, we add –r or –st:
larg large larges
e r t
If an adjective ends in a vowel and a consonant, we double the consonant:
bi bigge bigges
g r t
If an adjective ends in a consonant and –y, we change –y to –i and add –er or –
est:
sill sillie sillies
y r t
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 mostcareful
interestin more mostinterestin
g interesting g
However, with these common two-syllable adjectives, you can either add –er/–
r and –est/–st or use more and most:
common narrow
cruel pleasan
gentle t
handsom polite
e simple
likely stupid
He is certainly handsomer than his brother.
His brother is handsome, but he is more handsome.
She is one of the politest people I have ever met.
She is the most polite person I have ever met.
The adjectives good, bad and far have irregular comparatives and superlatives:
goo
better best
d
bad worse worst
far farther/further farthest/furthest
Adverb+er/more +
adverb+ than
(superiority)
as+ adverb + as
(equality)
3
less +adverb+ than
(inferiority)
A does sth. B
Comparative adverbs. Again there’s a comparison between 2 ways to do
something and can be of 3 types:
Ex.”Mary dances more beautifully than Jane / as beautifully as Jane /less
beautifully than Jane”.
Superlative adverbs
(the) most + adverb of …(elements)
A does sth.
/(the) adverb-est
in… (place)
Ex.”His ankles hurt badly, but his knees hurt worst”.
“It rains most often at the beginning of the year“
“Mary drives (the) most carefully of all the girls in the group”
How to form comparative and superlative adverbs
We make comparative and superlative adverbs using the same rules as
for comparative and superlative adjectives but they are easier as we only have two
possibilities and the irregular forms:
a) 1 syllable
b) two or more syllables
One syllable: Jill works
> Faster/harder... > Fastest/hardest...
fast/hard/near/soon/high…
One syllable ending in
> later > latest
–e: They arrived late.
Early > earlier > earliest
Two or more syllables: Alan finished
> more quickly > most quickly
the test quickly.
well: She speaks English well. > better > best
badly: She speaks German badly. > worse > worst
far: He'll go far. > farther/further > farthest/furthest
4
5
