What does "comparative and superlative" mean
To compare two things, you use the comparative "-er" or "more":
lighter: A feather is lighter than a stone.
more expensive: A house is more expensive than a tent.
The superlative is used to show which element of three or more reaches a degree higher than all the others. It is introduced with "-est" or "most":
kindest: He is the kindest person I know. (Nobody is kinder than him.)
most intelligent: They are not the most intelligent. (There is someone who is more intelligent.)
lighter: A feather is lighter than a stone.
more expensive: A house is more expensive than a tent.
The superlative is used to show which element of three or more reaches a degree higher than all the others. It is introduced with "-est" or "most":
kindest: He is the kindest person I know. (Nobody is kinder than him.)
most intelligent: They are not the most intelligent. (There is someone who is more intelligent.)
How to form them
1) We add -er for the comparative and -est for the superlative after words with one syllable or two-syllable adjectives that end in -у.
2) We add more or most to adjectives with two or more syllables.
3) Some common adjectives are irregular.
| fast small cold | faster smaller colder | fastest smallest coldest | in most cases we simply add -er/-est to the adjective |
| wide fine cute | wider finer cuter | widest finest cutest | when the adjective ends in -е, just add -r/-st |
| big fat hot | bigger fatter hotter | biggest fattest hottest | when the adjective ends in a single vowel, followed by a single consonant, double the consonant before adding -er/-est. More about this rule: Spelling Rules |
| pretty happy easy | prettier happier easier | prettiest happiest easiest | when the adjective ends in a consonant, followed by -y, -у becomes -i and we add -er/-est. |
2) We add more or most to adjectives with two or more syllables.
| comfortable | more comfortable | most comfortable |
| famous | more famous | most famous |
| interesting | more interesting | most interesting |
3) Some common adjectives are irregular.
| good | better | best |
| bad | worse | worst |
| far | further | furthest |
| many/much | more | most |
| little | less | least |
How to use them
1) We compare with "than":
Jim's hair is shorter than Tim's.
His house is more expensive than hers.
*As intensifiers you can use words like "far, much, a lot" (for a big difference), "a little, a bit, slightly" (for a small difference), "so much", etc.:
You are a lot prettier than her, honey!
The book is much more interesting than the film.
Cut it a little shorter this time!
2) The superlative adjectives is usually preceded by "the":
This is the best meal I've ever had.
He is the greatest actor!
Instead of "the" you can have possession:
This is my greatest achievement!
He is Jim's best friend.
or both:
He is my teacher's son.
3) We can intensify the superlative using: "by far, easily, of all".
This method is by far the most complicated one.
She’s easily the best dancer in the group. No one is as elegant as her.
There were a number of excellent poems entered for the competition, but the best poem of all was written by a ten-year-old boy.
4) "as... as..." used when two things are at the same level. (Possible intensifiers added in brackets):
You are (just) as good at golf as he is!
He is (at least) as old as you are.
Marcus is (not nearly) as intelligent as his brother.
Notice that here all adjectives are in their base form!
Jim's hair is shorter than Tim's.
His house is more expensive than hers.
*As intensifiers you can use words like "far, much, a lot" (for a big difference), "a little, a bit, slightly" (for a small difference), "so much", etc.:
You are a lot prettier than her, honey!
The book is much more interesting than the film.
Cut it a little shorter this time!
2) The superlative adjectives is usually preceded by "the":
This is the best meal I've ever had.
He is the greatest actor!
Instead of "the" you can have possession:
This is my greatest achievement!
He is Jim's best friend.
or both:
He is my teacher's son.
3) We can intensify the superlative using: "by far, easily, of all".
This method is by far the most complicated one.
She’s easily the best dancer in the group. No one is as elegant as her.
There were a number of excellent poems entered for the competition, but the best poem of all was written by a ten-year-old boy.
4) "as... as..." used when two things are at the same level. (Possible intensifiers added in brackets):
You are (just) as good at golf as he is!
He is (at least) as old as you are.
Marcus is (not nearly) as intelligent as his brother.
Notice that here all adjectives are in their base form!
Exercises
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