A. Grammar: Comparative and superlative adjectives

‘Small’ is an adjective. ‘Smaller’ is a comparative adjective. ‘Smallest’ is a superlative adjective. Do you know how to use comparatives and superlatives?

Comparative adjectives

A comparative adjective is used to compare two people, objects or places.

In general, for adjectives with one syllable, you just have to add ‘-(e)r’ to the end of the adjective and use ‘than’ after the adjective.
Examples: short → shorter than
Emily is shorter than her friend Mary.

tall → taller than

One World Trade Center is taller than the Empire State Building.

large → larger than

Jupiter is larger than Saturn.

For adjectives with two or more syllables, you need to add the word ‘more’ (+) or ‘less’ (-) before the adjective and use ‘than’ after the adjective.
Examples: difficult → more difficult than, less difficult than
I think German is more difficult than English.
I think English is less difficult than German.

expensive → more expensive than

The red car is more expensive than the blue one.
The blue car is less expensive than the red one.

To compare identical aspects of two people, objects or places, you use the expression ‘as…as’.
Examples: John is as tall as Mark.

The second exercise is as difficult as the first one.

Superlative adjectives

A superlative adjective is used to compare three or more people, objects or places in a group.
In general, for adjectives with one syllable, you just have to add ‘-(e)st’ to the end of the adjective and use the definite article ‘the’ before the adjective.
Examples: short → the shortest
Emily is the shortest girl in her class.

tall → the tallest

One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the United States.

large → the largest

Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system.

For adjectives with two or more syllables, you need to add the words ‘the most’ before the adjective.
Examples: difficult → the most difficult
The president of the United States has one of the most difficult jobs in the world.

expensive → the most expensive

London is the most expensive city to live in the world.

There are some exceptions to these rules.
Here are the most common ones that you should know:

good → better → best

bad → worse → worst

Note:
1. If the adjective ends in a consonant-vowel-consonant combination, double the final consonant before adding ‘-er’ or ‘-est’ (except when the adjective ends in ‘-y’ or ‘-w’).
Examples: hot → hotter → hottest

thin → thinner → thinnest

slow → slower → slowest

2. If the adjective ends with a ‘y’, change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ before adding ‘-er’ or ‘-est’.
Examples: pretty → prettier → prettiest

funny → funnier → funniest

Content Print