Comparative And Superlative Adjectives

Comparative And Superlative Adjectives

We can use adjectives for comparing two things or more. 

Kinds Of Comparison

There are three degrees of comparison. They are :

• Superlative
• Comparative
• Superlative

Let's see the following tables of those three comparisons.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
bright    tall  important	brighter  taller  more important	brightest  tallest  most important

Comparative And Superlative For One Syllable Adjectives

We can form comparative and superlative of one syllable adjectives by putting er or est at the end of the adjectives. Let's see the following examples.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
small  high  sharp  hard  light	smaller  higher  sharper  harder  lighter	smallest  highest  sharpest  hardest  lightest

One Syllable Adjectives Ending In 'e'

At the end of adjectives ending in e, we just put r or st. Let's see the following tables.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
safe  brave  nice  fine  ripe	safer  braver  nicer  finer  riper	safest  bravest  nicest  finest  ripest

Comparative And Superlative For Three Or More Syllable Adjectives

We can form comparative and superlative of three or more syllable adjectives by putting more or most before the adjectives. Let's see the following examples.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
interesting  important  frightening  amusing  expensive	more interesting  more important  more frightening  more amusing  more expensive	most interesting  most important  most frightening  most amusing  most expensive

Two Syllable Adjectives Ending In y, er, ly

For two syllable adjectives ending in y, er, ly, we normally put er or est at the end of the adjectives.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
happy  funny  clever  silly  pretty  early  noisy  quiet	happier  funnier  cleverer  sillier  prettier  earlier  noisier  quieter	happiest  funniest  cleverest  silliest  prettiest  earliest  noisiest  quietest

Note : y becomes i.

Two Syllable Adjectives Ending In ful And re

For two syllable adjectives ending in ful and re, we normally put more or most before the adjectives.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
doubtful  obscure  often	more doubtful  more obscure  more often	most doubtful  most obscure  most often

Irregular Comparative And Superlative Adjectives

Some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative form. Let's see the following table.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
bad  far  good  little  many/much  old	worse  farther/further  better  less  more  older/elder	worst  farthest/furthest  best  least  most  oldest/eldest

The Difference Between Farther And Further

Further is usually used for abstract nouns to mean additional/extra. Let's see the following examples.

• further information
• further discussion
• further instructions
• further demands

Farther is usually used for physical distance. Let's see the following examples.

• From Hongkong, Jakarta is farther than Kuala Lumpur.
• My school is farther than my father's office.

The Difference Between Older And Elder

Older implies age comparison, while elder implies seniority. Elder is mainly used for comparisons within a family. Let's see the following examples.

• my elder brother
• his eldest son
• John is older than George.

Comparative Adjective In Sentences

We usually compare two things with comparative adjectives. In this case we usually use than. Let's see the following examples.

• The new governor is closer to his people than the older one.
• Corruption is more dangerous than bomb blasts.
• The boy is stronger than I expected.

Superlative Adjectives In Sentences

We usually compare three or more things/people with superlative adjectives. In this case, we usually use the...in/of/on. Let's see the following examples.

• He is the richest man on earth.
• This is the best wine I have ever drunk.
• This is the oldest building in Paris.
• This is the hottest month of the year.
• We stay in one of the nicest room in the hotel.
• What is the highest mountain in the world?

Exercise I

In this exercise you have to choose the right comparative or superlative adjectives in the bracket to complete the sentences.

1. My girlfriend is ( taller, the tallest ) than me.
2. I'm ( younger, the youngest ) of the family.
3. Can you visit me ( oftener, more often ) ?
4. It's ( more expensive, the most expensive ) house I've ever seen.
5. What is ( larger, the largest ) city in your country?

Exercise II

In this exercise you have to complete the sentences with the superlative and its preposition.

Example   : It's a very expensive hotel.   ..................................in town.

You write : It's the most expensive hotel in town.

1. It's a very cheap jacket. ................................I've ever bought.
2. It's a very large bedroom. ...............................I've ever slept in.
3. She's a very beautiful girl. ...............................at school.
4. He's a very good player.  ..............................of the team.
5. It's a very beautiful city. ..............................in Norway.

Answer I

1. My girlfriend is taller than me.
2. I'm the youngest  of the family.
3. Can you visit me more often  ?
4. It's the most expensive  house I've ever seen.
5. What is the largest  city in your country?

Answer II

1. It's a very cheap jacket. It's the cheapest jacket I've ever bought.
2. It's a very large bedroom. It's the largest bedroom I've ever slept in.
3. She's a very beautiful girl. She's the most beautiful girl at school.
4. He's a very good player.  He's the best player of the team.
5. It's a very beautiful city. It's the most beautiful city in Norway.