Comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs
Comparative: used to compare two things.
Ex. I’m taller than my brother.
Superlative: used to compare one thing with many.
Ex. I’m the tallest in my family.
Adjectives
1 Regular adjectives with one syllable
Adjective Comparative Superlative
tall taller the tallest
large larger the largest
big bigger the biggest
NOTES
A- Adjectives ending in two consonants or two vowels and a consonant, add -er / -
est: long, short, bright, smooth, cool, clean, great.
B- Adjectives ending in -e, add -r / -st: nice, late, safe, strange, rude, wide.
C- Many adjectives ending in a single vowel + single consonant, double the
consonant and add -er / -est: fat, thin, flat, sad, wet
2- Regular adjectives with two or more syllables
Adjective Comparative Superlative
heavy heavier the heaviest
important more important the most important
modern more modern the most modern
common more common / the commonest/ most
commoner common
NOTES
A- Adjectives ending in -y, change y to i and add -er / -est: happy, dirty, funny, tidy,
busy, early, empty, dry.
B- Most longer adjectives use more and the most: comfortable, independent,
insignificant, uninteresting
C- Some two-syllable adjectives can form their comparatives and superlatives in two
ways ; by adding -er/ -est or with more and most: clever, pleasant, gentle, narrow,
shallow, simple, tired.
3- Irregular Adjectives
Adjective Comparative Superlative
good better the best
bad worse the worst
old * elder / older *the eldest / the oldest
far further / farther the furthest / the
farthest
4 Comparative and superlative adjectives in context
A- more / -er + than: Ex. I'm taller than my brother.
My brother's more serious than me.
I'm more intelligent than he is / him.
NOTES: If the pronoun after than is not followed by a verb, use the object pronoun
form - me, him, us, them, etc.
If the pronoun after than is followed by a verb, use the subject pronoun form - I, he,
we, they, etc.
B- the most/-est: Ex. I'm the tallest student in the class.
My sister's the most intelligent student in her
school.
C- less+than/the least:
Ex. That film was less interesting than the last one I saw.
It was the least interesting film I've seen all year.
5 Qualifying comparative adjectives
• Use these words and phrases to refer to big differences: far, a lot,
much, considerably, not nearly as ... as.
Ex. Cars are considerably faster and far more comfortable than
bicycles.
• Use these words and phrases to refer to small differences: a bit, a
little, slightly.
Ex. The weather's a bit hotter than it was yesterday.
• Use these words and phrases to refer to no differences: just, no. It's no
warmer than it was yesterday.
Ex. It's just as cold today as it was yesterday.
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Adverbs
1- Regular and irregular adverbs
A The majority of comparative and superlative adverbs are formed like
this:
Adverb Comparative Superlative
slowly more slowly the most slowly
B Irregular adverbs are formed like this:
Adverb Comparative Superlative
well better the best
badly worse the worst
little less the least
much more the most
C Adverbs which are the same as adjectives:
Adverb Comparative Superlative
fast faster the fastest
hard harder the hardest
Other adverbs of this kind include: far, long, loud, straight.
2 The + comparative + the
This construction links two actions or situations - when one thing
happens, another thing follows . A comparative expression in the first
clause is balanced by a comparative expression in the second clause.
Several grammatical patterns are possible here:
● adjective ... adjective
The harder a job is, the more rewarding I find it.
● adverb ... adverb
The sooner we start, the quicker we'll finish.
● adjective ... adverb, or adverb ... adjective
The easier a job is, the more quickly I do it.
● more (+ noun) ... more (+ noun)
The more money Jack earned, the more clothes he bought.
● less(+ clause) ... less (+ uncountable noun)/ fewer (+plural countable
noun)
The less Bob earned, the less food / the fewer holidays he
could afford.
● more (+ clause) ... less (+clause)
The more you sleep, the less you do.
NOTES
A Neither of the two clauses in the + comparative + the sentences
makes sense without the other.
B In writing, a comma is used to separate the two clauses.
C Both clauses need a verb.
D In some expressions with better, no verbs are needed.
Jim: When shall I come round to see you?
Tim: The sooner, the better.
Other comparative constructions
1 as ... as
This construction can be used with adjectives or adverbs to make comparisons
between two things or people.
I'm as tall as my brother.
Trains don't travel as fast as planes.
In negative sentences so can be used instead of the first as.
Cats aren't so friendly as dogs.
2 Comparative + and + comparative
This construction can be used with adjectives or adverbs to refer to a trend.
Towards the end of the film, I became more and more frightened.
As the exams approached, I worked harder and harder .
Over the last twenty years, televisions have become less and less expensive.
3 Extreme adjectives
Ordinary Extreme
cold freezing
angry furious
hungry starving
Most adjectives can be used with very or really and in the comparative form with
even for emphasis.
Ex. Yesterday was very/ really cold, but today is even colder.
➢ NOTE
really is more informal than very.
Extreme adjectives cannot be preceded by very or in the
comparative by even. If you want to emphasise them, you
must use absolutely or really.
I was absolutely / really furious.
➢ NOTE
You cannot use absolutely with ordinary adjectives.
Today is absolutely cold. Today is absolutely freezing.
PRACTICE
1- Complete these sentences with the comparative or superlative form of an
appropriate adjective or adverb from this list. You can use one of the words
twice.
bad carefully clearly clever expensive fat
good heavy high superstitious
a- She's the most superstitious person I've ever met. This morning, on the way
to college, she refused to walk under a ladder.
b- My suitcase is heavier than yours. I can hardly lift mine.
c- That's the most expensive car we've looked at so far. We couldn't possibly
afford to buy it.
d- I can see much more clearly now that I've cleaned my glasses.
e- I'm fatter than I was this time last year - must go on a diet.
f- Women drive more carefully than men - that's why they have fewer
accidents.
g- There's no doubt that she's the cleverest student in the class. She always gets
the highest marks in tests.
h- He's a brilliant maths teacher. He explains things much more clearly than any
teacher I've ever had.
i- I hope the weather doesn't get worse. We're going on holiday on Saturday.
j- That was the best film I've seen in a long time - I thought it was even better
than this year's Oscar winner.
