What are comparatives and superlatives?
Comparative adjectives:
We use them to compare one person or thing with another.
Eg:
- Tom is taller than Sue.
- Box B is more expensive than Box A.
Superlative adjectives:
We use them to compare one person or thing with several others.
Eg:
- David is the tallest person in the family.
- Box C is the most expensive box in the shop.
How to form comparative and superlative adjectives:
| Type of Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
| one-syllable adjectives cheap – clean old – richsmall – strong young – tall | We add ‘er’ cheaper – cleaner older – richersmaller – stronger younger – taller | We add ‘est’ cheapest – cleanest oldest – richestsmallest – strongest youngest – tallest |
| Consonant+short vowel+consonant big – hot – wet | Double the consonantadd ‘er’ bigger – hotter – wetter | Double the consonantadd -est biggest- hottest – wettest |
| Ends in -e fine – nice – large | We add -r finer – nicer – larger | We add -st finest- nicest – largest |
| Ends in -y dry – happy | y_i, add -er drier – happier | y_i, add -est driest – happiest |
| two or more syllables expensive – interesting | More more expensivemore interesting | Most most expensivemost interesting |
| irregular adjectives good-bad-far-little | better-worse-further-less | best-worst-furthest-least |
Example Sentences
- Your car is bigger than mine. Kate’s car is the biggest.
- Tom is stronger than Sue. Jack is the strongest.
- The second video is more interesting than the first. The third video is the most interesting video I’ve ever seen.
- I am a better cook than my dad. My mum is the best cook in the family.
Much, a lot, far, a bit, a little
We can strengthen a comparative adjective using much, a lot, far, a bit, a little
Eg:
- This hotel is much better than the other one.
- The hotel is a lot more expensive these days because of the festival.
As … as
We use as+adjective+as to compare people and things.
as+adjective+as = same / equal
not as+adjective+as = not same / not equal
Eg:
- David is as tall as me. (David and I are the same height.)
- David is not as tall as Jack. (Jack is taller than David.)
To learn more with examples watch the video below: