COMPARATIVE AND
SUPERLATIVE
ADJECTIVES
SOME RULES ABOUT FORMING
COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES
• One syllable adjectives generally form the
comparative by adding -er and the superlative
by adding -est, e.g.:
Adjective Comparative Superlative
Soft Softer The softest
Cheap Cheaper The cheapest
Sweet Sweeter The sweetest
Thin Thinner The thinnest
SPELLING RULES
• Note that if a one syllable adjective ends in a
single vowel letter followed by a single consonant
letter, the consonant letter is doubled, e.g.: thin
→ thinner, big → biggest.
• If an adjective ends in -e, this is removed when
adding -er/-est, e.g.: wide → wider/widest.
• If an adjective ends in a consonant followed by -y,
-y is replaced by -i when adding -er/-est, e.g.: dry
→ drier/driest.
TWO SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES
• two syllable adjectives which end in -y usually
form the comparative by adding -er and the
superlative by adding -est, (note the change of -
y to -i in the comparative/superlative) e.g.:
Adjective Comparative superlative
Lucky luckier The luckiest
Pretty Prettier The prettiest
Tidy Tidier The tidiest
TWO SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES
• two syllable adjectives ending in -ed, -
ing, -ful, or -less always form the
comparative with more and the
superlative with the most, e.g.:
Adjective Comparative superlative
Worried More worried The most worried
Boring More boring The most boring
Careful More careful The most careful
Useless More useless The most useless
THREE SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES
• Adjectives which have three or more syllables always form the
comparative and superlative with MORE and THE MOST, e.g.:
Adjective Comparative Superlative
Dangerous More dangerous The most dangerous
Difficult More difficult The most difficult
• The only exceptions are some three syllable adjectives which have
been formed by adding the prefix -un to another adjective,
especially those formed from an adjective ending in -y. These
adjectives can form comparatives and superlatives by using
more/most or adding -er/-est, e.g.:
unhappy – unhappier – the unhappiest/ the most unhappy
IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES
Adjective Comparative Superlative
Good Better The best
Bad Worse The worst
Far Farther/further The
farthest/furthest
USE OF COMPARATIVES
• Comparatives are very commonly followed
by than and a pronoun or noun group, in
order to describe who the other person or
thing involved in the comparison is, e.g.:
• John is taller than me.
• I think that she’s more intelligent than her
sister.
OTHER USES OF
COMPARATIVES
• Comparatives are often qualified by using words and phrases such as much,
a lot, far, a bit/little, slightly etc., e.g.:
You should go by train, it would be much cheaper.
Could you be a bit quieter?
I’m feeling a lot better.
Do you have one that’s slightly bigger?
• Two comparatives can be contrasted by placing the before them, indicating
that a change in one quality is linked to a change in another, e.g.:
The smaller the gift, the easier it is to send.
The more stressed you are, the worse it is for your health.
• Two comparatives can also be linked with and to show a continuing increase
in a particular quality, e.g.:
– The sea was getting rougher and rougher.
– Her illness was becoming worse and worse.
– He became more and more tired as the weeks went by
USE OF SUPERLATIVES
• Like comparatives, superlatives can be placed before nouns in the
attributive position, or occur after be and other link verbs, e.g.:
– the most delicious chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten
– Annabel was the youngest
– This restaurant is the best
• As shown in the second two examples, superlatives are often used
on their own if it is clear what or who is being compared. If you
want to be specific about what you are comparing, you can do this
with a noun, or a phrase beginning with in or of, e.g.:
– Annabel was the youngest child
– Annabel was the youngest of the children
– This restaurant is the best in town.
THE OPPOSITES OF
COMPARATIVE AND
SUPERLATIVES
• we use the forms less (the opposite of
comparative more), and the least (the opposite of
superlative the most).
• Less is used to indicate that something or someone does not have
as much of a particular quality as someone or something else, e.g.:
– This sofa is less comfortable.
– I’ve always been less patient than my sister.
• The least is used to indicate that something or someone has less
of a quality than any other person or thing of its kind, e.g.:
– It’s the least expensive way to travel.
– She was the least intelligent of the three sisters.
