Grammar
Adjectives: comparatives and superlatives
1st Part
Adjectives: comparatives and superlatives
2nd Part
Adjectives : possessive adjectives
Grammar in use
- Topic : Comparatives and superlatives
- Skills : Grammar
What is the comparative ?
The chicken is bigger than the frog.
What is the superlative ?
The cow is the biggest.
Use
We use comparatives and superlatives to compare nouns.
| Comparatives | Superlatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Main Use | To compare 2 things and show the superiority, equality or inferiority of one of them | To compare more than 2 things and speak about extremes (the first, the last…) |
| Superiority | Short Adjectives: (adj. + ‘er’) + than The cat is smaller than the dog. ——————————————— Long Adjectives: more + adj. + than The book is more interesting than the movie. | Short Adjectives: the + (adj. + ‘est’) This is the smallest cookie! ——————————————— Long Adjectives: the most + adj. Pat is the most intelligent in his class. |
| Equality | as + adj. + as Joe is as tall as Lindsey. | Does not exist |
| Inferiority | less + adj. + than The shoes areless expensive than the dress. | the least + adj. The second point is the least important. |
A short adjective is an adjective with one syllable or two syllables ending in –y, -ow, -le, -er.
Examples:
pretty → prettier
narrow → narrower
gentle → gentler
clever → cleverer
If the adjective ends with a single vowel and a consonant, this consonant is doubled for superiority.
Example:
big → bigger
fat → fatter
There are 3 important irregular adjectives:
A few key adverbs or phrases can guide you in the use of the SIMPLE present
| Adjective | Comparative of superiority | Superlative of Superiority |
| good | better | the best |
| bad | worse | the worst |
| far | farther / further | the farthest / the furthest |