Сегодня мы познакомим вас с молодой семьей — Иваном и Мэри. Они получили наследство от бабушек и дедушек, общей суммой в миллион долларов. И сейчас ломают голову над тем, где им купить квартиру — в Майами, на берегу океана, или в Нью-Йорке, на Манхеттене.
Муки выбора неизбежно сопровождаются необходимостью использовать степени сравнения прилагательных, в английском, в русском или любом другом языке.
Что такое прилагательные? Это те слова, которые используются для описания качеств, свойств и состояний кого-то или чего-то:
The apartment is expensive — Квартира дорогая
Expensive (дорогая) — это прилагательное. Если нам понадобится соотнести стоимость этой квартиры со стоимостью другой квартиры, или вообще всех квартир в данном регионе, нужно будет использовать степени сравнения.
Вообще есть три степени сравнения в английском: положительная, сравнительная, и превосходная. Сравнительная степень позволяет сопоставлять объекты между собой, в то время, как превосходная степень используется для выделения одного объекта из всех остальных в группе (самый дорогой дом в городе, самый плохой климат в стране).
Положительная степень — это как бы нулевая отметка. В рамках этой степени мы не сравниваем объекты или, если сравниваем, то они равны по свойствам.
Примеры использования прилагательных в положительной степени:
This luxurious apartment is in Miami Beach — Эта роскошная квартира находится в Майами-Бич
(в этом примере нет сравнения)
This apartment is as big as that one — Эта квартира такая же большая, как та
(в данном примере сравнение есть, но свойства равны)
Правила образования сравнительных степеней для односложных прилагательных
Таких, как hot, cold, smart, sad и т.д.
Иван и Мэри листают рекламные проспекты и обсуждают плюсы и минусы жизни в Нью-Йорке и в Майами:
I:
— The winter is cold in New-York
— В Нью-Йорке зима холодная
M:
— The winter in New-York is colder than in the south
— Зима в Нью-Йорке холоднее, чем на юге
I:
— The warmest winter is in Miami
— Самая теплая зима в Майами
Давайте найдем в их диалоге прилагательные. Нашли? Правильно, cold и warm. Заметьте, что они короткие, в них всего по одному слогу.
Посмотрите на русский перевод. Видите, было «холодная», стало «холоднее». Что изменилось? Изменилось окончание. В английском тоже меняется окончание, к cold добавляется er, и получается colder — холоднее. В превосходной степени в русском добавилось слово «самая», а слово «холодная» осталось без изменений. В английском же опять добавляется окончание, на этот раз est, и получается «самая холодная» — coldest.
Образование степеней сравнения прилагательных в английском:
Превосходная степень в английском языке кроме окончания est отличается еще и тем, что перед прилагательным ставится определенный артикль the:
— The warmest winter is in Miami
— Самая теплая зима — в Майами
- Если прилагательное в положительной степени оканчивается на -e, в сравнительной и превосходной степени добавляются только r и st. К примеру, для слова «large» сравнительная и превосходная степени — larger и largest, для nice — nicer и nicest.
I:
— People are nice in New York
— В Нью-Йорке люди приятные
M:
— But in Miami they are nicer
— Но в Майами они приятнее
M:
— The nicest people live in Miami
— Самые приятные люди живут в Майами - Когда последние буквы прилагательного — одна гласная и одна согласная, как, например, в слове hot, последняя согласная удваивается: hot — hotter — hottest
M:
— The summer in Miami is hotter
— Лето в Майами жарче— The hottest summer is in Miami
— Самое жаркое лето — в Майами
Но английский на то и английский — сравнительная и превосходная степень некоторых односложных прилагательных образуется «неправильно». Вот слова-исключения:
* Elder ставится только перед существительным и используется только в описании возраста людей, особенно в семейных взаимоотношениях. Если кто-то в семье «elder», значит, он был рожден раньше всех:
He is my elder brother (Он мой старший брат)
Older более универсально, может использоваться как для описания возраста людей, так и для того, чтобы описывать предметы и явления.
My brother is older than me — (Мой брат старше меня)
New York is older than Miami — (Нью-Йорк старее, чем Майами)
Правила для двусложных прилагательных
Таких, как easy, happy, lazy, clever, quiet и т.д.
- Если прилагательное в положительной степени оканчивается на -y, а перед y стоит согласная буква, то y меняется на i. Например, для слова easy сравнительная и превосходная степень, соответственно, easier (проще) и easiest (самый простой), а в слове happy — happier и happiest.
I:
— If you live in Manhattan, you’re happy
— Если ты живешь на Манхеттене, ты счастлив
M:
— If you live by the ocean, you’re happier
— Если ты живешь возле океана, ты счастливее
M:
— The happiest people live by the ocean
— Самые счастливые люди живут возле океана - Если конечной y предшествует гласная, то y остается:
M:
— The sky is grey in New York
— Небо в Нью-Йорке серое
M:
— It’s greyer than in Miami
— Оно более серое, чем в Майами
I:
— Thy sky in New York is grey, but not the greyest
— Небо в Нью-Йорке серое, но не самое серое
Некоторые другие двусложные прилагательные, особенно те, которые заканчиваются на безударный слог, тоже образуют сравнительные степени с помощью -er и -est:
Clever — cleverer — cleverest
Quiet — quieter — quietest
I:
— Oh! This room is narrower than the other room
— О! Эта комната уже, чем другая
M:
— Yeah, but it’s the quietest one
— Да, но она самая тихая
Наверное, вы заметили, что при противопоставлении часто используется «than» (чем). Это слово нужно, если в предложении упоминается второй человек или вещь, с которым/которой сравнивается первый человек или вещь. Если вместо того, чтобы называть человека, используется местоимение, то оно будет объектным: me, you, him, her, us, them:
M:
— The Simpsons have an apartment with an ocean view. They are richer than us.
— У Симпсонов квартира с видом на океан. Они богаче, чем мы.
В более формальных ситуациях, вместо конструкции «than + объектное местоимение», можно использовать такую:
Than + личное местоимение + глагол:
I:
— The Simpsons were always richer than we were
— Симпсоны всегда были богаче, чем мы
Правила формирования сравнительных степеней для длинных прилагательных
Большинство двусложных прилагательных и абсолютно все более длинные образуют сравнительную степень с помощью слова more, а превосходную с помощью most:
Romantic — more romantic — the most romantic
Романтичный — более романтичный — самый романтичный
Мэри, будучи романтичной особой, мечтает жить возле океана.
M:
— Living by the ocean is romantic…
— Жить у океана романтично…
M:
— It’s more romantic, than living in New York
— Это более романтично, чем жить в Нью-Йорке
M:
— The most romantic thing is to wake up and see the ocean.
— Самое романтичное — это просыпаться и видеть океан
I:
— But the apartment with an ocean view is more expensive!
— Но квартира с видом на океан дороже!
I:
— It’s the most expensive!
— Она самая дорогая!
More и most — это аналоги русских слов «более» и «самый», они ставятся перед прилагательными. Если речь идет о сравнении в меньшую сторону, то вместо more/most используются less/least:
Ivan is less romantic than Mary — Иван менее романтичен, чем Мэри
M:
— This apartment is less comfortable and the least beautiful
— Эта квартира менее комфортная и наименее красивая
В русском можно сказать двумя способами: зеленее/более зеленый, дороже/более дорогой. Похоже ведет себя и английский: степени сравнения прилагательных иногда могут образовываться обоими способами, но это возможно только со следующими словами:
angry — злой
clever — умный
cruel — жестокий
friendly — дружелюбный
narrow — узкий
pleasant — приятный
polite — вежливый
quiet — тихий
simple — простой
Возможны варианты:
— The neighbors are angrier in New York
— In New-York the neighbors are more angry
— Соседи в Нью-Йорке злее/более злые
Что же стало с нашей парочкой? Иван уступил просьбам Мэри, и молодожены теперь являются счастливыми обладателями квартиры в Майами-Бич с потрясающим видом на Атлантический океан. Предоставим им слово:
M:
— I’m so happy! It’s the happiest day of my life!
— Я так счастлива! Это самый счастливый день моей жизни!
I:
(doesn’t say anything and kisses his wife)
(молча целует жену)
Comparatives and superlatives are special types of adjectives used when comparing two or more things. The trickiest thing when using comparatives and superlatives is making sure we are writing them the correct way, but with a little practice, comparatives and superlatives can quickly be mastered.
In this post we’ll review what comparatives and superlatives are, the rules for how to form these adjectives the correct way, and how to use them effectively in a sentence.
After reviewing the information below, test yourself with a post-assessment quiz and practice with our high quality, standards-aligned questions here.
The Basics of Comparatives and Superlatives
What is a Comparative?
Comparative Adjectives are words used to describe a noun by comparing it to another noun. We usually think of ‘er’ words like bigger or smaller, but they can be a little trickier than that.
The way we form comparative adjectives is based on the number of syllables in the adjective and whether or not the adjective ends with the letter ‘y’.
What is a Superlative?
Superlative Adjectives are words used to describe a noun when comparing it to two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree. Think: big, bigger, biggest, or small, smaller, smallest.
Like with comparative adjectives, it’s not always as simple as adding ‘est’. The number of syllables and whether or not the adjective ends with the letter ‘y’ also help us determine how to form a superlative adjective.
One Syllable Adjectives
Let’s look at a chart showing the comparative and superlative forms of the word for the most basic one syllable adjectives, where we add ‘er’ for the comparative and ‘est’ for the superlative. *Note: when the adjective follows the CVC, or consonant, vowel, consonant spelling, the final consonant is doubled.
|
ADJECTIVE |
COMPARATIVE |
SUPERLATIVE |
|
Big |
Bigger |
Biggest |
|
Tall |
Taller |
Tallest |
|
Small |
Smaller |
Smallest |
|
Hot |
Hotter |
Hottest |
Comparative Adjectives:
- I am faster than my friend.
- Arizona is hotter than Alaska.
Superlative Adjectives:
- She is the tallest student.
- That was the shortest movie in the series.
Notice the other words around the comparative and superlative adjectives. Most comparatives are followed by ‘than’, and most superlatives follow the word ‘the’.
Two Syllable Adjectives
Now let’s look at a chart showing the comparative and superlative forms of the word for adjectives with two syllables. Comparative adjectives with two syllables can be formed by making the ‘er’ ending or by adding the words ‘more’ or ‘less’ before the adjective.
For superlative adjectives, you make the ‘est’ ending but use the word ‘most’ or ‘least’ instead of ‘more’ or ‘less’.
|
ADJECTIVE |
COMPARATIVE |
SUPERLATIVE |
|
Happy |
Happier |
Happiest |
|
Crazy |
Crazier |
Craziest |
|
Nervous |
More/Less Nervous |
Most/Least Nervous |
|
Massive |
More/Less Massive |
Most/Least Massive |
|
Quiet |
Quieter or More/Less Quiet |
Quietest or Most/Least Quiet |
*Note: In many cases, either form of the comparative or superlative can be used, but there is generally a ‘most common’ usage. Additionally, the adjective does not need to end in ‘y’ in order to use the ‘er’ or ‘est’ usage, as the last example in the table shows. Your ear will often be able to recognize what sounds best.
Comparative Adjectives:
- She tends to be less passive than her brother.
- This quiz is simpler than the last one.
Superlative Adjectives:
- Fall is the busiest shopping season.
- This is the most rapid method of delivery.
Notice again how the comparative adjectives are followed by ‘than’, and superlative adjectives follow the word ‘the’.
Three or More Syllable Adjectives
The chart below shows the comparative and superlative forms of the word for adjectives that are three or more syllables long. In these cases, we always add ‘more’ or ‘less’ before a comparative adjective and ‘most’ or ‘least’ before a superlative adjective.
|
ADJECTIVE |
COMPARATIVE |
SUPERLATIVE |
|
Mysterious |
More/Less Mysterious |
Most/Least Mysterious |
|
Complicated |
More/Less Complicated |
Most/Least Complicated |
|
Wonderful |
More/Less Wonderful |
Most/Least Wonderful |
Comparative Adjectives:
- I tend to be more reluctant than my friends when trying new things.
- The noise at the pool was less bothersome than the noise on the beach.
Superlative Adjectives:
- Her second compilation was the most exceptional of them all.
- Those were the least comfortable couches I have ever sat on.
Irregular Adjectives
When using comparative and superlative adjectives, it is important to note that there are a handful of irregular adjectives that don’t follow the rules above. The chart below shows these irregular adjectives along with their comparative and superlative forms.
|
ADJECTIVE |
COMPARATIVE |
SUPERLATIVE |
|
Good |
Better |
Best |
|
Bad or Ill |
Worse |
Worst |
|
Little (Amount) |
Less |
Least |
|
Far (Distance) |
Farther |
Farthest |
|
Far (Extent) |
Further |
Furthest |
|
Many or Much |
More |
Most |
Comparative Adjectives:
- I did better than the rest of my class on the final.
- She ran farther in this race than she did in the last one.
Superlative Adjectives:
- That was the best birthday present ever!
- I bought the least expensive souvenir that I could find.
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2 Tips for Recognizing and Using Comparative & Superlative Adjectives
Tip #1: Rearrange your sentence to use different forms of the adjective
We can use different forms of the adjective if we adjust our sentence to fit the adjective.
Here are some examples we used for one syllable adjectives:
Comparative Example:
- I ran faster than my friend.
Now, let’s rearrange the sentence in a way that allows us to use the superlative form of the adjective.
- Between my friend and I, I ran the fastest.
Here, the comparison is still being made between two people; however, when we limit the nouns that we are comparing, we can use the superlative form of the adjective. Notice this sentence follows the other superlative characteristic of using the word ‘the’ before the adjective.
Superlative Example:
- That was the shortest movie in the series.
Now, let’s rearrange the sentence in a way that allows us to use the comparative form of the adjective.
- That was shorter than any other movie in the series.
Here, the comparison is still being made to two or more movies, and we are still describing it to the lowest degree. By adding ‘any other’ before ‘movie in the series’, we can use the comparative form of the adjective. Notice that this sentence also now follows the other comparative characteristic of using the word ‘than’ after the adjective.
Tip #2: Remember your spelling rules before making the comparative or superlative form of the adjective
Any time we change the ending of a word, we need to take into account how the word is normally spelled.
If the adjective already ends with an ‘e’, only add ‘r’ for the comparative and ‘st’ for the superlative.
- Wide becomes Wider or Widest.
- Brave becomes Braver or Bravest.
If the adjective ends with a consonant + short vowel + consonant (CVC), we typically double the last consonant.
- Big becomes Bigger or Biggest.
- Hot becomes Hotter or Hottest.
If the adjective ends with a ‘y’, we change the ‘y’ to and ‘i’.
- Early becomes Earlier or Earliest.
- Silly becomes Sillier or Silliest.
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Applying the Basics: Comparative and Superlative Adjective Review & Practice
Now that you understand what comparatives and superlatives are, and how to use them properly in a sentence, let’s practice identifying them and checking for proper usage.
Remember, comparative adjectives describe a noun by comparing it to another noun. Superlative adjectives describe a noun by comparing it to two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree.
Comparative Adjectives Exercises & Review
Complete the quick exercise below to assess your mastery of comparative adjectives.
In the sentences below, select the option that accurately shows the comparative form of the adjective. Remember, a comparative adjective describes a noun by comparing it to another noun.
1. Lucas is (oldest/older) than Lily.
- older
2. Alaska is (colder/more cold) than Florida.
- colder
3. I am (more worried/worrieder) about this exam than the last one.
- more worried
4. This map is (more confusing/most confusing) than my calculus homework.
- more confusing
5. I ran (further/farther) than my best friend did yesterday.
- Farther
Superlative Adjectives Exercises & Review
Complete the quick exercise below to assess your mastery of superlative adjectives.
In the sentences below, select the option that accurately shows the superlative form of the adjective. Remember, a superlative adjective describes a noun by comparing it to two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree.
1. Playing games with your family is the (funner/funnest) way to pass the time when you’re cooped up at home.
- funnest
2. My brother is the (most annoying/annoyingest) person to have around when looking for peace and quiet.
- most annoying
3. As soon as possible, we hope to go to the (beautifulest/most beautiful) tropical island.
- most beautiful
4. Reading a good book is the (most leisurely/more leisurely) way to relax.
- most leisurely
5. Multitasking is the (less efficient/least efficient) method of productivity.
- least efficient
Comparative & Superlative Exercises
Use your knowledge of both comparative and superlative adjectives in the exercise below.
Identify the comparative and superlative adjectives in the sentences below. There may be more than one in a sentence. Make sure you specify which are comparative and which are superlative.
1. I worked on the least complicated homework before starting the more challenging work.
- Comparative: more challenging
- Superlative: least complicated
2. She is taller than the other girls in her class, but she is not the tallest student in the class.
- Comparative: taller
- Superlative: tallest
3. I find direct instruction to be the most straightforward way learning new material.
- Superlative: most straightforward
4. I believe the most obvious answer is correct more often than not.
- Comparative: more often
- Superlative: most obvious
5. Finishing first in the finals was the most fulfilling accomplishment after a sectional performance that was harder than she expected.
- Comparative: harder
- Superlative: most fulfilling
For additional practice, check out the Comparative and Superlative content on Albert.
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Try for Yourself: Comparative and Superlative Adjectives Quiz
Feeling confident in your understanding of comparative and superlative adjectives?
Take this short quiz to see what you’ve learned:
1. Do comparative or superlative adjectives show the highest degree of a quality?
- Answer: Superlative Adjectives
- Correct Explanation: That’s right! Superlative adjectives describe a noun by comparing it to two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree. Comparative adjectives describe a noun by comparing it to another noun.
- Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right. Remember, comparative adjectives describe a noun by comparing it to another noun. Superlative adjectives describe a noun by comparing it to two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree.
2. Do comparative or superlative adjectives sometimes use the additional modifier ‘more’?
- Answer: Comparative Adjectives
- Correct Explanation: That’s right! Since comparative adjectives do not describe a noun by comparing it to two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree, they can use modifiers such as ‘more’.
- Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right. Remember, superlative adjectives describe a noun by comparing it to two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree, so they would use modifiers such as ‘most’ or ‘least’. Comparative adjectives do not describe a noun by comparing it to two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree, they can use modifiers such as ‘more’.
3. Does the following sentence use a comparative or superlative adjective?
People from Chicago often agree that deep dish pizza is better than thin crust pizza.
- Answer: Comparative Adjective
- Correct Explanation: That’s right! In this sentence, deep dish pizza is being compared to thin crust pizza. The word ‘better’ is a comparative adjective since it is comparing one type of pizza to another.
- Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right. Remember, superlative adjectives describe a noun by comparing it to two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree. In this sentence, deep dish pizza is being compared to thin crust pizza. The word ‘better’ is a comparative adjective since it is comparing one type of pizza to another.
4. Is the underlined section of the sentence below a comparative or superlative adjective?
The tree in front of my house is the tallest tree in the neighborhood.
- Answer: Superlative Adjective
- Correct Explanation: That’s right! Superlative adjectives describe a noun by comparing it to two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree. The word ‘tallest’ describes the tree to the highest degree compared to the other trees in the neighborhood.
- Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right. Remember, Remember, comparative adjectives describe a noun by comparing it to another noun. Superlative adjectives describe a noun by comparing it to two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree. The word ‘tallest’ describes the tree to the highest degree compared to the other trees in the neighborhood.
5. Which of the following sentences correctly uses a comparative adjective?
A. I thought your portion was the biggest than mine.
B. I thought your portion was bigger than mine.
- Answer: B
- Correct Explanation: That’s right! Comparative adjectives usually end with the letters ‘er’ because they are describing a comparison with one other noun.
- Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right. Superlative adjectives usually end with the letters ‘est’ because they are describing a comparison with two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree. Additionally, superlative adjectives are not typically followed by the word ‘than’. Comparative adjectives usually end with the letters ‘er’ because they are describing a comparison with one other noun.
6. Which of the following sentences correctly uses a superlative adjective?
A. That was the least memorable movie I’ve seen in a long time.
B. That was the less memorable movie I’ve seen in a long time.
- Answer: A
- Correct Explanation: That’s right! Superlative adjectives with three syllables use the words ‘least’ or ‘most’ because they are describing a comparison with two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree.
- Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right. Comparative adjectives with three syllables use the words ‘more’ or ‘less’ because they are describing a comparison with one other noun. Superlative adjectives with three syllables use the words ‘least’ or ‘most’ because they are describing a comparison with two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree.
For additional practice with comparative and superlative adjectives, check out our practice on Albert.io: Comparatives and Superlatives.
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Teacher’s Corner for Comparatives and Superlatives
While it’s true that comparative and superlative adjectives are a foundational grammar skill, the Common Core English Language Progressive Skills Chart shows that even elementary-level skills “require continued attention in higher grades as they are applied to increasingly sophisticated writing and speaking.”
For specific standards addressing comparative and superlative adjectives, check out the Common Core State Standards site!
Albert’s Comparative and Superlative practice can be used for much more than homework!
Our assessments can be used as pre-and post-tests to measure student progress. Our pre-made quizzes can be used as bell-ringers, exit tickets, and more!
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Summary on Comparative Adjectives and Superlative Adjectives
A Comparative Adjective is a word that describes a noun by comparing it to another noun. Comparative adjectives typically end in ‘er’ and are followed by the word ‘than’.
A Superlative Adjective is a word that describes a noun by comparing it to two or more nouns to the highest or lowest degree. Superlative adjectives typically end in ‘est’ and are preceded by the word ‘the’.
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives are words we often see and use in our writing. Make sure you are structuring your comparative and superlative adjectives appropriately for the number of syllables in the adjective.
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Forming comparative adjectives
As well as serving as modifying words like beautiful and big, adjectives are also used for indicating the position on a scale of comparison. The lowest point on the scale is known as the absolute form, the middle point is known as the comparative form, and the highest point is known as the superlative form. Here are some examples:
| Absolute | Comparative | Superlative |
| This book is long. | This book is longer than that book. | This is the longestbook. |
| The airport is far. | The airport is farther than the train station. | This is the farthestairport. |
| My mom is a goodcook. | My mom is a better cook than your mom. | My mom is the bestcook. |
The comparative form
When two objects or persons are being compared, the comparative form of the adjective is used. The comparative adjective can be formed in two ways:
- Adding –er to the absolute form of the adjective.
- Adding the word more before the adjective.
For example:
- My essay is longer than yours.
- She is more beautiful than her sister.
Here are the rules for choosing and forming the right form:
| Add | When | Example | Forming and Exceptions |
| –er | Words of one syllable | This is a longer book. | · Words ending with ‘e‘, add ‘r‘ to the end of the word (e.g., lame → lamer).
· Words with one vowel and one consonant at the end, double the consonant and add –er to the end of the word (e.g., big → bigger). · Words with more than one vowel or more than one consonant at the end, add –er to the end of the word (e.g., hard → harder). |
| –er | Words of two syllables ending with ‘y‘ | This doll is prettier. | Change ‘y‘ to ‘i‘, and add –er to the end of the word. |
| more | Words of two syllables not ending with ‘y‘ | He is more charming than his friend. | Insert more before the adjective |
| more | Three syllable words or longer | This is a more powerful cable. | Insert more before the adjective |
When comparing two things, the word than is positioned between the adjective and the thing being compared. For example:
- Apples are tastier than
- This painting is more interesting than that painting.
Superlatives
The superlative is used to say what thing or person has the most of a particular quality within a group or of its kind. The superlative can be formed in two ways:
- Adding –est to the absolute form of the adjective.
- Adding the word most before the adjective.
For example:
- This is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen.
- The biggest table in the room.
Here are the rules for choosing and forming the right form:
| Add | When | Example | Forming and Exceptions |
| –est | Words of one syllable | This is the longest book. | · Words ending with ‘e‘, add ‘st‘ to the end of the word (e.g., large → largest).
· Words with one vowel and one consonant at the end, double the consonant and add –est to the end of the word (e.g., big → biggest). · Words with more than one vowel or more than one consonant at the end, add –est to the end of the word (e.g., blue → bluest). |
| –est | Words of two syllables ending with ‘y‘ | This doll is the prettiest. | Change ‘y‘ to ‘i‘, and add –est to the end of the word. |
| most | Words of two syllables not ending with ‘y‘ | He is the most charming boy at school. | Insert most before the adjective |
| most | Three syllable words or longer | This is the most powerful story. | Insert most before the adjective |
Superlatives are usually preceded by the word the.
Positive form
The positive form is used in cases where there are no differences between the two compared things or persons. To form the positive, we use the word as before and after the absolute form of the adjective. For example:
- Danny is as smart as
- She is as beautiful as her older sister.
This can also be applied in a negative context to indicate that the compared objects are not similar:
- Danny is not as smart as
- She is not as beautiful as her older sister.
Exceptions (irregular forms)
Certain adjectives have irregular forms in the comparative and superlative degrees:
| Absolute | Comparative | Superlative |
| Good | Better | Best |
| Bad | Worse | Worst |
| Little | Less | Least |
| Much/many/some | More | Most |
Examples of comparing adjectives
- This house is bigger than that one.
- This flower is more beautiful than that.
- He is taller than Mr. Hulas.
- He is more intelligent than this boy.
- Jonathan is the most handsome man on campus.
- This is the prettiest dress in the window.
- I lost my most comfortable
- My job is worse than yours.
Definition of comparatives, and how to form them. Includes a useful list of 100 common comparatives, and example sentences that show how they’re used.
What is a comparative?
The comparative forms of adjectives and adverbs are used when you want to compare two things in order to show the difference between them.
Let’s have a quick look at a simple example of comparatives in action. In this case, the comparatives more expensive, and cheaper:
—> Online Course A is $97, and Online Course B is $47.
—> So, Online Course A is more expensive than Online Course B.
—> And Online Course B is cheaper than Online Course A.
Note: When we’re comparing more than two things we use superlatives, and you can see an explanation and examples of those here if you want to go on to check those out too.
How to form the comparative
We use ‘than’ when comparing one thing with another.
- I’m taller than you.
- He’s shorter than me.
- My son is more musical than my daughter.
Words with one syllable
Generally, the regular comparative is formed by adding ‘-er’ to short (one syllable) words
For example:
-
dark- darker
She has darker hair than her sister. -
fast – faster
My car is faster than yours. - long – longer
- slow – slower
- smart — smarter
- quick – quicker
But for one syllable words that end in a vowel and a consonant, we double the consonant and add ‘-er’
For example:
-
big – bigger
Sweden is bigger than Finland. -
fat – fatter
I’m fatter than my sister. -
hot – hotter
It’s usually a lot hotter in Spain than in the UK. -
thin – thinner
You’re looking much thinner than when we last met!
Words with two syllables
To form the comparative with most two syllable words we add ‘more’
For example:
- boring — more boring
- careful — more careful
Some two syllable words can have ‘-er’ and ‘more’
-
funny – funnier – more funny
He’s a lot funnier than you.
He’s more funny than you. - simple — simpler — more simple
- healthy — healthier — more healthy
- quiet — quieter — more quiet
Words with three syllables
For three or more syllable words we must use ‘more’
-
more musical
Are some people naturally more musical than others? -
more efficient
We need to make our filing system more efficient. -
more important
There’s nothing more important to me than my family. -
more difficult
This year’s English exam was a lot more difficult than last year’s. -
more interesting
I think older people are more interesting.
Words that end in ‘y’
For words that end in ‘y’, change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘-er’ to form the comparative:
-
healthy — healthier
Apples are healthier than cakes. - funny — funnier
- happy – happier
- angry – angrier
And for words that end in ‘-e’
we just add ‘r’
-
safe — safer
She’s a much safer driver than her husband.
Irregular Comparatives
Irregular adjectives and adverbs don’t make the comparative using either -er / -est or more / most.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a pattern or system for these, so we have to remember each one. Fortunately, there aren’t many 😊
Adjectives:
- bad – worse
- good — better
- little — less
- many — more
- much — more
- some — more
Adverbs:
- badly — worse
- little — less
- far — farther/further
- well — better
100 English comparatives
Now that we’ve looked at how to form the comparative, here’s a list of 100 frequently-used examples that shows how each one is formed:
- angry — angrier
- good — better
- big — bigger
- blue — bluer
- brave — braver
- busy — busier
- clever — cleverer
- clever — more clever
- cold — colder
- dry — drier
- easy- easier
- fast — faster
- fat — fatter
- funny — funnier
- gentle — gentler
- happy — happier
- healthy — healthier
- high — higher
- hot — hotter
- kind — kinder
- large — larger
- late — later
- long — longer
- loud — louder
- lucky — luckier
- mean — meaner
- nice — nicer
- old — older
- pretty — prettier
- quick — quicker
- quiet — quieter
- rich — richer
- sad — sadder
- safe — safer
- short — shorter
- simple — simpler
- simple — more simple
- small — smaller
- smart — smarter
- strange — stranger
- strong — stronger
- tall — taller
- thin — thinner
- weak — weaker
- weird — weirder
- wet — wetter
- wise — wiser
- bad — worse
- young — younger
- admirable — more admirable
- athletic — more athletic
- attractive — more attractive
- amusing — more amusing
- awesome — more awesome
- beautiful — more beautiful
- boring — more boring
- careful — more careful
- caring — more caring
- charming — more charming
- clever — more clever
- comfortable — more comfortable
- complicated — more complicated
- crowded — more crowded
- daring — more daring
- dependable — more dependable
- difficult — more difficult
- economical — more economical
- efficient — more efficient
- embarrassing — more embarrassing
- exciting — more exciting
- expensive — more expensive
- extraordinary — more extraordinary
- extroverted — more extroverted
- famous — more famous
- forgetful — more forgetful
- fragrant — more fragrant
- funny — more funny
- generous — more generous
- gentle — more gentle
- graceful — more graceful
- grateful — more grateful
- important — more important
- inspirational — more inspirational
- intelligent — more intelligent
- interesting — more interesting
- introverted — more introverted
- irritating — more irritating
- modern — more modern
- musical — more musical
- organized — more organized
- original — more original
- peaceful — more peaceful
- photogenic — more photogenic
- pleasant — more pleasant
- popular — more popular
- talented — more talented
- talkative — more talkative
- thoughtful — more thoughtful
- trustworthy — more trustworthy
- valuable — more valuable
Definition of Comparatives
Every day, people compare things, places, and people. They compare things and objects using specific words such as than, more, or less, etc. This comparison is called “comparative form.” In grammar, a comparative is an adjective or adverb form used to make a comparison between two nouns, such as people, places, or things, to describe actions (verbs), or the words describing verbs (other adverbs).
For instance, in the excerpt ” ‘Take some more tea,’ the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly. ‘I’ve had nothing yet,’ Alice replied in an offended tone, ‘so I can’t take more.’ ‘You mean you can’t take less,’ said the Hatter: ‘it’s very easy to take more than nothing.’ ” (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll) See that all underlined words in the above lines are comparatives.
Characteristics of Comparatives
- One Syllable Comparatives/Adjectives
One syllable comparatives are made by adding “-er” to the base form of the adjective, or one-syllable adverb. For instance:- This dress is brighter than that dress.
- They may reach higher than us.
- Two Syllables Comparatives/Adjectives
Two syllables comparatives/adjectives are made by replacing “-y” with “-ier,” if the base form of a two-syllable comparative ends in”-y.” For instance:- She is funnier than you.
- Two, three, or more Syllables Comparatives/Adjectives
These comparatives are made by adding “more” or “less” before three-syllable adjectives, or adverbs ending in “-ly.” For instance:- This book is more expensive than that book.
- He plays more beautifully now that he is grown.
Common Use of Comparatives
- This house is better than that one.
- They are looking happier
- Today the shops are more crowded than yesterday.
- English lessons are more enjoyable than mathematics lessons.
- She is taller than her sister.
Examples of Comparatives in Literature
Example #1: Right Ho, Jeeves (By P.G. Wodehouse)
“He had been looking like a dead fish. He now looked like a deader fish, one of last year’s, cast up on some lonely beach and left there at the mercy of the wind and tides.”
In this example, the comparative is shown underlined as “deader.” This presents a single syllable adjective or comparative, to which “-er” has been added at the end.
Example #2: I’ll Mature When I’m Dead (by Dave Barry)
“[W]e did learn some important life lessons from sports. I learned, for example, that even though I was not as big, or fast, or strong, or coordinated as the other kids, if I worked really hard–if I gave 100 percent and never quit–I would still be smaller, slower, weaker, and less coordinated than the other kids.”
This is another good instance of single syllable and two or more syllable comparatives. The single syllable adjectives are “small,” “slow,” and “weak.” The example of a two or more syllable comparative is “less coordinated.”
Example #3: Lost Worlds (by Michael Bywater)
“Keg beer … poured at random, got everywhere, and always ran out. But in its benign gleam, the music sounded better, the lights were softer, the girls more beautiful and potentially yielding, oneself manlier, one’s friends friendlier, the night darker, the stars brighter, the moon fuller, the air warmer, the hour later, the future brighter, the present aching with that particular adolescent promise which does not need to be fulfilled to make it miraculous.”
This excerpt presents an excellent example of all types of comparatives, the single-syllable comparatives include “better,” “softer,” “darker,” “brighter,” “fuller,” “warmer,” and “later.” The two-syllable comparatives are “manlier” and “friendlier. Two or more than two syllables comparative include “more beautiful.”
Example #4: The Sacred and Profane Love Machine (by Iris Murdoch)
“After a second of shock he had recognized Edgar Demarnay. They had not met for several years. An Edgar grown fatter and grosser and older, but Edgar still, with his big pink boy’s face and his fat lips and his copious short fluffy hair now pale grey instead of pale gold.”
There are three comparatives in this example: “fatter,” “grosser,” and “older.” Through the given comparatives, the author has described the physical features of a character, Edgar.
Function of Comparatives
The basic function of comparatives is to a make comparison between two people or things. They help define and describe people, things, and actions. By comparing two things, in fact, comparatives highlight the good or bad qualities of the two things being compared, and let the audience see it. Also, they give a better understanding of the things and people.
