COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES

Comparatives and Superlativesare special forms of adjectives. They are used to compare two or more things. Generally, comparatives are formed using -er and superlatives are formed using -est. Comparatives compare TWO people or things. Superlatives compare THREE or MORE people or things.

1. Forming regular comparatives and superlatives

Adjective form / Comparative
(always use “than”) / Superlative
(always use “the”)
Only one syllable, ending in E. Examples: wide, fine, cute / Add -r: wider than, finer than, cuter than / Add -st: the widest, the finest, the cutest
Only one syllable, with one vowel and one consonant at the end. Examples: hot, big, fat / Double the consonant, and add -er: hotter than, bigger than, fatter than / Double the consonant, and add -est: the hottest, the biggest, the fattest
Only one syllable, with more than one vowel or more than one consonant at the end. Examples: light, quick, fast / Add -er: lighter than, quicker than, faster than / Add -est: the lightest, the quickest, the fastest
Two syllables, ending in Y. Examples: happy, silly, lonely / Change y to i, then add -er: happier than, sillier than, lonelier than / Change y to i, then add -est: the happiest, the silliest, the loneliest
Two syllables or more, not ending in Y. Examples: modern, interesting, beautiful / Use “more” before the adjective: more modern than, more interesting than, more beautiful than / Use “most” before the adjective: the most modern, the most interesting, the most beautiful

2. How to use comparatives and superlatives

Comparatives / Comparatives are used to compare two things. You can use sentences with “than”, or you can use a conjunction like “but”.
Tom is taller thanPauly.
Pauly is tall, butTom is taller.
Superlatives / Superlatives are used to compare more than two things. Superlative sentences usually use “the”, because there is only one superlative.
Daniel is the tallest in the class.
Pauly is tall, and Tom is taller, but Daniel is the tallest.

COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES

Comparatives and Superlatives are special forms of adjectives. They are used to compare two or more things. Generally, comparatives are formed using -er and superlatives are formed using -est.
1. Forming regular comparatives and superlatives

Adjective form / Comparative
(always use “than”) / Superlative
(always use “the”)
Only one syllable, ending in E.
Examples: wide, fine, cute / Add -r: / Add -st:
Only one syllable, with one vowel and one consonant at the end.
Examples: hot, big, fat / Double the consonant, add -er: / Double the consonant, add -est:
Only one syllable, with more than one vowel or more than one consonant at the end.
Examples: light, quick, fast / Add -er: / Add -est:
Two syllables, ending in Y.
Examples: happy, silly, lonely / Change y to i, then add -er: / Change y to i, then add -est:
Two syllables or more, not ending in Y.
Examples: modern, interesting, beautiful / Use “more” before the adj.: / Use “most” before the adj.:

2. How to use comparatives and superlatives

Comparatives / Comparatives are used to compare two things. You can use sentences with “than”, or you can use a conjunction like “but”.
Jiro is taller than Yukio.
Yukio is tall, but Jiro is taller.
Superlatives / Superlatives are used to compare more than two things. Superlative sentences usually use “the”, because there is only one superlative.
Masami is the tallest in the class.
Yukio is tall, and Jiro is taller, but Masami is the tallest.