Comparatives and Superlatives

Adjective Comparatives (2) Superlatives (2 or

more)
One-syllable Add –er ending Add –est ending
adjectives tall, smart taller, smarter tallest, smartest
One-syllable Double the consonant Double the
adjective ending big, thin, fat, before –er consonant before –
with a consonant sad bigger, thinner, fatter, est
sadder biggest, thinnest,
fattest, saddest
Two-syllable Drop –y and add –er Drop –y and add –
adjectives ending happy, easy happier, easier est
in –y happiest, easiest
Two-syllable Add –r Add –st
adjectives ending simple, gentle Simpler, gentler Simplest, gentlest
in –le
Two or more Add more before adj. Add the most
syllable adjectives important, before adj.
expensive more important, more the most important,
expensive the most expensive

Irregular Adjectives
Adjective Comparative Superlative
good better the best
bad worse the worst
far further the furthest
little less the least
many more the most

Adjectives that take both forms

clever cleverer, more clever cleverest, most clever
gentle gentler, more gentle gentlest, most gentle
friendly friendlier, more friendly friendliest, most friendly
quiet quieter, more quiet quietest, most quiet
simple simpler, most simple simplest, most simple

Exercise: Complete the following sentences using comparatives.

1. Amanda’s house is _______ bigger __________ (big) than Jake’s.
2. Alma is a _________ better _________ (good) cook than her sister.
3. Joe´s car is __________ more friendly _________ (fast) than Judy’s.
4. Roger is ______________________ (friendly) than George.
5. Mr. Johnson is ________ funnier __________ (funny) than Mr. Roberts.
6. My new computer is __________ faster __________ (fast) than my old one.
7. This movie was even _________ worse _________ (bad) than the previous one.
8. My skin is _________ drier _________ (dry) than yesterday.
9. Bikes are _________ cheaper __________ (cheap) than cars.
10. Canada is ________ colder ___________ (cold) than Mexico.
11. I am _________ thinner __________ (thin) than my brother.
12. Tigers are ________ faster ___________ (fast) than turtles.
13. Football is _________ more popular __________ (popular) than golf.
14. Elephants are _________ heavier __________ (heavy) than lions.
15. The movie is _________ more exciting __________ (exciting) than the book.

Exercise: Complete the following sentences using superlatives.

1. This is _________ the most beautiful _______ (beautiful) place I’ve ever seen.
2. The apple is __________ the most delicious ____________ (delicious) fruit!
3. The Prado is _______ the most famous ________ (famous) museum in Spain.
4. James is __________ the tallest ____________ (tall) in class.
5. Richard is ____________ the funniest __________ (funny) person in class.
6. This is ___________ the prettiest ___________ (pretty) dog I’ve ever had.
7. London is ____________ the largest __________ (large) city in England.
8. The sailfish are ___________ the fastest _______ (fast) animals in the water.
9. Whales are ___________ the biggest ___________ (big) animals in the world.
10. San Francisco is ___ the most beautiful ___ (beautiful) city in the United States.
11. Summer is ____________ the best __________ (good) season of the year.
12. I think math _______________ is the most difficult _______ (difficult) subject.
13. The Sahara is ___________ the hottest _____________ (hot) desert on Earth.
14. The Everest is __________ the highest ________ (high) mountain in the world.
15. What is the ___________ best ___________ (good) city?

Exercise: Write the sentences in the correct order.

a. the / basketball player / he / tallest / is

He is the tallest basketball player.

b. actress / Mary / the / was / popular / most

Mary was the most popular actress.

c. He / the / was / footballer / best

He was the best footballer.

 d. plays / than / better / you / Sarah

Sarah plays better than you.

e. father / is / your / than / younger / mine

Your father is younger than mine.

Exercise: Complete the sentences with the correct form of the adjective in brackets.
1. These shorts are ___ more comfortable ___ (comfortable) than those jeans.
2. She is ___________ happier ___________ (happy) now than she was last year.
3. You are the __________ prettiest ______________ (pretty) girl in class.
4. My grandma is ____________ older ___________ (old) than my grandpa.
5. The red dress is the ______ most expensive _______ (expensive) in the shop.
6. He always tells the __________ funniest _____________ (fun) jokes.
7. Your hair is _________ curlier ___________ (curly) than my hair.
8. My hair is ___________ shorter ___________ (short) than yours.

Exercise: Match the adjective with its definition:

1 D Generous 6 I Reliable

2 G Honest 7 B Sensitive

3 F Ambitious 8 A Outgoing

4 E Stubborn 9 J Greedy

5 C Aggressive 10 H Polite

A Is friendly, likes meeting people. F Wants to be successful.

B Gets easily upset. G Tells the truth.

C Often behaves angrily. H Has good manners.

D Likes giving things to others. I Does what he promises.

E Refuses to change his mind. J Wants more than he needs.

Adjectives of Equality and Inequality

We use the structure as + adjective + as when the things we are comparing are equal or
similar in some way:

The weather is as bad as yesterday.

He is not as tall as his father.

Exercise: Use either as…as o or not as… as to complete the sentences.

1. The green car is ___________ as fast as ____________ the blue one. (fast)
2. Robert is _____________ not as tall as __________ Erick. (not/tall)
3. My dress is ____________ not as new as ___________ yours. (not/new)
4. My hands are ___________ as cold as ____________ ice (cold).
5. This movie is ___________ as good as ____________ the previous one (good).
6. Peter is ____________ as friendly as ___________ Alfredo (friendly).
7. This sweater is __ not as big as ____ (not/big) the one I was wearing yesterday.
8. Today is ___________ not as windy ____________ (not/windy) as yesterday.
9. The apple is ___________ not as heavy as ____________ the orange (heavy).
10. My mom is ___________ as thin as ____________ my sister (thin).