COMPARATIVES

AND
SUPERLATIVES
 COMPARATIVES

 Comparatives are used to compare two nouns.

 Examples:

Faster

Slower

Taller

Shorter

 Notice that comparatives often end in –er but not always.

 SUPERLATIVES

 Superlatives are used to compare three or more objects.

 Examples:
The fastest
The slowest
The shortest

 Notice the word the comes before the superlatives and they

often end in –est .

 RULES TO FOLLOW

 HOW TO FORM A COMPARATIVE SENTENCE :

 Noun (s) + verb + comp. adj. + than + noun (o).

We must use the word than after

the comparative adjective in
comparative sentences.

 Example:
She is shorter than her sister.
 HOW TO FORM A SUPERLATIVE SENTENCE :

 Noun (s) + verb + the + sup. adj. + noun (o).

We must use the word the before

the superlative adjective in
superlative sentences.

 Example:
She is the shortest in the class.
 ONE SYLLABLE

 -er + than comparatives.

 The + -est superlatives.

 Large – larger than – the largest.

 Old – older than – the oldest.

 Example:

It was the largest house we had ever seen.

 ONE SYLLABLE + CVC

 One syllable + cvc = double the last consonant.

 Sad – sadder – saddest

 Fat – fatter – fattest

 Example:

Your cat is fatter than last time.

 MOST TWO SYLLABLES WORDS

 Not all of them. There are always exceptions.

 Add more / less (comparatives)

 Add most / least (superlatives)

 Examples:
Thoughtful = more / less thoughtful
= the most / least thoughtful
Pleasant = more / less pleasant
= the most / least pleasant
 TWO SYLLABLE ADJ. ENDS IN -Y

 We remove the –y and change it to i and we add –er in the comp.

form and –est in the sup. form.

 Happy – happier – happiest.

 Hungry – hungrier – hungriest.

 Example:

Nobody is hungrier than Carl after the football match.

TWO SYLLABLE ADJ. ENDS IN –OR / -OW:

 We add –er to the comparatives and –est to the superlatives.

 Narrow – narrower – narrowest.

 Poor – poorer – poorest.

 Example:

They took us on the narrowest bridge.

SOME ADJ. CAN BE CORRECT IN EITHER
FORM (LONG OR SHORT)
 friendly:
Friendlier
More / less friendly
The friendliest
The most / least friendly

 Simple:
Simpler
The simplest
More / less simple
The most / least simple
 clever:
cleverer
The cleverest
More / less clever
The most / least clever

 Example:
That was simpler than I expected.

Or

That was more simple than I expected.

 IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES
(THEY DON’T FOLLOW ANY RULE)
These need to be memorised which comes with practice.

 Bad – worse – the worst

 Good – better – the best
 Little – less – the least
 Far – farther – the farthest (USA)
 Far – further – the furthest (UK)

 Example:
My experience at that restaurant was the worst.