Level: beginner
Comparative adjectives
We use comparative adjectives to show change or make comparisons:
This car is certainly better, but it's much more expensive.
I'm feeling happier now.
We need a bigger garden.
We use than when we want to compare one thing with another:
She is two years older than me.
New York is much bigger than Boston.
He is a better player than Ronaldo.
France is a bigger country than Britain.
When we want to describe how something or someone changes we can use two comparatives with and:
The balloon got bigger and bigger.
Everything is getting more and more expensive.
Grandfather is looking older and older.
We often use the with comparative adjectives to show that one thing depends on another:
The faster you drive, the more dangerous it is.
(= When you drive faster, it is more dangerous.)The higher they climbed, the colder it got.
(= When they climbed higher, it got colder.)
- Comparative adjectives 1
- Comparative adjectives 2
Superlative adjectives
We use the with superlative adjectives:
It was the happiest day of my life.
Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
That’s the best film I have seen this year.
I have three sisters: Jan is the oldest and Angela is the youngest.
- Superlative adjectives 1
- Superlative adjectives 2
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How to form comparative and superlative adjectives
We usually add –er and –est to one-syllable words to make comparatives and superlatives:
| old | older | oldest |
| long | longer | longest |
If an adjective ends in –e, we add –r or –st:
| nice | nicer | nicest |
| large | larger | largest |
If an adjective ends in a vowel and a consonant, we double the consonant:
| big | bigger | biggest |
| fat | fatter | fattest |
If an adjective ends in a consonant and –y, we change –y to –i and add –er or –est:
| happy | happier | happiest |
| silly | sillier | silliest |
We use more and most to make comparatives and superlatives for most two syllable adjectives and for all adjectives with three or more syllables:
| careful | more careful | most careful |
| interesting | more interesting | most interesting |
However, with these common two-syllable adjectives, you can either add –er/–r and –est/–st or use more and most:
| common cruel gentle handsome likely |
narrow pleasant polite simple stupid |
He is certainly handsomer than his brother.
His brother is handsome, but he is more handsome.
She is one of the politest people I have ever met.
She is the most polite person I have ever met.
The adjectives good, bad and far have irregular comparatives and superlatives:
| good | better | best |
| bad | worse | worst |
| far | farther/further | farthest/furthest |
- How to form comparative and superlative adjectives
Comments
Hello Dwishiren,
To be honest, I don't know. If you search the internet for 'the most High', you can find the same phrasing in translations of Jewish and Christian sacred texts as well. Perhaps this use reflects a grammatical structure that doesn't exist in English, or, more likely, I suspect, it is used to emphasise the transcendental nature of the Supreme Being that these religious traditions refer to. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any other context when this structure would be used, so I'd recommend you avoid it outside of religious contexts.
Best regards,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
One of my Khmer colleagues at work (SHE - NGO in Cambodia) studies English at a local college evening class. Her group has been asked to make a presentation on Comparative and Superlative adjectives and something called Equative adjectives. I have never heard of these and can't help her. Please can you explain what they are or give an example. I'm guessing it's how you make a comparison of things that appear to be 'equal'. Many thanks.
Hello Linda Vejlupkova,
This is not a term which I've ever seen used with reference to the English language. I can only assume it means adjectival forms which show the same degree, such as 'as big as'. However, I'm guessing as it's not a term I have seen used in an English language context.
This page may be helpful.
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thanks very much for your reply.
Hello!
Should we always use the with superlatives?
Best regards,
Aleksandra
Hello Aleksandra,
In general, yes. There are some exceptions which you will see (such as the phrase 'Best of all...' at the beginning of a sentence) but this is a good rule of thumb.
Best wishes, [without 'the']
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thanks a lot!
Best wishes,
Aleksandra
Hello, dear tutors!
Could you please help me with the last sentence in the second test? Why don't we use "is " in the second version of the sentence, I mean can we say The smaller the fruit is, the sweeter it is? Why is it omitted? Is there a rule or something?
Thank you in advance!
Best regards,
Lyuba
Hello Lyuba,
'The smaller the fruit, the sweeter it is' is indeed the correct answer. If you click on the Finish button, that is what you should see as the correct answer. Does that help you? If not, could you please rephrase your question?
Best wishes,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Can you help me ?
Re-wite the following sentence using the words in brackets:
Tom is the best pupil in the class. (No other pupil......)
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