THE COMPARATIVE

AND THE
SUPERLATIVE
COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVES
Comparative adjectives are used to compare differences between the two objects they
modify (larger, smaller, faster, higher). They are used in sentences where two nouns are
compared, in this pattern:

Noun (subject) + verb + comparative adjective + than + noun (object).

The second item of comparison can be omitted if it is clear from the context (final example
below).

EXAMPLES
My house is larger than hers.
This box is smaller than the one I lost.
Your dog runs faster than Jim's dog.
The rock flew higher than the roof.
Jim and Jack are both my friends, but I like Jack better. ("than Jim" is understood)

SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES
Superlative adjectives are used to describe an object which is at the upper or lower limit of a
quality (the tallest, the smallest, the fastest, the highest). They are used in sentences where
a subject is compared to a group of objects.

Noun (subject) + verb + the + superlative adjective + noun (object).

The group that is being compared with can be omitted if it is clear from the context (final
example below).

EXAMPLES
My house is the largest one in our neighborhood.
This is the smallest box I've ever seen.
Your dog ran the fastest of any dog in the race.
 We all threw our rocks at the same time. My rock flew the highest. ("of all the rocks"
is understood)

FORMING REGULAR COMPARATIVES AND

SUPERLATIVES
Forming comparatives and superlatives is easy. The form depends on the number of
syllables in the original adjective.

ONE SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES

Add -er for the comparative and -est for the superlative. If the adjective has a consonant +
single vowel + consonant spelling, the final consonant must be doubled before adding the
ending.

Adjective Comparative Supe

tall taller talles

fat fatter fattes

big bigger bigge

sad sadder sadde

TWO SYLLABLES
Adjectives with two syllables can form the comparative either by adding -er or by preceeding
the adjective with more. These adjectives form the superlative either by adding -est or by
preceeding the adjective with most. In many cases, both forms are used, although one
usage will be more common than the other. If you are not sure whether a two-syllable
adjective can take a comparative or superlative ending, play it safe and
use more and most instead. For adjectives ending in y, change the y to an i before adding
the ending.

Adjective Comparative Super

Adjective Comparative Super

happy happier happie

simple simpler simple

busy busier busies

tilted more tilted most t

tangled more tangled most t

THREE OR MORE SYLLABLES

Adjectives with three or more syllables form the comparative by putting more in front of the
adjective, and the superlative by putting most in front.

Adjective Comparative Superlati

important more important most impo

expensive more expensive most expe

IRREGULAR COMPARATIVES AND

SUPERLATIVES
These very common adjectives have completely irregular comparative and superlative
forms.

Adjective Comparative Superlative

Adjective Comparative Superlative

good better best

bad worse worst

little less least

much more most

far further / farther furthest / farthest

EXAMPLES
Today is the worst day I've had in a long time.
You play tennis better than I do.
This is the least expensive sweater in the store.
This sweater is less expensive than that one.
I ran pretty far yesterday, but I ran even farther today.

Degrees Comparison can be made using the three forms of the adjective.
Adjective is a word and it qualifies a noun. It gives more information about the noun.

eg. The lion is a strong animal. Rita is a beautiful girl.

Adjectives are of three degrees. (1) Positive (2) Comparative (3) Superlative

eg. David is a rich man.

eg. Cancel is more dreadful than cholera.

eg. Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world.

Study the following models.
Positive Comparative Superlative

Very few boys in the John is taller than any John is the tallest boy in
class are as tall as John. other boys in the class. the class.
 John is taller than most John is one of the
other boys in the class. tallest boy in the class.

Adjective and Adverbs have three degrees, Positive, Comparative and Superlative.
The Pasitive Degree is used to denote the mere existence of quality.
The Positive Degree of an adjective in comparison is the adjective in its simple form. It
is used to denote the mere existence of some quality of what we speak about. It is used
when no comparison is made.
It is a tall building.
Apple is sweet to taste.
The Comparative Degree is used to compare the qualities of two persons or things.
The Comparative Degree denotes the existence of a higher degree of the quality than
the positive. It is used when two things (or two sets of things) are compared.
This building is taller than any other building.
Apple is sweeter than pear.
The Superlative Degree denotes the existence of the highest degree of the quality. It
is used when more than two things are compared.
This is the tallest building.
Apple is the sweetest fruit.
The Superlative Degree is used when more than two nouns or things are compared.
Johnsy is kind (Positive Degree)
Johnsy is kinder than Rosy (Comparative Degree)
Johnsy is the kindest of all (Superlative Degree)
By adding er and est

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

bright brighter brightest

black blacker blackest

bold bolder boldest

clever cleverer cleverest

cold colder coldest

fast faster fastest

great greater greatest

high higher highest

kind kinder kindest

long longer longest

small smaller smallest

strong stronger strongest

sweet sweeter sweetest

tall taller tallest

young younger youngest

By adding r and st

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

brave braver bravest

fine finer finest

large larger largest

nice nicer nicest

noble nobler noblest

pale paler palest

simple simpler simplest

wise wiser wisest

white whiter whitest

By deleting the final y and adding ier and iest

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

costly costlier costliest

dry drier driest

easy easier easiest

happy happier happiest

heavy heavier heaviest

lazy lasier lasiest

mercy mercier merciest

wealthy wealthier wealthiest

By doubling the final consonats

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

big bigger biggest

dim dimmer dimmest

fat fatter fattest

hot hotter hottest

thin thinner thinnest

By using more and most

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

active more active most active

attractive more attractive most attractive

beautiful more beautiful most beautiful

brilliant more brilliant most brilliant

careful more careful most careful

courageous more courageous most courageous

cunning more cunning most cunning

difficult more difficult most difficult

famous more famous most famous

faithful more faithful most faithful

proper more proper most proper

popular more popular most popular

splendid more splendid most splendid

Irregular Comparisons

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

bad worse worst

evil worse worst

good better best

ill worse worst

far farther farthest

well better best

late later latest

little less least

much more most

many more most

near nearer nearest

old older oldest

old elder eldest

Comparison between two things.

Positive Comparative

Johnsy is as clever as Rosy Rosy is not clever than Johnsy

Benjamin is atleast as tall as Jane Jane is not taller than Benjamin

Comparative Positive

Lazar is brighter than Stalin Stalin is not so bright as Lazar

Superlative Comparative Positive

Akthar is the richest Akthar is richer than any No other man in Kanpur
man in Kanpur other man in Kanpur is so rich as Akthar

Superlative Comparative Positive

Very few cities in

London is one of the London is bigger than most
England are so big as
biggest city in England other city in England
London

Superlative Comparative Positive

Sheakespear is the Shakespeare is greater No other dramatist is so

greatest of all dramatists than all other dramatists great as Shakespeare

Positive Comparative

Lazar is as strong as Lenin Lenin is not less strong than Lazar

Positive Comparative Superlative

Some boys in our class Some boys in our class are Benjamin is not the most
are at least as intelligent not intelligent than intelligent boy in our
as Benjamin Benjamin class

1. When we compare two objects, persons, qualities, degrees etc. tha tare some
respects equal, we may use the comparion of equality. This is formed by the use of
as... adjective / adverb... as
eg. Your house is as large as mine.
2. When we compare unquals, we may use the comparative degree of the adjective or
adverb with than
eg. His new book is more interesting than his earlier books
3. When the comparison is negative, we use
so... adjective / adverb... as
eg. Your house is not quite so large as mine.
4. In some adverbial clauses of comparison both subject and verb are dropped.
eg. He is more shy than (he is) unsocial.
Some people think more about their rights than (they do) about their duties.
5. In clauses of comparison introduced by than that should is used.
eg. I am already to do the work myself rather than that you should have to do
it.
6.Comparison and contrast are also expressed by the use of
the...the...with comparatives.
eg. The sooner you start, the sooner youll finish.
The more he read, the less he understood.

Superlative Comparative Positive

Iron is the most useful of Iron is more useful than any No other metal is so
all metals. other metal. useful as iron.

Superlative Comparative Positive

No other boy in the

Tom is the cleverest of all Tom is cleverer than any
class is so clever as
boys in the class. other boy in the class.
Tom.

Superlative Comparative Positive

Rain water is the Rain water is purer than any No other water is so pure
purest water. other water. as rain water.

Superlative Comparative Positive

Very few cities in

Paris is one of the busiest Paris is busier than most
England are as busy as
cities in England. other cities in England.
Paris.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Very few animals are as Cheetah is faster than most Cheetah is one of the
fast as cheetah. other animals. fastest animals.

Superlative Comparative Positive

Food ball is one of the Foot ball is more interesting Very few games are as
most interesting games. than most other games. interesting as foot ball.
 Comparative Positive

Paris is hotter than England. England is not so hot as Paris.

Positive Comparative

John is as tall as David. David is not taller than John.

Comparative Positive

The Blue Mountain Express runs faster The Green Express does not run so fast as
than the Green Express. the Blue Mountain Express.

as much as
1. Very few books are read Harry Potter by children.

(a) as much as (b) more than (c) the most

drearier
2. Life in the desert is than life in the mountains.

(a) as dreary as (b) the dreariest (c) drearier

the best
3. Honey is medicine.

(a) as good as (b) better than (c) the best

4. School days are than college days.

(a) as enjoyable as (b) more enjoyable (c) the most enjoyable

5. The coconut tree has any other tree.

(a) as much uses as (b) more uses than (c) the most uses of

6. Dogs are as dolphins.

(a) as friendly (b) more friendly (c) the most friendly

7. No other country sells number of cellphones as India after

America.

(a) as many (b) more (c) the most

8. Nursing is many other professions.

(a) as noble as (b) nobler than (c) the most noble

9. Very few channels are watched by children the Cartoon

Channel.
(a) as much as (b) more than (c) the most

10. Black is the colour.

(a) as dark as (b) darker than (c) darkest

11. Milk is diet.

(a) so good as (b) better than (c) the best

12. Noodles is dish for children and youngsters.

(a) so enjoyable as (b) more enjoyable than (c) the most enjoyable

13. We have not played any match as this.

(a) so bad (b) worse (c) the worst

14. This road is the one in town.

(a) as long as (b) longer than (c) longest