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Comparative Adjectives
Use a comparative adjective to compare two things or people. The word "than" comes before the object of the comparison.
Examples:
▶ This mug is bigger than that one.
▶ My laptop was more expensive than yours.
▶ I thought Jane was older. (Note: here the comparison is implied. I thought Jane was older than she really is).
Form the comparative like this:
With short words (1-2 syllables): add -er to the end of the words. If the last two letters of the word are a vowel + consonant, double the final consonant before adding -er
Examples:
big => bigger
hot => hotter
If the word ends in "y," change the "y" to "i" before adding -er.
Examples:
pretty => prettier
ugly => uglier
With longer words (many 2 syllable words and all 3+ syllable words): add "less" or "more" before the word.
Examples:
graceful => more graceful
intelligent => more intelligent
qualified => less qualified
interested => less interested
Superlative adjectives
Use a superlative adjective to express that something or someone is the most extreme example of something. The word "the" is very often used before superlative adjectives.
Examples:
▶ Jennifer thinks the iPad is the best tablet computer.
▶ That was the most interesting movie I've ever seen!
▶ The biggest pumpkin ever weighed 1,502 pounds.
▶ That was the worst meal I ever ate.
=> While you use a comparative when you are comparing two people or things, you use a superlative when you have three or more people or things.
Examples:
▶ Andrea is the smartest person in her class.
▶ Of the four job candidates, Alex is the most qualified.
Form the superlative like this:
With short words (1 - 2 syllables): add -est to the end of the words. If the last two letters of the word are a vowel + consonant, double the final consonant before adding -est.
Examples:
big => biggest
hot => hottest
When the word ends in a "y", change the ''y" to "i" before adding the -est.
Examples:
pretty => prettiest
ugly => ugliest
scary => scariest
With longer words (many 2 syllable words and all 3+ syllable words): add "least" or ''most" before the word.
Examples:
graceful => most graceful
beautiful => most beautiful
qualified => most qualified
Irregular comparative / superlative forms
Some comparatives and superlatives do not follow the usual pattern. Here are the most common irregular forms:
| |
Comparative |
Superlative |
| good |
better |
best |
| bad |
worse |
worst |
| less |
lesser |
least |
| little (amount) |
less |
least |
| many |
more |
most |
| far (distance) |
farther |
farthest |
| far (extent) |
further |
furthest |
Examples:
▶ Jason drives an hour to get to work. Of all our employees, he lives the farthest away.
▶ Of all the schools he applied to, Tim is least interested in attending the University of Vermont.
▶ You didn't get a raise this year? Things could be worse. At least you still have your job.
▶ Of all the jobs I applied for, I'm most excited about the one at Google.
▶ You think I'm interested in dating my boss? Nothing could be further from the truth!
▶ Adam is by far the best website designer I know.
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