FORMING COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE

ADJECTIVES

One-syllable adjectivesCOMPARATIVE (superiority):(adjective) + - er thanSUPERLATIVE: the (adjective) + - est

Tall – taller than – the tallestOld – older than – the oldestLarge – larger than – the largestWise – wiser than – the wisestBig – bigger than – the biggestthin – thinner than – the thinnest

Mary is taller than Max.Mary is the tallest of all the students.Max is older than John.Of the three students, Max is the oldest.My hair is longer than your hair.Max's story is the longest story I've ever heard

Two-syllable adjectives

COMPARATIVE (superiority): more + (adjective) + thanSUPERLATIVE: the most + (adjective)

Peaceful – more peaceful than – the most peacefulPleasant – more pleasant than – the most pleasantCareful – more careful than – the most carefulThoughtful – more thoughtful than – the most thoughtful

This morning is more peaceful than yesterday morning.Max's house in the mountains is the most peaceful in the

world.Max is more careful than Mike.Jack is the most careful of all the taxi drivers.Jill is more thoughtful than your sister.Mary is the most thoughtful person I've ever met.

Two-syllable adjectives ending with: -y, -er, -le, -ow

COMPARATIVE: (adjective) + - er + thanSUPERLATIVE: the (adjective) + - est

Happy – happier than – the happiestAngry – angrier than – the angriestBusy – busier than – the busiestClever – cleverer than – the cleverestGentle – gentler than – the gentlestNarrow – narrower than – the narrowest

John is happier today than he was yesterday.John is the happiest boy in the world.Max is angrier than Mary.Max is the angriest of all of John's victims .The roads in the town are narrower than the roads in the city.This road is the narrowest of all the roads in California.

Adjectives with 3 or more syllables

COMPARATIVE: more + (adjective) + thanSUPERLATIVE: the most + (adjective)

Generous – more generous than – the most generousImportant – more important than – the most importantIntelligent – more intelligent than – the most intelligent

John is more generous than Jack.John is the most generous of all the people I know.Health is more important than money.Of all the people I know, Max is the most important.Sam is more intelligent than PeteMary is the most intelligent person I've ever met.

Common irregular adjectivesGood – better than – The bestBad – worse than – the worstMuch – more than – the mostMany – more than – the mostLittle – less than – the leastOld – older / elder than – the oldest / the eldest

Italian food is better than American food.My dog is the best dog in the world.My mother's cooking is worse than your mother's cooking.Of all the students in the class, Max is the worst.I’ve got less money than Mary.Susan’s got the least money in her office.

Comparative: inferiority and equality

COMPARATIVE (inferiority): Less + (adjective)+ than

COMPARATIVE (equality): As + (adjective) + as

Villages are less noisy than cities. (inferiority)

Villages aren’t as noisy as cities. (equality)

Cities are noisier than villages. (superiority)

Sam is less intelligent than Tom. (inferiority)

Sam is not as intelligent as Tom. (equality)

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES COMPARATIVE –SUPERIORITY-

COMPARATIVE –INFERIORITY-

COMPARATIVE – EQUALITY-

1-syllable adjectives 2-syllable adjectives ending with –y, -er, -le, -ow

Adjective + -er + than Examples: Bigger than Easier than

Less + Adjective + than (not very common in English) Examples: Less big than Less narrow than Less popular than

As + adjectives + as Examples: as strong as as pretty as as beautiful as

Other 2-syllable adjectives adjectives with more than 2 syllables

More + adjective + than Examples: more pleasant than more interesting than

Common irregular adjectives Good ….. better than Bad …….. worse than Old …….. older / elder than

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES SUPERLATIVE – SUPERIORITY- SUPERLATIVE- INFERIORITY-

1-syllable adjectives 2-syllable adjectives ending with –y, -er, -le, -ow

The + adjective + -est Examples: The biggest The easiest

The least + Adjective The least strong The least important

other 2-syllable adjectives adjectives with more than 2 syllables

The + most + adjective Examples: The most pleasant The most interesting

common irregular adjectives Good ….. the best Bad …….. the worst Old …….. the oldest / the eldest

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES SUPERLATIVE – SUPERIORITY- SUPERLATIVE- INFERIORITY-

1-syllable adjectives 2-syllable adjectives ending with –y, -er, -le, -ow

The + adjective + -est Examples: The biggest The easiest

The least + Adjective The least strong The least important

other 2-syllable adjectives adjectives with more than 2 syllables

The + most + adjective Examples: The most pleasant The most interesting

common irregular adjectives Good ….. the best Bad …….. the worst Old …….. the oldest / the eldest