Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

What are Comparative and Superlative Adjectives and how to use them? Here we will review the rules and see how to form these adjectives the correct way.

A Comparative Adjective is a word that describes a specific noun by comparing it with another noun.

A Superlative Adjective is a word that describes a noun by comparing it to two or more nouns to the greatest, highest or least, lowest degree possible.

We use comparative and superlative adjectives extensively in our writing. Make sure your comparative and superlative adjectives are suitably structured for the amount of syllables in the adjective.

Comparative Adjectives

Comparative Adjectives are words that describe a noun by comparing it with another noun. The comparative form is used to compare two entities, indicating a higher or lower degree of a particular quality. Comparative adjectives are often have the word “than” after them. They end in “er” or have “more” to indicate it.

Examples:

• This car is faster than that one.
• This car is more expensive than that one.
• They are happier than yesterday.
• This exercise is more difficult than the the previous one.
• He is taller than his brother.
• She is more famous than her husband.

Superlative Adjectives

Superlative Adjectives are words that describe a noun by comparing it with two or more nouns to the greatest, highest or least, lowest degree possible. They usually have the word “the” before them, end in “est” or have “most” to indicate it.

Examples:

• This is the fastest car in the market today!
• This car is the most expensive car in the market today!
• I feel like I am the happiest person on earth.
• This exercise is the most difficult I have ever seen
• He is the tallest of his brothers.
• She is the most famous actress in Hollywood.

How to Form Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Comparative and superlative forms are essential for clear and precise communication, especially when expressing degrees of comparison in writing or speech.

Short or one-syllable words, we add “–er” and “–est”

• Comparative Adjective + “-er”
• Superlative Adjective + “-est”

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
cold	colder	coldest
long	longer	longest
old	older	oldest

Adjectives that end in “–e”, we add “–r” or “–st”

• Comparative Adjective + “-r”
• Superlative Adjective + “-st”

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
gentle	gentler	gentlest
large	larger	largest
nice	nicer	nicest

Adjectives that end in a vowel and a consonant, we double the consonant

• Comparative Adjective (double consonant) + “-er”
• Superlative Adjective (double consonant) + “-est”

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
big	bigger	biggest
fat	fatter	fattest
hot	hotter	hottest

Adjectives that end in a consonant and –y, we change –y to –i and add –er or –est

• Comparative Adjective (change “–y” to “–i”) + “–er”
• Superlative Adjective (change “–y” to “–i”) + “–est”

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
easy	easier	easiest
happy	happier	happiest
silly	sillier	silliest

Long, most two syllable adjectives, and for all adjectives with three or more syllables, we use “more” and “most”

• More + Comparative Adjective
• Most + Superlative Adjective

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
beautiful	more beautiful	most beautiful
careful	more careful	most careful
difficult	more difficult	most difficult
expensive	more expensive	most expensive
interesting	more interesting	most interesting

Exceptions

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

Irregular Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

The adjectives good, bad and far have irregular comparatives and superlatives forms.

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
good	better	best
bad	worse	worst
far (distance)	farther	farthest
far (extent)	further	furthest

Table of Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
bad	worse	worst
beautiful	more beautiful	most beautiful
big	bigger	biggest
busy	busier	busiest
careful	more careful	most careful
cheap	cheaper	cheapest
clever	cleverer	cleverest
cold	colder	coldest
crazy	crazier	craziest
dangerous	more dangerous	most dangerous
difficult	more difficult	most difficult
easy	easier	easiest
elegant	more elegant	most elegant
expensive	more expensive	most expensive
famous	more famous	most famous
far (distance)	farther	farthest
far (extent)	further	furthest
fast	faster	fastest
fat	fatter	fattest
gentle	gentler	gentlest
good	better	best
happy	happier	happiest
high	higher	highest
hot	hotter	hottest
humble	humbler	humblest
important	more important	most important
intelligent	more intelligent	most intelligent
interesting	more interesting	most interesting
large	larger	largest
little	less	least
long	longer	longest
lovely	lovelier	loveliest
many	more	most
massive	more massive	most massive
modern	more modern	most modern
much	more	most
narrow	narrower	narrowest
nervous	more nervous	most nervous
new	newer	newest
nice	nicer	nicest
old	older	oldest
polite	politer	politest
poor	poorer	poorest
sad	sadder	saddest
short	shorter	shortest
silly	sillier	silliest
simple	simpler	simplest
small	smaller	smallest
strong	stronger	strongest
sweet	sweeter	sweetest
tall	taller	tallest
tangled	more tangled	most tangled
tender	tenderer	tenderest
thin	thinner	thinnest
tilted	more tilted	most tilted
ugly	uglier	ugliest
valuable	more valuable	most valuable
weak	weaker	weakest
well	better	best
young	younger	youngest

Conclusion

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives are applicable in diverse contexts, from everyday conversations to academic writing and professional communication. Understanding and accurately using comparative and superlative forms improves language ability, allowing for more effective interaction and expression of comparison nuances.

Now test your knowledge with these exercises!

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