COMPARATIVES

 How do we form comparative statements? Study the grammar reference chart below.

 Adjectives with one syllable: add ‘-er’ or ‘-r’ + ‘than’

co colder “In Canada, winter is colder than summer.”

ld than “Chocolate ice-cream is nicer than
strawberry ice-cream.”
ni nicer
ce than

 Adjectives with two or more syllables: add ‘more’ + ‘than’

boring more boring “I think golf is more boring than baseball.”

than
expensi “This restaurant is more expensive than
more expensive that restaurant.”
ve
than

 Adjectives with two syllables that end in ‘-y’: change ‘-y’ to ‘-i’
and add ‘-er’ + ‘than’

earl earlier “He arrived at school earlier than I

y than did.” “John looks happier than
hap happier David.”
py than

 Adjectives that end with a single vowel and a consonant: double

the final letter before adding ‘than’

b bigger “Russia is bigger than Canada.”

ig than “In my country, August is hotter than
January.”
h hotter
o than
t
Irregular Comparative Adjectives:
NOTE: When a comparative statement is used to answer a question, it is not necessary to use ‘than’ if only one
person, place or thing is mentioned.
good – better
Example: than bad –
worse than
(A) Which month is hotter, January or August?
(B) August is hotter.

SUPERLATIVES
 How do we form superlative statements? Study the grammar reference
chart below.

 Adjectives with one syllable: add ‘the’ + ‘-est’ or ‘-st’

co the “January is often the coldest winter

ld coldest month.” “She is the nicest person I
ni the know.”
ce nicest

 Adjectives with two or more syllables: add ‘the’ + ‘most’

boring the most “It’s the most boring movie at the cinema.”
boring
expensi “We ate at the most expensive restaurant in
the
ve town.”
most
expensi
ve

 Adjectives with two syllables that end in ‘-y’: change ‘-y’ to ‘-i’
and add ‘the’

earl the “He was the earliest person to

y earliest arrive” “It was the happiest time of
hap the my life.”
py happiest

 Adjectives that end with a vowel and a consonant: double the

final letter before adding ‘the’ + ‘-est’

b the “Russia is the biggest country in the

ig biggest world.” “August is usually the hottest
 h the summer month.”
o hottest
t

 Adjectives that are irregular:

go the best “She is the best student in our class.”
od
ba the worst “It was the worst storm in many years.”
d
far the “He lives the farthest/furthest from my
farthest home.”
the
furthest