Comparison

of
Adjectives

Adjectives have
three degrees
of comparison:

The Positive

The Comparative

Is used to
describe an
object / a person

Is used to describe Is used to

two objects /
describe
person
more than two
objects / persons
Examples:
Examples:
1) Lisa is taller
1) Mary is the
than Rita.
tallest of the
three girls.
2) The snail is
smaller than
2) The caterpillar
the tortoise
is the smallest
of the three
3) Abdul is fatter
than Ali.
3) Ahmad is the
fattest of the
three.

Examples:
1) Rita is tall.
2) The tortoise
is small.
3) Ali is fat.

The Superlative

Formation of the
comparative
and the superlatives

(a) Forming the comparatives and the superlatives using er and est
POSITIVE
bold
brave
clean
clever
cold
dark
dear
fine
free
great
high
kind

long
near
new
old
poor
quiet
rich
quick
sharp
slow
weak
white

COMPARATIVE
bolder
braver
cleaner
cleverer
colder
darker
dearer
finer
freer
greater
higher
kinder

longer
nearer
newer
older
poorer
quieter
richer
quicker
sharper
slower
weaker
whiter

SUPERLATIVE
boldest
bravest
cleanest
cleverest
coldest
darkest
dearest
finest
freest
greatest
highest
kindest

longest
nearest
newest
oldest
poorest
quietest
richest
quickest
sharpest
slowest
weakest
whitest

(b) Forming the comparatives and the superlatives of words ending

with y use -ier and iest.
POSITIVE
dirty
early
easy
funny
happy
heavy
hungry
lazy
merry
naughty
noisy
ugly
wealthy

COMPARATIVE
dirtier
earlier
easier
funnier
happier
heavier
hungrier
lazier
merrier
naughtier
noisier
uglier
wealthier

SUPERLATIVE
dirtiest
earliest
easiest
funniest
happiest
heaviest
hungriest
laziest
merriest
naughtiest
noisiest
ugliest
wealthiest

(c) To form the comparative and superlative of some adjectives, the

last letter must be doubled.
POSITIVE
big
dull
fat
hot
mad
red
sad
tall
thin
wet

COMPARATIVE
bigger
duller
fatter
hotter
madder
redder
sadder
taller
thinner
wetter

SUPERLATIVE
biggest
dullest
fattest
hottest
maddest
reddest
saddest
tallest
thinnest
wettest

(d) If the positive ends in y there is a vowel before it, the y is not
changed. Add er to the comparative and est to the superlative.
POSITIVE
gay
grey

COMPARATIVE
gayer
greyer

SUPERLATIVE
gayest
greyest

(e) To form the comparative and superlative by changing the spellng

of the positive.
POSITIVE
Bad
Far

COMPARATIVE
Worse
farther

SUPERLATIVE
Worst
farthest