COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

Special forms of adjectives used to compare two or more things.

ONLY ONE SYLLABLE, WITH MORE THAN ONE VOWEL OR MORE THAN ONE CONSONANT AT THE END.
One syllable adjective

Comparative Form taller neater

Superlative Form tallest neatest

tall neat

long

longer

longest

tallest taller

tall

ONLY ONE SYLLABLE, WITH ONE VOWEL AND ONE CONSONANT AT THE END.
Syllable hot Comparatives hotter Superlatives hottest

big
fat

bigger
fatter

biggest
fattest

biggest
bigger big

ONLY ONE SYLLABLE, ENDING IN -E.

Syllable wide fine cute Comparative wider finer cuter Superlative widest finest cutest

wider
wide widest

TWO SYLLABLES, ENDING IN -Y. CHANGE Y TO -I

Syllable happy silly Comparative happier sillier Superlative happiest silliest

lonely

lonlier

lonliest

happy

happier

happiest

TWO SYLLABLES OR MORE, NOT ENDING IN Y.

Syllable modern interesting beautiful Comparative more modern more interesting more beautiful Superlative most modern most interesting most beautiful

beautiful

more beautiful

most beautiful

TWO SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES ENDING IN -ER, -LE, OR OW.

Sylable clever gentle Comparative cleverer gentler Superlative cleverest gentlest

narrow

narrower

narrowest

narrow

narrower

narrowest

ADJECTIVES WITH THREE OR MORE SYLLABLES

Syllable generous important intelligent Comparative more generous more important more intelligent Superlative most generous most important most intelligent

Oprah
important

Hilary Clinton more important

Barack Obama most important

IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES: EXCEPTIONS

Comparative good bad far little many better worse further less more Superlative best worst furthest least most

good

better

best

TWO SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES THAT FOLLOW TWO RULES: EXCEPTIONS

Syllable clever clever gentle gentle friendly friendly quiet quiet simple Comparative cleverer more clever gentler more gentle friendlier more friendly quieter more quiet simpler Superlative cleverest most clever gentlest most gentle friendliest most friendly quietest most quiet simplest

simple

more simple

most simple

HOW DO WE KNOW WHICH ONE TO USE?

Comparatives are used to compare two things. You can use sentences with than, or you can use a conjunction like but.
Mike is taller than Susie. Susie is tall, but Mke is taller.

Superlatives are used to compare more than two things. Superlative sentences usually use the, because there is only one superlative.
Will is the tallest in the class. Susie is tall, and Mike is taller, but Will is the tallest.

Example: John is (tall) taller than Pedro.

Tall is a one syllable adjective with more than one consonant at the end. It is a comparison because of the keyword than. Now we know to add er to the end.

John Pedro

1. My house is (big) ________________ than yours.

2. This flower is (beautiful) ________________ than that one.

3. This is the (interesting) ________________ book I have ever read. 4. Which is the (dangerous) ___________________ animal in the world? 5. An A+ on a test is (good) __________________ than a B-. 6. Who is the (rich) ______________________ person on earth? 7. The weather this summer is the (good)______________ it has ever been. 8. He is the (clever) _________________ thief of all.

9. The Great Dane is (tall) __________________ than the Chihuahua.

10. The history test is (easy) _________________ than the math test.

ANSWERS

1. My house is (big) ____bigger______ than yours.

2. This flower is (beautiful) ___more beautiful_______ than that one. 3. This is the (interesting) ___most interesting___ book I have ever read. 4. Which is the (dangerous) ___most dangerous______ animal in the world? 5. An A+ on a test is (good) ____better________ than a B-. 6. Who is the (rich) _____richest_______ person on earth? 7. The weather this summer is the (good)___best___ it has ever been.

8. He is the (clever) ____cleverest/ most clever______ thief of all.

9. The Great Dane is (tall) ____taller____ than the Chihuahua. 10. The history test is (easy) __easier___ than the math test.