In this section you will find information about comparative and superlative adjectives.
You will be able to differentiate what comparative and superlative adjectives are with the variety of examples included in each one.
What are comparative adjectives?
Comparative adjectives follow the structure noun + verb + comparative adjective + than + noun and are used to compare two or more people, things or places.
This bag is prettier than the one we saw on the TV.
The movie is more interesting than the book.
Your idea is worse than mine.
How to form comparative adjectives?
1-For one-syllable adjectives, you just add ‘-er’ to the adjective to form its comparative.
Soft = Softer
Tall = Taller
Fast = Faster
2-There are one-syllable adjectives that end in ‘-e’; you have to add ‘-r’.
Wise = Wiser
Safe = Safer
Nice = Nicer
3-There are one-syllable adjectives that end in consonant + vowel + consonant; you have to double the last letter and add ‘-er’.
Red = Redder
Fit = Fitter
Big = Bigger
4- For adjectives that have two or more syllables, you just add ‘more’ before the adjective to form its comparative.
Polite = More polite
Expensive = More expensive
Famous = More famous
5- There are two-syllable adjectives that end in ‘-y’; you have to remove the ‘-y’ and add ‘-ier’.
Noisy = Noisier
Busy = Busier
Easy = Easier
6-There are adjectives that end in ‘-ed’; you add ‘more’ before the adjective to form it comparative.
Interested = More interested
Excited = More excited
Bored = More bored
Further or farther can be used interchangeably and are used for physical distance.
My house is further than the school.
Further (not farther) also means supplementary.
The teacher provided further examples to explain the topic.
Exceptions
Coy = Coyer
Wry = Wryer
Sly = Slyer
Shy = Shyer
The opposite
Less is used to indicate that something has a lower degree compared to something else.
This suitcase is less expensive than the other one.
Other types of comparisons
-The + comparative adjective, + the + comparative.
The closer, the louder.
The older, the wiser.
The faster he ran, the stronger he got.
-Comparative + and + comparative.
She is getting worse and worse.
Lily became more and more famous.
What are superlative adjectives?
Superlative adjectives are used to compare three or more people, things or places in a group indicating that one of those nouns surpasses all others. They follow the structure the + superlative adjective + noun.
I am the tallest member of the family.
This is the most beautiful rose I have ever seen.
I think that’s the best option.
How to form superlative adjectives?
1-For one-syllable adjectives, you just add ‘-est’ to the adjective to form its superlative.
Soft = Softest
Tall = Tallest
Fast = Fastest
2-There are one-syllable adjectives that end in ‘-e’; you have to add ‘-st’.
Wise = Wisest
Safe = Safest
Nice = Nicest
3-There are one-syllable adjectives that end in consonant + vowel + consonant; you have to double the last letter and add ‘-est’.
Red = Reddest
Fit = Fittest
Big = Biggest
4- For adjectives that have two or more syllables, you just add ‘most’ before the adjective to form its superlative.
Polite = Most polite
Expensive = Most expensive
Famous = Most famous
5- There are two-syllable adjectives that end in ‘-y’; you have to remove the ‘-y’ and add ‘-iest’.
Noisy = Noisiest
Busy = Busiest
Easy = Easiest
6-There are adjectives that end in ‘-ed’; you add ‘most’ before the adjective to form it comparative.
Interested = Most interested
Excited = Most excited
Bored = Most bored
Furthest refers to distance, but a figurative distance.
Of all her dreams, the last one was the furthest from reality.
Farthest referst to a physical distance.
Laura’s house is the farthest of all houses.
The opposite
Least is used to indicate that something has a lowest degree compared to others.
This book is the least expensive in the store.
Read more about adjectives here.
Read more about types of adjectives here.