What Are Comparatives and Superlatives?
When we want to compare things in English, we change the form of adjectives:
- Comparative: Compares TWO things. "This book is bigger than that one."
- Superlative: Compares THREE or more things. "This is the biggest book in the library."
How to Form Comparatives
Short Adjectives (1 syllable): Add -er
| Adjective | Comparative |
|---|---|
| tall | taller |
| old | older |
| fast | faster |
| cheap | cheaper |
| warm | warmer |
Spelling rules:
- Adjective ends in -e: add -r (nice → nicer, large → larger)
- Short vowel + consonant: double the consonant (big → bigger, hot → hotter, thin → thinner)
- Adjective ends in -y: change y to -ier (happy → happier, easy → easier)
Long Adjectives (2+ syllables): Use "more"
| Adjective | Comparative |
|---|---|
| beautiful | more beautiful |
| expensive | more expensive |
| interesting | more interesting |
| comfortable | more comfortable |
Comparative Sentences
Use than after the comparative:
- She is taller than her brother.
- This movie is more interesting than the first one.
- English is easier than Chinese.
How to Form Superlatives
Short Adjectives: Add -est (with "the")
| Adjective | Superlative |
|---|---|
| tall | the tallest |
| old | the oldest |
| fast | the fastest |
| big | the biggest |
| happy | the happiest |
Long Adjectives: Use "the most"
| Adjective | Superlative |
|---|---|
| beautiful | the most beautiful |
| expensive | the most expensive |
| interesting | the most interesting |
Superlative Sentences
Always use the before the superlative:
- She is the tallest student in the class.
- This is the most expensive restaurant in the city.
- What is the longest river in the world?
Irregular Forms
Some very common adjectives have completely irregular forms:
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| good | better | the best |
| bad | worse | the worst |
| far | farther/further | the farthest/furthest |
| much/many | more | the most |
| little | less | the least |
- This pizza is better than the one we had yesterday.
- That was the worst movie I have ever seen.
- She has more experience than him.
Other Useful Comparison Structures
As...As (Showing Equality)
- She is as tall as her mother. (They are the same height.)
- This test isn't as difficult as the last one. (The last one was harder.)
Not as...as (Showing Difference)
- My apartment is not as big as yours. (Yours is bigger.)
Less...than
- This book is less interesting than that one. (The other one is more interesting.)
Example Sentences
- A cheetah is faster than a horse.
- The Nile is the longest river in Africa.
- My new phone is better than my old one.
- Summer is hotter than spring.
- She is the most intelligent person I know.
- Is Chinese more difficult than English?
- This is the best coffee I've ever had!
- He is not as old as he looks.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Double comparative
- Wrong:
more bigger, more better - Correct: bigger, better (don't use "more" AND "-er")
Mistake 2: Forgetting "the" with superlatives
- Wrong:
She is tallest in the class. - Correct: She is the tallest in the class.
Mistake 3: Forgetting "than" with comparatives
- Wrong:
He is taller me. - Correct: He is taller than me.
Mistake 4: Using -er/-est with long adjectives
- Wrong:
beautifuller, expensivest - Correct: more beautiful, the most expensive
Mistake 5: Irregular forms
- Wrong:
gooder, goodest, badder - Correct: better, the best, worse
Practice Tips
- Compare things around you: "My phone is smaller than my tablet. My laptop is the biggest."
- Compare people you know: "My sister is older than me. My father is the tallest in the family."
- Learn the irregulars first: Good/better/best and bad/worse/worst are used constantly.
- Practice with quiz questions: "What is the highest mountain in the world? What is the most spoken language?"