General Rule:
In English, when we compare two things or two people, we often use the comparative forms of adjectives or adverbs, for example:
My car is faster than my friend's car.
When we compare more than two things, we often use the superlative forms, for example:
This car is the fastest car in the world.
The Comparative Form :
The comparative form is made by adding -er to the short adjectives or more before the long adjectives and then add than.Examples:
- He's much more intelligent than his sister.
- A bicycle is cheaper than a car.
The Superlative Form :
The superlative form is made by adding the before the adjective then -est or the most before the long adjective.Examples:
- Oxford and Cambridge are the oldest universities in Britain.
- This is the most delicious meal I have ever eaten!
Forming the Comparative or Superlative :
How these forms are created depends on how many syllables there are in the adjective. For instance, "run" contains one syllable, but "running" contains two: run and ing.
Here are the rules:
| ADJECTIVE FORM | COMPARATIVE | SUPERLATIVE |
|---|---|---|
| One-syllable adjectives. Ex: old, fast | Add -ER: older, faster. | Add -EST: oldest , fastest |
| Only one syllable, with one vowel and one consonant at the end. [CVC] Ex: big, fat | They double the consonant, and add - ER -ER: bigger, fatter. | They double the consonant, and add -EST: biggest, fattest |
| One syllable, ending in E. Ex: fine, wide | Just add -R: finer, wider. | Add -ST: finest, widest. |
| Two syllables, ending in Y. Ex: funny, easy | Change Y to I , then add -ER: funnier, easier. | Change Y to I , then add -EST: funniest, easiest. |
| Two syllables or more. Ex: boring, interesting | Use MORE before the adjective: more boring, more interesting. | Use MOST before the adjective: most boring, most interesting. |
Some comparatives and superlatives have irregular forms :
| ADJECTIVES | COMPARATIVE | SUPERLATIVE |
|---|---|---|
| GOOD | BETTER THAN | THE BEST |
| WELL | BETTER THAN | BETTER THAN |
| BAD | WORSE THAN | THE WORST |
| FAR | FARTHER / FURTHER THAN | THE FARTHEST / FURTHEST |
| LITTLE | LESS THAN | THE LEAST |
| MANY | MORE THAN | THE MOST |
After reading this lesson you may want to do some exercises, then click HERE.