Comparison of Adjectives: Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

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Comparative and superlative adjectives are used to compare the qualities of two or more people, places, or things. Comparative adjectives are used to compare two things, while superlative adjectives are used to compare three or more things. In English grammar, there are specific rules for forming comparative and superlative adjectives and using them correctly in a sentence. In this article, we will explore the proper usage of comparative and superlative adjectives and provide examples and exercises to help you master this important aspect of English grammar.

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Comparative adjectives

Comparative adjectives are used to compare the qualities of two things. They are formed by adding “-er” to the end of short adjectives or by using the word “more” before long adjectives. For example:

• “She is taller than him.” In this sentence, “taller” is a comparative adjective comparing the height of two people.
• “That car is more expensive than this one.” In this sentence, “more expensive” is a comparative adjective comparing the cost of two cars.

Superlative adjectives

Superlative adjectives are used to compare the qualities of three or more things. They are formed by adding “-est” to the end of short adjectives or by using the word “most” before long adjectives. For example:

• “She is the tallest person in the room.” In this sentence, “tallest” is a superlative adjective comparing the height of three or more people.
• “That is the most expensive car in the lot.” In this sentence, “most expensive” is a superlative adjective comparing the cost of three or more cars.

How they are used in English grammar

In English grammar, comparative and superlative adjectives are used to compare the qualities of people, places, or things. They are used to show a difference or a degree of comparison between two or more things. For example:

• “She is taller than him.” In this sentence, “taller” is a comparative adjective comparing the height of two people.
• “That is the most expensive car in the lot.” In this sentence, “most expensive” is a superlative adjective comparing the cost of three or more cars.

Comparative and superlative adjectives are often used in sentences with the words “than” and “the” to show a comparison between two or more things. It is important to use comparative and superlative adjectives correctly in a sentence in order to effectively communicate and compare the qualities of people, places, or things.

Forming Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

In English grammar, there are specific rules for forming comparative and superlative adjectives.

Short adjectives

Short adjectives (one syllable or two syllables ending in “y”): To form the comparative form of a short adjective, add “-er” to the end of the word. To form the superlative form, add “-est” to the end of the word. For example:

• “Short” becomes “shorter” (comparative) and “shortest” (superlative).
• “Tall” becomes “taller” (comparative) and “tallest” (superlative).
• “Happy” becomes “happier” (comparative) and “happiest” (superlative).

Long adjectives

Long adjectives (three or more syllables): To form the comparative form of a long adjective, use the word “more” before the adjective. To form the superlative form, use the word “most” before the adjective. For example:

• “Expensive” becomes “more expensive” (comparative) and “most expensive” (superlative).
• “Intelligent” becomes “more intelligent” (comparative) and “most intelligent” (superlative).
• “Beautiful” becomes “more beautiful” (comparative) and “most beautiful” (superlative).

Irregular adjectives

Irregular adjectives: Some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms. These forms do not follow the rules for short or long adjectives. Here are some common irregular adjectives:

• “Good” becomes “better” (comparative) and “best” (superlative).
• “Bad” becomes “worse” (comparative) and “worst” (superlative).
• “Far” becomes “further” (comparative) and “furthest” (superlative).

It is important to use the correct form of comparative and superlative adjectives in a sentence in order to effectively compare the qualities of people, places, or things. Using the wrong form of a comparative or superlative adjective can change the meaning of the sentence and lead to confusion

Using Comparative and Superlative Adjectives Correctly

In English grammar, it is important to use comparative and superlative adjectives correctly in a sentence. Here are some guidelines for proper usage:

Placement in a sentence

Comparative and superlative adjectives are usually placed before the noun they modify. For example:

• “She is the smarter of the two sisters.” In this sentence, “smarter” is a comparative adjective modifying the noun “sisters.”
• “That is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen.” In this sentence, “most beautiful” is a superlative adjective modifying the noun “dress.”

Agreement with the noun they modify

Comparative and superlative adjectives should agree with the noun they modify in number and gender. For example:

• “She is the prettiest girl in the class.” In this sentence, “prettiest” is a superlative adjective modifying the noun “girl.” “Prettiest” is the correct form because it agrees with the noun “girl” in both number (singular) and gender (feminine).
• “They are the tallest boys in the school.” In this sentence, “tallest” is a superlative adjective modifying the noun “boys.” “Tallest” is the correct form because it agrees with the noun “boys” in both number (plural) and gender (masculine).

Examples of correct usage

Here are some examples of correct usage of comparative and superlative adjectives in a sentence:

• “That is the most delicious meal I have ever had.” In this sentence, “most delicious” is a superlative adjective modifying the noun “meal.”
• “He is the taller of the two brothers.” In this sentence, “taller” is a comparative adjective modifying the noun “brothers.”
• “She is the most beautiful woman I have ever met.” In this sentence, “most beautiful” is a superlative adjective modifying the noun “woman.”

It is important to use comparative and superlative adjectives correctly in a sentence in order to effectively compare the qualities of people, places, or things. Using them incorrectly or misplacing them can change the meaning of the sentence and lead to confusion.

Comparison of Adjectives | Rules

The comparative form is used to compare two people, ideas, or things.

Adjectives with one syllable:

1. Usually add “er“

• Fast => faster
• Cheap => cheaper
• Clear => clearer
• loud => louder
• new => newer
• rich => richer
• short => shorter
• thick => thicker
• old => older
• tall => taller
• slow => slower

2. Ending in –e: add “r”

• large => larger
• wide => wider
• wise => wiser
• nice => nicer

3. Ending in a vowel + a consonant: double the consonant, add “er”

• big      => bigger
• fat      => fatter
• fit      => fitter

Adjectives with two syllables and the following endings:

1. Two syllables not ending in -y, -ow, -le, -er: more + adjective

• polite => more polite
• helpful => more helpful
• useful => more useful
• obscure => more obscure

2. Some two-syllable adjectives, especially ending in –y: y => i, add “er”

• hungry => hungrier
• happy => happier
• pretty => prettier
• heavy => heavier
• angry => angrier
• dirty => dirtier
• funny => funnier

3. Some two-syllable adjectives ending in –ow: add “er”

• narrow => narrower
• shallow => shallower

4. Some two-syllable adjectives ending in –o: add “r”

• humble => humbler
• gentle => gentler

5. Some two-syllable adjectives ending in –er: add “er”

• clever => cleverer

Adjectives with three syllables or more: more + adjective

• interesting => more interesting
• comfortable => more comfortable
• beautiful => more beautiful
• difficult => more difficult
• dangerous => more dangerous
• expensive => more expensive
• popular => more popular
• complicated => more complicated
• confident => more confident

How to use the Comparative form in Sentences:

• He is taller than me.
• This puzzle is easier than the last one.
• The book was more interesting than the film.

The Superlative Form of Adjectives

The superlative is used to say what thing or person has the most of a particular quality within a group or of its kind.

Adjectives with one syllable:

1. Usually add “est“

• Fast => fastest
• Cheap => cheapest
• Clear => clearest
• loud => loudest
• new => newest
• rich => richest
• short => shortest
• thick => thickest
• old => oldest
• tall => tallest
• slow => slowest

2. Ending in –e: add “st”

• large => largest
• wide => widest
• wise => wisest
• nice => nicest

3. Ending in a vowel + a consonant: double the consonant, add “est”

• big => biggest
• fat => fattest
• fit => fittest

Adjectives with two syllables and the following endings:

1. Two syllables not ending in -y, -ow, -le, -er: most + adjective

• polite => most polite
• helpful => most helpful
• useful => most useful
• obscure => most obscure

2. Some two-syllable adjectives, especially ending in –y: y => i, add “est”

• hungry => hungriest
• happy => happiest
• pretty => prettiest
• heavy => heaviest
• angry => angriest
• dirty => dirtiest
• funny => funniest

3. Some two syllable adjectives ending in –ow: add “est”

• narrow => narrowest
• shallow => shallowest

4. Some two-syllable adjectives ending in –o: add “st”

• humble => humblest
• gentle => gentlest

5. Some two-syllable adjectives ending in –er: add “est”

• clever => cleverest

Adjectives with three syllables or more: most + adjective

• interesting => most interesting
• comfortable => most comfortable
• beautiful => most beautiful
• difficult => most difficult
• dangerous => most dangerous
• expensive => most expensive
• popular => most popular
• complicated => most complicated
• confident => most confident

How to use the Superlative form in Sentences:

• He was the tallest boy in the class.
• This puzzle is the easiest in the whole book.
• It’s the most interesting book I’ve ever read.

The Positive Form of Adjectives

The positive form is used in cases where there are no differences between the two compared things or persons. To form the positive, we use the word as before and after the absolute form of the adjective.

For Examples:

• as short as
• as polite as
• as friendly as

How to use the Positive form in Sentences:

• Reading is as enjoyable as writing.
• The results were as conclusive as in previous studies.
• Finding participants for the study was not as easy as I thought.
• Her level of expertise was not as extensive as her employer had hoped.

Irregular Forms in Comparison of Adjectives

When comparing adjectives, the regular forms are formed by adding -er for the comparative form and -est for the superlative form. However, some adjectives have irregular forms when used in comparisons. These forms must be memorized or looked up in a dictionary. Examples of irregular comparative and superlative forms include:

• good – better – best
• bad – worse – worst
• little – less – least
• much – more – most
• far – farther/further – farthest/furthest