Three Degrees of Adjectives
| Degree | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Basic description | tall, interesting |
| Comparative | Compare two things | taller, more interesting |
| Superlative | Highest/lowest of three or more | the tallest, the most interesting |
Forming Comparatives and Superlatives
One-syllable adjectives → add -er / -est
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| tall | taller | the tallest |
| cold | colder | the coldest |
| big* | bigger | the biggest |
| nice** | nicer | the nicest |
*double the final consonant if it follows a short vowel; **drop the -e
Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y → change y to -ier / -iest
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| happy | happier | the happiest |
| easy | easier | the easiest |
Two or more syllables → use more / most
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| interesting | more interesting | the most interesting |
| beautiful | more beautiful | the most beautiful |
Irregular forms
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| good | better | the best |
| bad | worse | the worst |
| far | farther / further | the farthest / furthest |
| little | less | the least |
| much / many | more | the most |
Sentence Patterns
- Comparative: A is …er/more… than B — Tom is taller than Emma.
- Superlative: A is the …est/most… in/of… — She is the best student in the class.
- Equal comparison: A is as … as B — This bag is as heavy as that one.
- Less than: A is less … than B — This film is less exciting than the book.
Real world: product review
The Samsung Galaxy is faster than last year's model, but the new iPhone has the best camera of all the smartphones tested. The OnePlus is less expensive than the Samsung but performs better than expected.
Real world: property listing
This two-bedroom flat is bigger than the studio apartment but cheaper than the penthouse. It is the most affordable home in the building, located on the highest floor available at this price.
Real world: travel guide
The Eiffel Tower is taller than the Statue of Liberty. Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. The Amazon is the longest river in South America.
Practice Problems
Write the comparative and superlative of 'hot'.
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Write the comparative and superlative of 'expensive'.
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Write the comparative and superlative of 'good'.
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Complete: This test was ___ (difficult) than yesterday's test.