Do you know how to use comparative and superlative adjectives? These words pop up all the time in English conversations, but did you know there are several rules for forming comparatives and superlatives?
In today’s blog post, we will look at how to form comparative and superlative adjectives in English.
Don’t forget, Intrepid English Members can download a Comparatives and Superlatives cheat sheet in the Intrepid English Academy , and complete the practice activities!
What are comparative adjectives?
Adjectives are describing words (such as tall, short, big, beautiful, sunny, delicious). When we compare two nouns (objects, places, people or animals), we can use a comparative adjective.
How do we form comparative adjectives?
There are a few different ways to form comparatives. Let’s take a look.
For short adjectives (for example, tall, short, long), add ‘-er’.
Jack is taller than Harry.
I am shorter than my sister.
The journey to Edinburgh is longer than the journey to London.
For adjectives ending in ‘y’, (for example easy, sunny, happy), change the ‘y’ for ‘-ier’.
I think that geography is easier than science.
The weather is sunnier today than it was yesterday.
Julian is much happier now that he has started his new job.
For longer adjectives, (for example, exciting, intelligent, delicious), use the base form of the adjective with ‘more’.
Let’s look at some example sentences:
The first series was more exciting than the second series.
Jerry is more intelligent than Jim.
The food in this new restaurant is more delicious than the old one.
As…as
To say that two things are equal we can use as [adjective in simple form] as.
For example:
My brothers are twins. Jack is as old as Harry.
We can also use it in a negative sense. Amy is 26. Joe is 25. Joe isn’t as old as Amy.
What are superlative adjectives?
When we want to talk about the top thing in a group of nouns, we use a superlative adjective.
How do we form superlative adjectives?
Superlative adjectives always begin with ‘the’. There are a few different ways to form superlatives. Let’s take a look.
For short adjectives, (for example, high, old, strong), add -est.
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
My grandma is the oldest person in my family.
Michael is the strongest person on the team.
For short adjectives ending in -y, (for example, funny, healthy, wealthy), take off the -y and add -iest.
Michael McIntyre is one of the funniest comedians in the UK.
I feel the healthiest I’ve ever felt since I started eating more fruit and vegetables.
Carlos Slim is one of the wealthiest men in the world.
For longer adjectives, (for example, expensive, difficult, amazing) use ‘most’ with the simple form of the adjective.
They ordered the most expensive wine on the menu.
The conclusion was the most difficult part of the essay.
That was the most amazing concert I’ve ever been to!
Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives
There are three irregular comparatives and superlatives, and these are ‘good’, ‘bad’, and ‘far’.
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
| good | better | the best |
| bad | worse | the worst |
| far | farther/further | the farthest/the furthest |
If you enjoyed this blog post, you may also find our blog posts on Adjectives ending in -ed and -ing and Extreme Adjectives useful!
Practice activity 1
Fill in the table below with the comparative and superlative form of the adjectives. For extra practice, why not try writing your own example sentences with each adjective?
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
| gorgeous | ||
| hilarious | ||
| silly | ||
| scary | ||
| cold | ||
| weird | ||
| fantastic | ||
| healthy | ||
| fit | ||
| dirty | ||
| clean |
Practice activity 2
Essay question: Imagine you are going to go on holiday. Think of two options of places to go. Then, write a small paragraph comparing the two places. Think about the food, weather, price, activities. Use comparatives and superlatives in your answer.
For example: We can go to Cancun, Mexico, or Paris, France. I might say: “In Paris, the weather is colder than in Cancun, but the flight is cheaper and shorter. The Eiffel Tower is one of the most famous buildings in the world, and Paris is more romantic than Cancun, but Cancun might be more relaxing. In Cancun, the weather will be sunnier, and Mexico is known for having some of the most delicious and flavourful food in the world.”
Are you an Intrepid English Member? Download your pdf worksheet in the Fast Grammar course in the Intrepid English Academy.
Not a member yet? Book a trial lesson today and chat to a friendly and experienced Intrepid English Teacher to find out if online English lessons are right for you.