THE COMPARATIVE AND THE SUPERLATIVE

COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVES
Comparative adjectives are used to compare differences between the two objects they modify (larger, smaller, faster, higher). They are used in sentences where two
nouns are compared, in this pattern:
Noun (subject) + verb + comparative adjective + than + noun (object).
The second item of comparison can be omitted if it is clear from the context (final example below).
EXAMPLES

My house is larger than hers.

This box is smaller than the one I lost.

Your dog runs faster than Jim's dog.

The rock flew higher than the roof.

Jim and Jack are both my friends, but I like Jack better. ("than Jim" is understood)
SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES
Superlative adjectives are used to describe an object which is at the upper or lower limit of a quality (the tallest, the smallest, the fastest, the highest). They are used in
sentences where a subject is compared to a group of objects.
Noun (subject) + verb + the + superlative adjective + noun (object).
The group that is being compared with can be omitted if it is clear from the context (final example below).
EXAMPLES

My house is the largest one in our neighborhood.

This is the smallest box I've ever seen.

Your dog ran the fastest of any dog in the race.

We all threw our rocks at the same time. My rock flew the highest. ("of all the rocks" is understood)
FORMING REGULAR COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES
Forming comparatives and superlatives is easy. The form depends on the number of syllables in the original adjective.
ONE SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES
Add -er for the comparative and -est for the superlative. If the adjective has a consonant + single vowel + consonant spelling, the final consonant must be doubled before
adding the ending.
Adjective

Comparative

Superlative

tall

taller

tallest

fat

fatter

fattest

big

bigger

biggest

sad

sadder

saddest

TWO SYLLABLES
Adjectives with two syllables can form the comparative either by adding -er or by preceeding the adjective with more. These adjectives form the superlative either by
adding -est or by preceeding the adjective with most. In many cases, both forms are used, although one usage will be more common than the other. If you are not sure
whether a two-syllable adjective can take a comparative or superlative ending, play it safe and use moreand most instead. For adjectives ending in y, change the y to an
i before adding the ending.
Adjective

Comparative

Superlative

happy

happier

happiest

simple

simpler

simplest

busy

busier

busiest

tilted

more tilted

most tilted

tangled

more tangled

most tangled

THREE OR MORE SYLLABLES

Adjectives with three or more syllables form the comparative by putting more in front of the adjective, and the superlative by putting most in front.
Adjective

Comparative

Superlative

important

more important

most important

expensive

more expensive

most expensive

IRREGULAR COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

These very common adjectives have completely irregular comparative and superlative forms.
Adjective

Comparative

Superlative

good

better

best

bad

worse

worst

little

less

least

much

more

most

far

further / farther

furthest / farthest

EXAMPLES

Today is the worst day I've had in a long time.

You play tennis better than I do.

This is the least expensive sweater in the store.

This sweater is less expensive than that one.

I ran pretty far yesterday, but I ran even farther today.

Case

Adjective Comparative Form

Superlative Form
1-syllable adjectives ending in "e"

1. Tokyo is
than Shanghai. (large)
2. Europe is
than South America. (small)
3. The Amazon river is
than the Mississipi river. (long)
4. Antarctica is
than Africa. (cold)
5. The Caspian sea is
than lake Michigan. (deep)
6. Brazil is
than Norway. (hot)
7. Andagoya, Colombia, is
than Santiago, Chile. (wet)
8. The Atlantic ocean is
than the Mediterranean. (wide)
9. The Aconcagua, in South America, is
than Mt. McKinley, in North America. (tall)
10.The Niger river is
than the Congo river. (short)

close
closer
closest
huge
huger
hugest
large
larger
largest
strange
stranger strangest
wise
wiser
wisest
1-syllable adjectives ending in a consonant with
a single vowel preceding it
big
bigger
biggest
fat
fatter
fattest
red
redder
reddest
sad
sadder
saddest
thin
thinner
thinnest
1-syllable adjectives ending in "y"
dry
drier
driest
spry
sprier/spryer
spriest/spryest
wry
wrier/wryer wriest/wryest
1-syllable adjectives,
other cases
fast
faster
great
greater
quick
quicker
short
shorter
tall
taller
2-syllable adjectives
ending in "e"

bumpier
heavier
icier
shinier
tinier

bumpiest
heaviest
iciest
shiniest
tiniest

Non-smokers usually
live (long)
than
smokers.

5.

Which is
the (dangerous)
animal in the world?
A holiday by the sea
is (good)
than a
holiday in the mountains.

7.

It is strange but often

a coke
is (expensive)
tha

3. Select the correct option.

1. Jim Carrey is than Rob Schneider. (funny)
2. The TV series Vampire Diaries is than
Supernatural. (popular)
3. A sloth is than a tortoise. (slow)
4. Men are than chimpanzees. (intelligent)
5. Trains are than cars. (fast)
6. Cristiano Ronaldo plays football than Figo.
(good)

2-syllable adjectives ending in "le", or "ow"

able
abler
ablest
gentle
gentler
gentlest
hollow
hollower hollowest
narrow
narrower narrowest
shallow
shallower shallowest
simple
simpler
simplest
2 or more syllable adjectives, other cases
beautiful
colorful
complete
complete
delicious
generous
generous
important
important

4.

6.

1. Gold is
than silver. (expensive)
2. Reality TV programmes are
than chat shows. (interesting)
3. Science is difficult but Maths is
. (difficult)
4. I think that Halle Berry is
than Sharon Stone. (beautiful)
5. Tigers are
than crocodiles. (dangerous)

This is
the (interesting)
ook I have ever read.

2. Complete the sentences. Use the

comparative forms of the long adjectives.

fastest
greatest
quickest
shortest
tallest

fickle
fickler
ficklest
handsome handsomerhandsomest
polite
politer
politest
2-syllable adjectives
ending in "y"
bumpy
heavy
icy
shiny
tiny

3.

more beautiful
more colorful
more complete

most beautiful
most colorful
most

more delicious
more generous

most delicious
most

more important

most

Irregular and confusing adjectives

bad
worse
worst
far (place) farther
farthest
far (place or time)
further
furthest
good
better
best
late (time) later
latest
late (order) latter
last
little (size) littler
littlest
little (amount)
less
least
many/much/some
more
most
old (people or things) older
oldest
old (people)
elder
eldest
1. Complete the sentences. Use the
comparative forms of the short adjectives.

n a beer.
8.

Who is
the (rich)

woman

on earth?

Fill in the correct form of

the words in brackets
(comparative or
superlative).
1.

My house
is (big)

9.

The weather this

summer is
even (bad)
than
last summer.

than

10.

bigger

He was
the (clever)

yours.
2.

This flower
is (beautiful)
that one.

of all.
than

thief

Guayaquil, ciudad que pasa de los dos millones cien mil habitantes, es nervio vital de la economa
del pas, a pesar de las catstrofes viales, habitacionales y enfermedades debido a los
fenmenos naturales.
La celebracin hoy, para recordar su fundacin, indica capacidad institucionalista y democrtica
de trabajo, y laboriosidad industrial, cultural y turstica al servicio de la Patria.
Sus hechos histricos, decisiones polticas y sociales, sus valores humanos, cientficos, literarios
y artsticos, revelan encarnacin de pensamiento y reflexin. Sus hombres y mujeres han
aportado con lecciones de honor y optimismo para forjar una nacin libre y visionaria.
El sistema fluvial y los subsistemas, la concentracin demogrfica por la migracin, sus industrias,
los problemas del agro, la fauna y la flora frente a la contaminacin son problemas por resolverse;
pero enriquecen a la ciudad el Malecn 2.000 y obras provinciales que avivan el fuego sagrado y
el culto a la unidad. Guayaquil, puerto fluvial y martimo, es rea conservadora de historia y
prosperidad.
La arquitectura o "regeneracin urbana" del centro es lazo que une a los ciudadanos de toda
ndole para la cultura, signo de identidad motivante para la creacin artstica.
Guayaquil y la provincia, se encuentra celebrando un ao ms de su fundacin con eventos
culturales, deportivos, sociales, artsticos, inauguracin de obras y participacin de los
guayaquileos y ms habitantes de otras provincias residentes en la ciudad. Inclusive de aquellos
que viven en contacto con la naturaleza y poseen aprendizaje tradicional y estn condicionados
por las necesidades que crea la vida aislada.
En medio de contrastes sociales y econmicos, el proceso se desarrolla con causa comn para
resolver los problemas. El sentido actual invita a solidarizarse basados en la responsabilidad
poltica y econmica requerida por las mayoras.
Una buena poltica contribuye a que los ciudadanos colaboren para resolver los problemas de la
pobreza, el pandillaje, la violencia. Se propiciarn nuevos rumbos para las transformaciones y las
libertades pblicas y econmicas actuales. Los guayaquileos, segn importantes estudios viven
los instantes huidizos, los que no regresan, inspirndose en aquello de que "se ama el da tropical
que nunca vuelve".

En Guayaquil, ciudad pujante, se concentra la historia enraizada al mar

y al presente fervoroso, junto al eco obstinado que sosiega cuando el sol
de la tarde se desplaza inexorable.
Con ocasin de un aniversario ms de su fundacin, nuestro saludo
patritico a la Perla del Pacfico; nuestra ponderacin al esfuerzo de sus
autoridades y pueblo en general y a la voluntad visionaria que superen
escollos y continen las obras facilitando sus demandas.