1.3 Comparison - Comparative and Superlative Degreee
04/04/2010 18:39
| Comparative | Superlative | |
| 1. Adjectives of one syllable add | -er | -est |
| 2. Adjectives of two syllables generally add | -er | -est |
| 3. Adjectives of two syllables ending in -ful, -re, -ed use | more | the most |
| 4. Adjectives of three or more syllables use | more | the most |
| Comparative | Superlative | Notes on Spelling | |
| small | smaller | the smallest | |
| cheap | cheaper | the cheapest | |
| nice | nicer | the nicest | adjectives ending in -e only add -r and -st |
| large | larger | the largest | |
| hot | hotter | the hottest | some adjectives double the final consonant |
| sad | sadder | the saddest | |
| big | bigger | the biggest | |
| dry | drier | the driest | final -y becomes i |
| narrow | narrower | the narrowest | |
| tender | tenderer | the tenderest | |
| clever | cleverer | the cleverest | |
| simple | simpler | the simplest | adjectives ending in -e only add -r and -st |
| polite | politer | the politest | |
| busy | busier | the busiest | |
| pretty | prettier | the prettiest | final -y becomes i |
| happy | happier | the happiest | |
| useful | more useful | the most useful | |
| careful | more careful | the most careful | |
| obscure | more obscure | the most obscure | |
| secure | more secure | the most secure | |
| pleased | more pleased | the most pleased | |
| learned | more learned | the most learned | |
| expensive | more expensive | the most expensive | |
| beautiful | more beautiful | the most beautiful | |
| difficult | more difficult | the most difficult | |
| important | more important | the most important |
Comparative:
1.
- You are older than your brother.
- Our garden is larger than yours.
- I am bigger than you.
- Jane is shier than Joe.
2.
- Is he cleverer than you?
- John is politer than Pam.
- My sister is heavier than you.
3.
- She is more careful than he is.
- I am more pleased than you.
4.
- Happiness is more important than money.
Superlative:
1.
- Who is the oldest in the class?
- The Russia is the largest country.
- He is the biggest person I know.
- Jack is the shiest of our family.
2.
- The cleverest people do not always get the best jobs.
- He is the politest boy I´ve ever seen.
- He is the heaviest boxer.
4.
- Ann is the most careful driver.
- Pat was the most pleased with her present.
5.
- Is that the most important thing?
Advice: If you are in doubt about the comparative or superlative af adjectives of two syllables, always use more or the most.
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In my opinion Scotland is good at football, but Germany is better, and Brazil is the best.
Irregular Forms:
| good/well | better | the best |
| bad/ill | worse | the worst |
| little | less | least |
| much | more | the most |
| many | more | the most |
Comparative:
- She was quite ill yesterday, but she is even worse today.
- We had to work more for less money.
- Give me some more meat, please.
Superlative:
- The worst of the storm is over.
- There isn´t the least wind today.
- Jill has made the most mistakes.
Some adjectives have more than one comparative and superlative form:
| far | farther | the farthest |
| further | - | |
| late | later | the last (final) |
| - | the latest (most recent) | |
| old | older | the oldest |
| elder | the eldest |
- Edinburgh is farther from Brussels than York.
- Do you want any further information?
Note: FARTHER and FURTHER both indicate distance.
FURTHER can also mean more, more advanced.
- I like this film better than the least one.
- What do you think of the latest film?
- The last letters of the alphabet are X, Y, Z.
- Mr Robbins said that his latest novel will be his last one.
Note: LAST means before this one or at the end of a series.
LATEST is used for things which are new.
- I am older than Kelly.
- He is the oldest inhabitant of Dover.
- John is my elder brother.
- Who is the eldest in your family?
Note: ELDER and ELDEST are used without "than" for comparison within a family.
Advice: Use AS with a degree of equality.
Use THAN after a comparative.
Use THE before a superlative.
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