Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparatives and Superlatives are special forms of adjectives.

Comparative: Relating to, based on, or involving comparison.
Superlative: Of the highest order, quality, or degree; surpassing or superior to all others.
hey are used to compare t!o or more things. "enerally, comparatives are formed using -er and
superlatives are formed using -est.
Rules
1. Forming comparatives and superlatives
#o! these forms are created depends on ho! many syllables there are in the adjective. Syllables are
li$e %sound beats&. 'or instance, %sing& contains one syllable, but %singing& contains t!o ( sing and ing.
Adjective form Comparative Superlative
Only one syllable, ending in e.
)*amples: !ide, fine, cute
+dd -r: !ider, finer, cuter +dd -st: !idest, finest, cutest
Only one syllable, !ith one vo!el and
one consonant at the end. )*amples:
hot, big, fat
,ouble the consonant, and add
-er: hotter, bigger, fatter
,ouble the consonant, and add
-est: hottest, biggest, fattest
Only one syllable, !ith more than one
vo!el or more than one consonant at
the end. )*amples: light, neat, fast
+dd -er: lighter, neater, faster
+dd -est: lightest, neatest,
fastest
!o syllables, ending in y. )*amples:
happy, silly, lonely
Change y to i, then add -er:
happier, sillier, lonelier
Change y to i, then add -est:
happiest, silliest, loneliest
!o syllables or more, not ending in Y.
)*amples: modern, interesting,
beautiful
-se %more& before the adjective:
more modern, more interesting,
more beautiful
-se %most before the
adjective: most modern, most
interesting, most beautiful
. !o" to use comparatives and superlatives
Comparatives
Comparatives are used to compare t!o things. .ou can use sentences !ith %t#an&, or
you can use a conjunction li$e %but&.
/iro is taller t#an .u$io.
.u$io is tall, but /iro is taller.
Superlatives
Superlatives are used to compare more than t!o things. Superlative sentences usually
use %t#e&, because there is only one superlative.
0asami is t#e tallest in the class.
.u$io is tall, and /iro is taller, but 0asami is t#e tallest.