FORMING COMPARATIVE & SUPERLATIVE

GRAMMAR REVIEW

1. Add er and est to short adjectives

of one syllable (sometimes two
syllables)

Positive

Comparativ
e

Superlative

appealing

Positiv
e

Comparativ
e

short
great
small
old

shorter
greater
smaller
older

remarkabl
e

less
appealing
more
remarkabl
e
more
beautiful
more
alert

least
appealing
most
remarkabl
e
most
beautiful
most
alert

Superlativ
e

shortest
greatest
smallest
oldest

beautiful
alert

2. If a short adjective ends with

consonant and y, change
the y to i and add er and est.
Positiv
e

Comparativ
e

lucky
heavy
happy
silly
ugly

luckier
heavier
happier
sillier
uglier

Superlativ
e

luckiest
heaviest
happiest
silliest
ugliest

3. If a short adjective ends with e,

add er and st.
Positiv
e

Comparativ
e

little
fine

littler
finer

Superlativ
e

littlest
finest

4. Put more(less) and most(least) in

front of longer adjectives (with two or
more syllables) to show comparison.

Some adjectives are irregular

adjectives and don't follow three
rules. They change form considerably
from one degree to the next. You
need to study these changes carefully
in order to recognize them easily.
LIST OF IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES.
Positive

bad
far
far
good
many
little
old
well (healthy
)

Comparativ
e

worse
further
farther
better
more
less
elder
better

Superlativ
e

worst
furthest
farthest
best
most
least
eldest
best

JMAA