COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES: FORM

One-syllable adjectives (big, cold, hot, long, nice, old, tall)

To form the comparative, we use the -er suffix with adjectives of one syllable:

It’s colder today than yesterday.

It was a longer holiday than the one we had last year.

Sasha is older than Mark.

To form the superlative, we use the -est suffix with adjectives of one syllable. We
normally use the before a superlative adjective:

I think that’s the biggest apple I’ve ever seen!

At one time, the Empire State building in New York was the tallest building in the
world.

They have three boys. Richard is the oldest and Simon is the youngest.

type of
adjectiv comparative superlative
e

most add - add -

adjectiv er: cheaper, richer, smalle est: cheapest, richest, smalle
es r, younger st, youngest

adjectiv
es
add -r: finer, nicer, rarer add -st: finest, nicest, rarest
ending
in -e

adjectiv double the final consonant double the final consonant and
es with and add - add -
one er: bigger, hotter, thinner est: biggest, hottest, thinnest
 type of
adjectiv comparative superlative
e

vowel +
one
conson
ant:

biggest
thin thinner thinnest
fat fatter fattest
 
Example: London is bigger than Vienna.
 

Comparison of disyllabic adjectives

Disyllabic adjectives ending with y, er, ow, le are compared with -er, -est.

positive comparative superlative

easy easier easiest
happy happier happiest
clever cleverer cleverest
narrow narrower narrowest
 
Example: Which is the easiest exercise?
 

Comparison of all the other adjectives

All the other adjectives are compared with more, most.

positive comparative superlative

careful more careful most careful
expensive more expensive most expensive
difficult more difficult most difficult
 tired more tired most tired
terrible more terrible most terrible
 
Which dress is more expensive? Which dress is the most
expensive?
 

Comparison of special adjectives

Special adjectives can be compared with -er, -est or more, most.

positive comparative superlative

clever cleverer / more clever cleverest / most clever
commo commoner / more commo commonest / most commo
n n n
likely likelier / more likely likeliest / most likely
pleasant pleasanter / more pleasant pleasantest / most pleasant
polite politer / more polite politest / most polite
quiet quieter / more quiet quietest / most quiet
stupid stupider / more stupid stupidest / most stupid
sure surer / more sure surest / most sure
subtle subter / more subtle subtlest / most subtle
Simple Simpler / more Simple Simplest / most Simple
 

Irregular Comparison Forms

positive comparative superlative

good better best
bad worse worst
much more most
many more most
little less least