New English File UI 2

Comparison of Adjectives (What … like?) and Adverbs (How?)

1. COMPARATIVE and SUPERLATIVE of ADJECTIVES

-er / the –est more / the most

For adjectives of two* and more

For adjectives of one syllable:
syllables
e.g. cheap – cheaper – the cheapest
e.g. beautiful – more b. – the most b.
shy – shyer – the shyest
modern – more m. – the most m.
large – larger – the largest
famous – more f. – the most f.

For adjectives of two* syllables ending in

“owlery”:
e.g. narrow – narrower – the narrowest
simple – simpler – the simplest
clever – cleverer – the cleverest
happy – happier – the happiest
thirsty – thirstier – the thirstiest
Watch out:
hot – hotter – the hottest
big – bigger – the biggest

2. COMPARATIVE and SUPERLATIVE of ADVERBS

a. Adverbs in –ly are compared with more / the most (less / the least for negative
comparisons):
e.g. She ran more quickly than her boyfriend.
He drove the lorry the most carefully. [= am vorsichtigsten]
but: He opened the parcel most carefully. [= sehr vorsichtig]

b. Adverbs without the ending –ly are compared with –er / the –est:
e.g. I arrived at the party earlier than my friends.

3. IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES and ADVERBS

Adjective Adverb Comparative Superlative

good / well1 well better (the) best

bad / ill2 badly worse (the) worst
a lot / much / many much more (the) most
little3 (a) little less (the) least
near near nearer (the) nearest4

1
= gesund
2
= krank
3
= wenig, otherwise smaller - the smallest
 New English File UI 2

(the) next5
late late later (the) latest6
(the) last7
early early earlier (the) earliest
fast fast faster (the) fastest
hard hard8 harder (the) hardest

Exercise Comparison of Adjectives and Adverbs

1. This test is (bad) _______________________ than your (late) _________________

test, George. I'm afraid, you have to work (careful) _______________________ .
2. You're taking such a long time over this letter, Mum. Can't you read it (quick)
__________________ ?
3. Why don't you come over here and sit in this armchair, Grandad? You can sit
(comfortable) _______________________ here.
4. Is Fred a (careful) ______________________ driver now, after his accident? -
No, he isn't. In fact he drives (fast) _________________ and (dangerous)
______________________ than before.
5. Jenny, you look (bad) _____________________ than yesterday. You have to go to
bed (early) __________________ and you also must work (little) ______________ .
6. Can you tell me where (near) _____________________ post office is? - Walk
straight on and turn left at (near) ______________________ crossing and there it is.
7. Our teacher must give us (little) ______________________ homework. We simply
can't work any (hard) ______________________ .
8. We need (a lot of) ____________________ chairs for our party. Let's go and ask the
Astons. They've got (a lot of) _____________________ chairs of all our neighbours.

4
= am wenigsten weit entfernt
5
= der/die/das nächstfolgende
6
= der/die/das aktuellste / neueste
7
= der/die/das späteste / letzte
8
note: hardly = kaum