Comparative and Superlative Adjectives in English

When we want to compare things in English, we use comparative and superlative adjectives. Let's learn how to use them correctly!

Quick Grammar Refresher

Before diving into the rules, let's understand what each type does:

Comparative Adjectives

Used to compare two things.

• Add “-er” for short adjectives (e.g., small → smaller).
• Use “more” for longer adjectives (e.g., beautiful → more beautiful).

Superlative Adjectives

Used to compare three or more things.

• Add “-est” for short adjectives (e.g., small → smallest).
• Use “most” for longer adjectives (e.g., beautiful → most beautiful).

Basic Formation Rules

For Short Words (1 syllable)

Basic Adjective	Comparative	Superlative	Example
tall	taller	tallest	This tree is taller than that one.
small	smaller	smallest	She's the smallest in her class.
big	bigger	biggest	His house is bigger than mine.

For Longer Words (2+ syllables)

Basic Adjective	Comparative	Superlative	Example
beautiful	more beautiful	most beautiful	The sunset is more beautiful today.
expensive	more expensive	most expensive	This is the most expensive restaurant.
comfortable	more comfortable	most comfortable	My new chair is more comfortable.

Special Spelling Rules

1. For words ending in -e:
   Examples: nice → nicer → nicest; large → larger → largest.
   (Remove nothing, just add -r or -st)
2. For words ending in consonant + y:
   Examples: happy → happier → happiest; lazy → lazier → laziest.
   (Change y to i, then add -er or -est)
3. For short words ending in consonant-vowel-consonant:
   Examples: big → bigger → biggest; hot → hotter → hottest.
   (Double the final consonant)

Common Irregular Forms

Basic	Comparative	Superlative	Example
good	better	best	This cake is better than that one.
bad	worse	worst	That was the worst movie ever.
far	farther/further	farthest/furthest	She lives farther than me.
little	less	least	He has the least experience.
many/much	more	most	She has more books than I do.

When to Use Each Form

Comparative (-er/more)

Use when comparing two things:

• "My brother is taller than me."
• "This book is more interesting than that one."
• "Today is colder than yesterday."

Superlative (-est/most)

Use when comparing three or more things:

• "She's the tallest in her family."
• "This is the most interesting book I've ever read."
• "December is the coldest month."

Common Structures

For Comparatives

• [thing 1] is [comparative] than [thing 2]
• [comparative] than
• less [adjective] than

Examples:
"The blue car is faster than the red car."
"This exercise is less difficult than that one."

For Superlatives

• the [superlative] [noun]
• the [superlative] of/in [group]
• the least [adjective]

Examples:
"Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world."
"She's the least experienced person on the team."

Special Cases and Tips

1. Two-syllable adjectives that can use either form:
   Examples: clever → cleverer/more clever → cleverest/most clever; simple → simpler/more simple → simplest/most simple; quiet → quieter/more quiet → quietest/most quiet.
2. Words that are already comparisons:
   Do not say "more superior", "more inferior", or "more perfect."

Practice Exercises (**)

Complete these sentences using the correct form:

1. My sister is _____ (tall) than me.
2. This is the _____ (good) restaurant in town.
3. Today is _____ (hot) than yesterday.
4. She's the _____ (beautiful) dancer in the group.
5. This problem is _____ (difficult) than the last one.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• ❌ Don't use double comparisons: e.g., "more better" (Correct: "better")
• ❌ Don't mix comparative and superlative: e.g., "better than all" (Correct: "better than any other" or "the best of all")
• ❌ Don't forget "than" with comparatives: e.g., "She is taller me" (Correct: "She is taller than me")

Quick Reference Chart

When to Use	Form to Use	Example
Comparing 2 things	Comparative	bigger, more expensive
Comparing 3+ things	Superlative	biggest, most expensive
1 syllable	-er / -est	tall → taller → tallest
2+ syllables	more / most	beautiful → more beautiful → most beautiful
Irregular forms	Memorize	good → better → best

** Answers:
1. taller
2. best
3. hotter
4. most beautiful
5. more difficult