Comparatives and Superlatives

We use adjectives to describe people, places, things, and ideas.

Example: Johnny has such a cute puppy! 

I. Comparatives

When we want to compare two things, we use comparatives. 

• We usually add –er one-syllable words to make comparatives:

E.g. Johnny’s puppy is small, but Mary’s puppy is smaller!

• If an adjective ends in –e, we add –r:

E.g. I need a larger bag for my laundry.

• If an adjective ends in a vowel and a consonant, we double the consonant

E.g. Every year my children get bigger and fatter!

• If an adjective ends in a consonant and –y, we change –y to –i and add –er. But, if it ends in a vowel and -y, it doesn’t change

E.g. I was happy before, but I’m happier now because my food is here.
       My mother bought me a grey jacket, but I wanted greyer. 

• We use “more” to make comparatives for most two syllable adjectives and for all adjectives with three or more syllables

E.g. He is more careful with his money now that he has a baby.
       The book was more interesting than the movie.

II. Superlatives

• We usually add –est to one-syllable words to make superlatives

E.g. My puppy is the sweetest puppy in the neighborhood.

• If an adjective ends in –e, we add –st:

E.g. The jackfruit is the largest fruit in the world. 

• If an adjective ends in a vowel and a consonant, we double the consonant:

E.g. He’s the fattest cat on the block.

• If an adjective ends in a consonant and –y, we change –y to –i and add –est:

E.g. Disneyland is the happiest place on Earth.

• We use “most” to make superlatives for most two syllable adjectives and for all adjectives with three or more syllables:

E.g. Jenny is the most careful student I know, she always studies for her tests.
       I think Australia has the most interesting animals.

The adjectives good, bad and far have irregular comparatives and superlatives:

• Good > better> the best
• Bad > worse> the worst
• Old > elder > the eldest*
• Far > farther/further > the farthest/furthest**

*Of course, older and the oldest are correct, but the difference is that ‘elder’ and ‘the eldest’ are used with people only

e.g. This chair is older than the other one. 

       My brother is elder/older than me.

**Farther/farthest is used to talk about distances, whereas ‘further’ is for more abstract things

e.g. I live farther from school than most of my classmates.

       Further in the book we discover who the real murderer is. 

III. Exercise