Comparative and superlative adjectives

Comparative and superlative adjectives

Y2 2021-2022

Comparative adjectives

We use comparative adjectives to show change or make comparisons:

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This car is certainly better, but it's much more expensive.

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I'm feeling happier now.

​

We need a bigger garden.

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We use than when we want to compare one thing with another:

• She is two years older than me.

• New York is much bigger than Boston.

• He is a better player than Ronaldo.

• France is a bigger country than Britain.

To describe how something or someone changes we can use two comparatives with and:

• The balloon got bigger and bigger.

• Everything is getting more and more expensive.

• Grandfather is looking older and older

We often use the with comparative adjectives to show that one thing depends on another:

• The faster you drive, the more dangerous it is. 

  (= When you drive faster, it is more dangerous.)

• The higher they climbed, the colder it got. 

  (= When they climbed higher, it got colder.)

Comparative adjectives 1

Match the phrases to make ten sentences.

Multiple Choice

If you practise more,

• older than me.

• we need a larger table.

• your English will get better.

• smaller and smaller

• the more frightened I became.

Multiple Choice

We've invited six friends for dinner, so

• older than me.

• we need a larger table.

• the more tax I have to pay.

• I prefer modern music.

• bigger than Britain's.

Multiple Choice

The Beatles are not bad, but ...

• I prefer modern music.

• bigger than Britain's.

• more dangerous than flying.

• your English will get better.

• the more frightened I became.

Multiple Choice

My brother is ten years ...

• smaller and smaller.

• bigger than Britain's.

• older than me.

• more and more interesting.

• more dangerous than flying.

Multiple Choice

Brazil's economy is now ...

• smaller and smaller.

• the more tax I have to pay.

• more and more interesting.

• bigger than Britian's.

• older than me.

Multiple Choice

Travelling by train is ...

• older than me.

• the more firghtened I became.

• smaller and smaller.

• more and more interesting.

• more dangerousthan flying.

Multiple Choice

The higher the plane went,

• the more frightened I became.

• more and more interesting.

• the more tax I have to pay.

• more dangerous than flying.

• your English will get better.

Multiple Choice

The harder I work,

• more frightened I became.

• the more tax I have to pay.

• more and more interesting.

• your English will get better.

• I prefer modern music.

Multiple Choice

Computers these days are getting ...

• more and more interesting.

• smaller and smaller.

• older than me.

• the more frightened I became.

• more dangerous than flying.

Multiple Choice

As the story went on, it became ...

• smaller and smaller.

• older than me.

• more and more interesting.

• the more frightened I became.

• your English will get better.

Superlative adjectives

We use the with superlative adjectives:

• It was the happiest day of my life.

• Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

• I have three sisters: Jan is the oldest and Angela is the youngest. 

• That’s the best film I have seen this year.

  
  

Superlative adjectives 1

Choose the correct superlative adjective form to complete each sentence.

Multiple Choice

What's ___ time of year to visit your city?

• best

• the best

• better

Multiple Choice

What are ___ things to see and do?

• the interesting.

• most interesting

• the most interesting

• more interesting

Multiple Choice

What's ___ way to travel around? What's the fastest?

• easiest

• easier

• the easier

• the easiest

Multiple Choice

What do you think is ___ area?

• attractivest

• attractiver

• the most attractive

• more attractive

Multiple Choice

Are there any areas which are not safe? Which are ___?

• the dangeorus

• the most dangerous

• more dangerous

Multiple Choice

What's ___ building? What's the oldest?

• the tallest

• the most tall

• most tall

• the taller

Multiple Choice

What are ___ cafés and restaurants?

• the popularest

• the most popular

Multiple Choice

What's ___ supermarket? What's the most expensive?

• the cheapest

• the most cheap

How to form comparative and superlative adjectives

We usually add –er and –est to one-syllable words to make comparatives and superlatives:

• LONG > longER > longEST

• OLD > oldER > oldEST

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

• NICE > niceR > niceST

• LARGE > largeR > largeST

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

• BIG > bigGER > bigGEST

• FAT > fatTER > fatTEST

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

• HAPPY > happIER > happIEST

• SILLY > sillIER > sillIEST

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

• CAREFUL > MORE careful > MOST careful

• INTERESTING > MORE interesting > MOST interesting

However, with these common two-syllable adjectives, you can either add –er/–r and –est/–st or use more and most:

• common

• gentle

• simple

• likely

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

• GOOD > BETTER > BEST

• BAD > WORSE > WORST

• FAR > FARTHER / FURTHER > FARTHEST / FURTHEST

How to form comparative

These are some of the most common adjectives used in English advertisements. Form the comparative forms of each adjective.

Fill in the Blank

BIG

Fill in the Blank

bright

Fill in the Blank

clean

Fill in the Blank

delicious

Fill in the Blank

easy

How to form superlative adjectives

These are some of the most common adjectives used in English advertisements.

Form the superlative forms of each adjective.

Fill in the Blank

new

Fill in the Blank

good

Fill in the Blank

special

Fill in the Blank

safe

Fill in the Blank

wonderful

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/comparative-and-superlative-adjectives