Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparatives and Superlatives

​Grades of Adjectives:

Positive / Comparative / Superlative

Adjectives can vary in degree or intensity.

They have comparative and superlative forms.

​Positive Degree

Quality or attribute in its most simple degree:

​

fast, hard, smart, pretty, clean, large, small, old, easy, etc.

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​Comparatives

When making comparisons, we can highlight the superiority, inferiority or equality.

​

The structure of each of these comparison degrees is different.

1. Comparatives of superiority.

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In superiority comparisons, the adjective, which is in the comparative form, is followed by "than."

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Ejemplos:

Juan runs faster than Mark.

Angela’s room is cleaner than Sue’s.

I am taller than Beth.

New York is bigger than Los Angeles.

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2. Comparatives of inferiority.

​

To form this type of comparison we can use the conjunctions “not as…as” or “less…than”.

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In both cases, the adjective is in the positive degree.

​

Mark is not as fast as Juan.

Sue’s room is less clean than Angela’s.

Beth is not as tall as me.

Los Angeles is not as big as New York.​

3. Comparatives of equality.

​

With the adjective in the positive degree, we use the conjunction “as…as” to form equality comparisons.

​

Mark is as fast as Juan.

Sue’s room is as clean as Angela’s.

Beth is as tall as I am.

Los Angeles is as big as New York.

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​Superlatives

The superlative degree denotes quality in the highest degree and as in Spanish, “the” is used before the adjective in the superlative form.

​

Juan is the fastest .

Angela’s room is the cleanest.

I am the tallest.

New York is the biggest city in the United States.

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​Note:

If the adjective is possessive, “the” is not used.

In addition, "the" is not used if we compare something with itself.

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Examples:

His smartest student is Lisa. / Your biggest fear is the sea.

New York is coldest in January. / John is quietest in English class.

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​Rules (1/3):

1. One syllable adjective ending in a silent 'e' — nice

Comparative — add 'r' — nicer

Superlative — add 'st' — nicest

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2. One syllable adjective ending in one CONSONANT/VOWEL/CONSONANT — big

Comparative — the last consonant is doubled and 'er' is added —bigger

Superlative — the last consonant is doubled and 'est' is added—biggest

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3. One syllable adjective ending in more than one consonant or more than a vowel (or long vowels) — high, cheap, soft.

Comparative — 'er' is added — higher, cheaper, softer.

Superlative — 'est is added — highest, cheapest, softest​.

​Rules (2/3):

4. A two-syllable adjective ending in 'y' — happy

Comparative — 'y' becomes 'i' and 'er' is added — happier

Superlative — 'y' becomes 'i' and 'est' is added — happiest

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5. Two-syllable or more adjectives without 'y' at the end — exciting

Comparative — more (adjective) than — more exciting than

Superlative — the most (adjective) — the most exciting

​Rules (3/3):

IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES

​Note:

Some qualities cannot vary in intensity or degree because they are extreme, absolute, or qualifying adjectives.

These qualities have no comparative or superlative form.

Examples:

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a. Extremes

freezing

excellent​

​b. Absolutes

dead

unique

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​c. Classification

married

domestic​

Let's Practice!

Multiple Choice

My mother is ____ my father.

• old than

• older than

• the oldest

• the old

Multiple Choice

What is ____ movie you have ever seen?

• the funny

• the funnier

• the funniest

• the funnyest

Multiple Choice

That movie was bad, but it wasn't ____ I have ever seen.

• the baddest

• the worsest

• the worse

• the worst

Multiple Choice

Rachel's hair is not as ____ as Sarah's.

• long

• longer

• the longest

• more long

Multiple Choice

Yesterday's exam was ____ the one last month.

• difficult than

• difficulter than

• the difficultest

• more difficult than

Fill in the Blanks

Peter is as

as Alex. (tall)

Fill in the Blanks

I think Mary is

woman I have ever seen. (beautiful)

Fill in the Blanks

Her room is only a little bit

than mine. (big)

Fill in the Blanks

He is

when he is playing football. (happy)

Fill in the Blanks

Michael's house is

from the train than Betty's. (far)

The End