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:

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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

The End