comparative and superlative

Comparison: adjectives

​Comparative and superlative adjectives

Comparative adjectives compare one person or thing with another and enable us to say whether a person or thing has more or less of a particular quality:

Josh is taller than his sister.

I’m more interested in music than sport.

Big cars that use a lot of petrol are less popular now than twenty years ago.

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​Comparative adjectives

Superlative adjectives describe one person or thing as having more of a quality than all other people or things in a group:

The ‘Silver Arrow’ will be the fastest train in the world when it is built.

The most frightening film I’ve ever seen was Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’.

What is the least expensive way of travelling in Japan?

​Superlative adjectives

A comparative compares a person or thing with another person or thing. A superlative compares a person or thing with the whole group of which that person or thing is a member:

Joe’s older than Mike. (comparing one person with another)

Sheila is the youngest girl in the family. (comparing one person with the whole group she belongs to)

​Comparative or superlative?

When there are just two members in a group, traditionally, we use the comparative. However, in informal situations people often use the superlative:

Who is younger, Rowan or Tony? (traditional usage)

Jan and Barbara are both tall, but Jan’s the tallest. (more informal)

​Comparative or superlative?

Multiple Choice

She is two years older than me.

• comparative

• superlative

Multiple Choice

It was the happiest day of my life.

• comparative

• superlative

Multiple Choice

The balloon got bigger and bigger.

• comparative

• superlative

Multiple Choice

Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

• comparative

• superlative

Multiple Choice

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

• comparative

• superlative

(big, cold, hot, long, nice, old, tall)

To form the comparative, we use the -er suffix with adjectives of one syllable:

It’s colder today than yesterday.

It was a longer holiday than the one we had last year.

Sasha is older than Mark.

One-syllable adjectives

To form the superlative, we use the -est suffix with adjectives of one syllable. We normally use the before a superlative adjective:

I think that’s the biggest apple I’ve ever seen!

At one time, the Empire State building in New York was the tallest building in the world.

They have three boys. Richard is the oldest and Simon is the youngest.

One-syllable adjectives

Some one-syllable adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms:

bad, worse, worst

good, better, best

The morning flight is better than the afternoon one.

His elder sister works for the government.

Olivia is Denise’s best friend.

I think that was the worst film I’ve ever seen!

Pluto is the furthest planet from the sun in our solar system.

​One-syllable adjectives (irregular)

Multiple Choice

What is the superlative of little?

• littler

• less

Multiple Choice

What is the comparative of far?

• further

• farer

Multiple Choice

What is the comparative of much?

• many

• more

Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y change y to i and take the -er and -est endings:
We were busier last week than this week.

Are you happier now that you’ve changed your job?

That was the easiest exam I’ve ever taken.

​Two-syllable adjectives

Some other two-syllable adjectives (especially those ending in an unstressed vowel sound) can also take the -er and -est endings:
I’ve always thought that Donald was cleverer than his brother.

This new bed is narrower than the old one.

The guest bedroom is the quietest room in the house because it overlooks the garden.

​Two-syllable adjectives

We don’t normally use the -er and -est endings with two-syllable adjectives ending in -ful. Instead, we use more and most/least:

This dictionary is more useful than the one we had before.

Not: This dictionary is usefuller …

You’ll have to try to be more careful in future.

The most useful tool in the kitchen is a good sharp knife.

Not: The usefulest tool in the kitchen …

This is the least harmful chemical in terms of the environment.

​Two-syllable adjectives

Adjectives of three or more syllables form the comparative with more/less and the superlative with most/least:

The second lecture was more interesting than the first.

Not: The second lecture was interestinger …

That way of calculating the figures seems less complicated to me.

London is the most popular tourist destination in England.

Not: London is the popularest …

If you are going as a group, the least expensive option is to rent an apartment or villa.

​Longer adjectives

Adjectives of three or more syllables form the comparative with more/less and the superlative with most/least:

The second lecture was more interesting than the first.

Not: The second lecture was interestinger …

That way of calculating the figures seems less complicated to me.

London is the most popular tourist destination in England.

Not: London is the popularest …

If you are going as a group, the least expensive option is to rent an apartment or villa.

​Longer adjectives