Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
There are three ways you can compare adjectives
- positive
- comparative
- superlative
1. Positive with as
The positive form is used in cases where there are no differences between the two compared things or persons. To form the positive, we use the word as before and after the absolute form of the adjective.
- Martin is as tall as John.
- She is as beautiful as her sister.
This can also be applied in a negative context to indicate that the compared objects are not similar:
- Martin is not as tall as John.
- She is not as beautiful as her sister.
2. Comparison – the basic rules
When two objects or persons are being compared, the comparative form of the adjective is used. The comparative adjective can be formed in two ways:
- Adding –er to the absolute form of the adjective.
tall → taller → (the) tallest
2. Adding the word more before the adjective.
beautiful → more beautiful → cleaner → (the) most beautiful
Which one to use depends on the number of syllables in the adjective
3. Comparison with -er/-est
3.1. Adjectives with one syllable add -er and -est
positive | comparative | superlative |
---|---|---|
long | longer | longest |
new | newer | newest |
old | older | oldest |
3.2. Adjectives with one syllable and the following endings:
3.2.1. Adjectives with one syllable ending in –e only add r and st
positive | comparative | superlative |
---|---|---|
close | closer | closest |
large | larger | largest |
strange | stranger | strangest |
3.2.2. Adjectives with one syllable ending in a consonant with a single vowel before it double the consonant and add er and st
positive | comparative | superlative |
---|---|---|
big | bigger | biggest |
red | redder | reddest |
sad | sadder | saddest |
3.3. Adjectives with two syllables and the following endings:
3.3.1. Adjectives with two syllables, ending in -y have ier and iest
positive | comparative | superlative |
---|---|---|
dirty | dirtier | dirtiest |
early | earlier | earliest |
nasty | nastier | nastiest |
3.3.2. Adjectives with two syllables, ending in -e
positive | comparative | superlative |
---|---|---|
handsome | handsomer | handsomest |
little | littler | littlest |
polite | politer | politest |
3.3.3. Adjectives with two syllables, ending in -le
positive | comparative | superlative |
---|---|---|
able | abler | ablest |
gentle | gentler | gentlest |
simple | simpler | simplest |
3.3.4. Adjectives with two syllables, ending in -ow
positive | comparative | superlative |
---|---|---|
hollow | hollower | hollowest |
narrow | narrower | narrowest |
shallow | shallower | shallowest |
4. Comparison with more – most
All adjectives with more than one syllable (except some adjectives with two syllables – see 3.3. above)
positive | comparative | superlative |
---|---|---|
beautiful | more beautiful | (the) most beautiful |
difficult | more difficult | (the) most difficult |
important | more important | (the) most important |
5. Irregular adjectives
positive | comparative | superlative | comment |
---|---|---|---|
good | better | best | |
bad | worse | worst | |
much | more | most | uncountable nouns |
many | more | most | countable nouns |
little | less | least | amount |
little | littler | littlest | size |
6. Special adjectives
Some adjectives have two possible forms of comparison (-er/est and more/most).
positive | comparative | superlative |
---|---|---|
clever | cleverer / more clever | cleverest / most clever |
common | commoner / more common | commonest / most common |
likely | likelier / more likely | likeliest / most likely |
pleasant | pleasanter / more pleasant | pleasantest / most pleasant |
polite | politer / more polite | politest / most polite |
quiet | quieter / more quiet | quietest / most quiet |
simple | simpler / more simple | simplest / most simple |
stupid | stupider / more stupid | stupidest / most stupid |
subtle | subtler / more subtle | subtlest / most subtle |
sure | surer / more sure | surest / most sure |
7. Difference in meaning with adjectives
positive | comparative | superlative | comment |
---|---|---|---|
far | farther | farthest | distance |
further | furthest | distance or time | |
late | later | latest | time |
latter | x | ||
x | last | order | |
old | older | oldest | people and things |
elder | eldest | people (family) | |
near | nearer | nearest | distance |
x | next | order |