Comparatives & Superlatives

Level A2 · Adjectives & Adverbs

Use a comparative to say one thing has more (or less) of a quality than another single thing — This bag is cheaper than that one. Use a superlative to say something has the most (or least) of a quality out of a group of three or more — This is the cheapest bag in the shop. A comparative always measures exactly two things against each other with than; a superlative always takes the, because it points to one specific item that beats everything else in its group.

Adjectives change form depending on their length:

• Short adjectives (one syllable, or two ending in -y): add -er for the comparative and -est for the superlative — tall → taller → the tallest; happy → happier → the happiest. A short adjective ending in one vowel + one consonant doubles the final consonant: big → bigger → the biggest; hot → hotter → the hottest.
• Long adjectives (two or more syllables, not ending in -y): use more/most + the adjective instead of changing its ending — beautiful → more beautiful → the most beautiful; interesting → more interesting → the most interesting.
• Irregular adjectives follow neither pattern and simply have to be learned: good → better → the best; bad → worse → the worst; far → further/farther → the furthest/farthest; little → less → the least; much/many → more → the most.
• For equality use as...as (She's as tall as her brother); for inequality without a true comparative form, use not as...as or less...than (This book is less interesting than that one / isn't as interesting as that one).

The most common mistake is combining both comparative markers on the same adjective — more taller and most beautifullest are both wrong; pick one pattern, the -er/-est ending or more/most, never both. A second frequent error is using than with an equality structure — as tall than his brother is wrong; than only ever follows a true comparative (-er or more), while equality only ever uses as...as.

Look for -er or -est attached directly to a short adjective, more or most in front of a longer one, than signalling exactly two things being measured against each other, as...as (or not as...as) for equality or inequality, and the before every superlative. A superlative always singles out one specific item from a larger group.

Practice

Comparatives & Superlatives · Equality, Irregulars & More Practice