Comparative And Superlative Adjectives

Shorter adjectives: the form of regular comparison:

 

Shorter adjectives are usually one-syllable words, sometimes two-syllable words.

The comparative form is created by adding the suffix -er to the adjective in its original, basic form. Depending on the adjective some spelling changes occur.

The superlative form is created by adding the suffix – est to the adjective in its original, basic form. Depending on the adjective some spelling changes occur. Don't forget to put article the before the superlative form of an adjective

 

                           + er                 + the/+ est

adjective      comparative       superlative

big                  bigger                  the biggest

nice                nicer                     the nicest

small              smaller                 the smallest

busy               busier                   the busiest

clever            cleverer                 the cleverest

 

Shorter adjectives: spelling of comparative and superlative forms:

When one-syllable adjectives end with a single consonant after a single vowel, the consonant doubles in the comparative and superlative forms:

 

sad > sadder > the saddest

fat > fatter > the fattest

thin > thinner > the thinnest

wet > wetter > the wettest

 

When a one-syllable adjective ends in – e, we have to add – r to the basic form of an adjective in the comparative and – st to form the superlative:

 

fine > finer > the finest

large > larger > the largest

late > later > the latest

safe > safer > the safest

strange > stranger > the strangest

 

Some adjectives, usually two-syllable ones, which end in -y with a consonant letter before it, in the comparative and superlative replace y for i :

tidy > tidier > the tidiest

busy > busier > the busiest

dirty > dirtier > the dirtiest

dry > drier > the driest

early > earlier > the earliest

easy > easier > the easiest

empty > emptier > the emptiest

funny > funnier > the funniest

heavy > heavier > the heaviest

ready > readier > the readiest

sleepy > sleepier > the sleepiest

 

Longer adjectives: a form of regular comparison

Longer adjectives have two or more syllables. in the comparative form, we put more/less before the adjective in its basic form. To form the superlative form we put most/least before the basic form of the adjective:

 

adjective         comparative              superlative

expensive       more expensive          (the) most expensive

                        less expensive            (the) least expensive

 

beautiful          more beautiful             (the) most beautiful

                         less beautiful              (the) least beautiful

 

amazed/         more amazed/              (the) most amazed/

amazing          more amazing              (the) most amazing

 

                       less amazed/                (the) least amazed/

                       less amazing                (the) least amazing

 

Some irregular comparative and superlative forms:

 

adjective          comparative              superlative

good                 better                          (the) best

bad                   worse                          (the) worst

far                     further                         (the) furthest

                         farther                         (the) farthest

old                    older                             (the) oldest

                         elder                              (the) eldest

 

quantifier              comparative                 superlative

much                      more                              (the) most

many

 

little                        less                                (the) least

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