A. Grammar: Comparative and superlative

A. Grammar: Comparative and superlative
adjectives
‘Small’ is an adjective. ‘Smaller’ is a comparative adjective.
‘Smallest’ is a superlative adjective. Do you know how to use
comparatives and superlatives?
Comparative adjectives
A comparative adjective is used to compare two people, objects or places.
In general, for adjectives with one syllable, you just have to add ‘-(e)r’ to the end of the adjective and
use ‘than’ after the adjective.
Examples: short → shorter than
Emily is shorter than her friend Mary.
tall → taller than
One World Trade Center is taller than the Empire State Building.
large → larger than
Jupiter is larger than Saturn.
For adjectives with two or more syllables, you need to add the word ‘more’ (+) or ‘less’ (-) before
the adjective and use ‘than’ after the adjective.
Examples: difficult → more difficult than, less difficult than
I think German is more difficult than English.
I think English is less difficult than German.
expensive → more expensive than
The red car is more expensive than the blue one.
The blue car is less expensive than the red one.
To compare identical aspects of two people, objects or places, you use the expression ‘as…as’.
Examples: John is as tall as Mark.
The second exercise is as difficult as the first one.
Superlative adjectives
A superlative adjective is used to compare three or more people, objects or places in a group.
In general, for adjectives with one syllable, you just have to add ‘-(e)st’ to the end of the adjective
and use the definite article ‘the’ before the adjective.
Examples: short → the shortest
Emily is the shortest girl in her class.
tall → the tallest
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One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the United States.
large → the largest
Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system.
For adjectives with two or more syllables, you need to add the words ‘the most’ before the adjective.
Examples: difficult → the most difficult
The president of the United States has one of the most difficult jobs in the world.
expensive → the most expensive
London is the most expensive city to live in the world.
There are some exceptions to these rules.
Here are the most common ones that you should know:
good → better → best
bad → worse → worst
Note:
1. If the adjective ends in a consonant-vowel-consonant combination, double the final consonant
before adding ‘-er’ or ‘-est’ (except when the adjective ends in ‘-y’ or ‘-w’).
Examples: hot → hotter → hottest
thin → thinner → thinnest
slow → slower → slowest
2. If the adjective ends with a ‘y’, change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ before adding ‘-er’ or ‘-est’.
Examples: pretty → prettier → prettiest
funny → funnier → funniest
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Toute reproduction des exercices est interdite. Les professeurs d'anglais sont autorisés à les imprimer pour les
utiliser pendant leurs propres cours exclusivement.