COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

Comparatives are adjectives. We use comparatives to compare two things. For example, “She is thinner than her friend.”

Note that when we use a comparative we put ‘than’ before the second thing. With most one-syllable adjectives – big, small, high, low etc. – we usually add -er when using the word as a comparative – bigger, smaller, higher, lower etc. With adjectives that contain two or more syllables – ambitious, wonderful, interesting etc. – the adjective does not change, but we usually put the word ‘more’ before the comparative – more ambitious than, more wonderful than, more interesting than etc.

Superlatives say which thing is ‘top’ in a group. For example, “Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the Himalayas.” Note that when we use a superlative we put ‘the’ before the adjective. With one-syllable superlatives we usually add ‘-est’ to the end of the word – the biggest, the smallest, the highest etc. With two or more syllable superlatives the adjective does not change, but we put ‘the most’ before the word. For example, the most ambitious, the most wonderful, the most interesting etc.

Complete the following table (and the sentences below) by filling in the spaces:

                                             Comparatives                                   Superlatives

John is ……………than Henry (tall)               John is the………….person in the class (bright)

Sally is the……………woman in the class (beautiful) 

That is the…………………question. (difficult)  This car is…………………than that car (power)

ANSWERS

                                                                                    Superlatives

John is TALLER than Henry              John is the BRIGHTEST person in the class

Sally is the MOST BEAUTIFUL woman in the class  

That is the MOST DIFFICULT question. This car is MORE POWERFUL than that car