Comparatives and Superlatives of Adjectives Comparatives We use

Comparatives and Superlatives of Adjectives

Comparatives • We use comparative adjectives to describe people and things: 1. This car is certainly better but it’s much more expensive. 2. I’m feeling happier now. 3. We need a bigger house.

• We use than when we want to compare one thing with another: 1. She is two years older than me. 2. New York is much bigger than Boston. 3. He is a better player than Ronaldo. 4. France is a bigger country than Britain.

• When we want to describe how something or someone changes we can use two comparatives with and: 1. The balloon got bigger and bigger. 2. Everything is getting more and more expensive. 3. Grandfather is looking older and older.

Superlatives • A superlative adjective compares three or more nouns. This takes the comparison of nouns to the highest degree. 1. John is 1 m 75. David is 1 m 80. Chris is 1 m 85. Chris is the tallest. 2. Canada, China and Russia are big countries. But Russia is the biggest. 3. Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

Formation • Comparative Forms add -er and Superlative Forms add -est when used with: • one-syllable adjectives clean, new, cheap, nice, hot, small • two-syllable adjectives ending in -y or -er easy, happy, pretty, dirty, healthy, clever We usually use THE with Superlatives because they talk about one thing which is THE best, THE tallest, THE most intelligent from all the others in the group.

Exceptions in spelling when adding -er / -est • silent ‘e’ is dropped Example: late-later-latest • final ‘y’ after a consonant becomes i Example: easy-easier-easiest • final consonant after short, stressed vowel is doubled Example: hot-hotter-hottest

neutral form comparative form superlative form clean new nice late hot big easy pretty happy healthy clever cleaner newer nicer later hotter bigger easier prettier happier healthier cleverer the cleanest the newest the nicest the latest the hottest the biggest the easiest the prettiest the happiest the healthiest the cleverest

• Comparative Forms use more and Superlative Forms use (the) most with adjectives of three or more syllables: different, intelligent, comfortable wonderful, optimistic, expensive, etc.

neutral form comparative form superlative form different more different the most different intelligent more intelligent the most intelligent comfortable more comfortable the most comfortable wonderful more wonderful the most wonderful optimistic more optimistic the most optimistic expensive more expensive the most expensive

Comparatives and Superlatives (irregular comparisons) • some adjectives form their comparative and superlative forms differently: neutral form comparative form superlative form good better the best bad far (place + time) worse further the worst the furthest far (place) farther the farthest

Comparing two things which are the same • when you want to say that two things are the same use the neutral form of the adjective with one of the following expressions: • as … as Example: Jane is as tall as John. • not as … as / not so … as Example: John is not as tall as Arnie.

HAVE FUN WITH COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES ; -)