Comparative & Superlative Adjectives in English

An ADJECTIVE is a word that describes a noun. It gives us more information about a person, place, thing, animal, or idea. Examples of adjectives are short, beautiful, and expensive.

In English, the adjective is usually placed before the noun. For example:

• They live in a big house.
• We sat on the warm beach.
• He bought a red car.

However, in some cases, the adjective is placed after the noun. This happens when the sentence uses the verb “to be”.

• This show is wonderful.
• English is easy.
• Your cat is friendly.

COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVES compare two people, places, or things.

SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES compare three or more people, places, or things.

John is tall.	basic adjective
Mike is taller than me.	comparative adjective
Bob is the tallest player on the team.	superlative adjective

The word “than” is often used after the comparative form.

The word “the” is often used before the superlative form.

COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVES

COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVES: STRUCTURE
	BASIC ADJECTIVE	COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVE
one syllable: • add er	cold	colder
one syllable ending in e: • add r	wide	wider
one syllable ending in one vowel and one consonant: • double the last consonant • add er	hot	hotter
two syllables ending in y: • drop the y • add ier	easy	easier
	happy	happier
	busy	busier
two syllables without y: • add more + adjective	modern	more modern
	famous	more famous
three or more syllables: • add more + adjective	delicious	more delicious
	interesting	more interesting
	comfortable	more comfortable

Comparative adjectives are often followed by than or but.

EXAMPLES

Today is cold, but yesterday was colder.
The first test was easier than the second test.
Her house is modern, but his house is more modern.
This class was interesting. That class was more interesting.

SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES

SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES: STRUCTURE
	BASIC ADJECTIVE	SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVE
one syllable: • add the + est	cold	the coldest
one syllable ending in e: • add the + st	wide	the widest
one syllable ending with one vowel and one consonant: • add the • double the last consonant • add est	hot	the hottest
two syllables ending in y: • add the • drop the y • add iest	easy	the easiest
	happy	the happiest
	busy	the busiest
two syllables without y: • add the most + adjective	modern	the most modern
	famous	the most famous
three or more syllables: • add the most + adjective	delicious	the most delicious
	interesting	the most interesting
	comfortable	the most comfortable

Superlative adjectives are usually preceded by the.

EXAMPLES

It was the hottest day of the year.
Today was the happiest day of my life.
This is the most popular restaurant in town.
That was the most interesting experience I’ve ever had!

COMPARISON: BASIC, COMPARATIVE, SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES
BASIC ADJECTIVE	COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVE	SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVE
cold	colder	the coldest
wide	wider	the widest
hot	hotter	the hottest
easy	easier	the easiest
happy	happier	the happiest
busy	busier	the busiest
modern	more modern	the most modern
famous	more famous	the most famous
delicious	more delicious	the most delicious
interesting	more interesting	the most interesting
comfortable	more comfortable	the most comfortable

COMMON EXCEPTIONS
BASIC ADJECTIVE	COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVE	SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVE
good	better	the best
bad	worse	the worst
little	less	the least
many	more	the most

EXAMPLES

This song is good.
That song is better. (It is always wrong to use “more better”.)
The last song is the best.

PRACTICE

Write the comparative and superlative forms of each adjective.

EXCEPTIONS
#	BASIC ADJECTIVE	COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVE	SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVE
1	slow
2	noisy
3	sad
4	intelligent
5	expensive
6	bad
7	difficult
8	friendly
9	comfortable
10	quiet
11	dangerous
12	careful
13	smart
14	important
15	fast

ANSWERS

1. slow, slower, the slowest
2. heavy, heavier, the heaviest
3. sad, sadder, the saddest
4. intelligent, more intelligent, the most intelligent
5. expensive, more expensive, the most expensive
6. bad, worse, the worst
7. difficult, more difficult, the most difficult
8. friendly, friendlier, the friendliest
9. comfortable, more comfortable, the most comfortable
10. quiet, quieter, the quietest
11. dangerous, more dangerous, the most dangerous
12. careful, more careful, the most careful
13. smart, smarter, the smartest
14. important, more important, the most important
15. fast, faster, the fastest