Comparatives and Superlatives: How to Use Them Correctly

Have you ever wanted to describe something as better, faster, or the best, but weren’t sure how? 

Welcome to the world of comparative and superlative! These grammar tools are essential for making comparisons in English. 

In this article, we’ll break down what comparatives and superlatives are, how to form them correctly, and how to use them in your daily conversations. 

Let’s dive in!

What are Comparatives?

Comparatives are used when we want to compare two people, animals, things, or places. 

They help us show the difference in degree or quality between the two. 

In English, we often form comparatives by adding “-er” to the end of a short adjective or by using “more” before longer adjectives.

Remember this formula:

Subject + to be + comparative adjective + than + object.

For examples:

• My car is faster than yours.
• This book is more interesting than the last one.
• He is taller than his brother.

What are Superlatives?

Superlatives are used when we compare three or more people, animals, things, or places, and we want to show that one of them has the most or the least of a certain quality. 

We usually form superlatives by adding “-est” to short adjectives or by using “most” before longer adjectives.

Remember this formula:

Subject + to be + the + superlative adjective + object.

For examples:

• This is the tallest building in the city.
• She’s the most talented player on the team.
• It was the coldest day of the year.

How to Form Comparatives and Superlatives

Forming comparatives and superlatives depends on the length of the adjective and sometimes its spelling pattern. Here’s a quick guide:

For short adjectives (1 syllable)

• Comparative: Add -er (e.g., small → smaller)
• Superlative: Add -est (e.g., small → smallest)

Take note that adjectives ending in "-e" must add "-r" for comparative and "-st" for superlative (e.g., large → larger → largest).

For adjectives ending in a consonant + vowel + consonant

For this adjectives, don’t forget to double the last consonant (e.g., big → bigger → biggest)

For adjectives with 2 or more syllables

Adjectives with two syllables or more can form by adding more for comparative, and most for superlative.

Use it before the adjective (e.g., beautiful → more beautiful → most beautiful)

Irregular adjectives 

This adjectives don’t follow any rule, for example:

• good → better → best
• bad → worse → worst
• far → farther/further → farthest/furthest

Also Read: What are Adverbs of Manner?

List of Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Here’s a helpful list of common adjectives with their comparative and superlative forms:

Conclusion

Now that you’ve explored comparative and superlative adjectives, it’s time to put them into practice! 

Try describing your day, your friends, or even your favorite movies using the new structures you’ve learned. 

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