COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
Short Adj/adv + er + than the + adj/adv + est
adjectives/ ex: She is taller than him. ex: She is the tallest
adverbs Tom has bigger hands than student in the class.
David. Tom has the biggest
She runs faster than me. hands.
She runs the fastest of all.
If an adjective ends in -e, we If an adjective ends in -e,
add -r: we add –st.
ex: safe safer ex: safe safest
nice nicer nice nicest
If an adjective ends with C-V-C, If an adjective ends with C-
we double the last consonant V-C, we double the last
ex: big bigger consonant
hot hotter ex: big biggest
hot hottest
Long more + adj/adv + than the most + adj/adv
adjectives/ less + adj/adv + than the least + adj/adv
adverbs ex: A red car is more ex: A red car is the most
expensive than a blue car. expensive car.
Could you sing more Charles completed his
quietly please? homework the most
quietly.
Charles completed his
homework the least
quietly.
If an adjective ends in –y, we If an adjective ends in –y,
change into –i and add –er: we change into –i and add
ex: happy happier –est:
friendly friendlier ex: happy happiest
friendly friendliest
Special Simple, gentle, far, good, bad, much, little
cases Simple simpler than the simplest
Gentle gentler than the gentlest
Far farther/ further than the farthest/ furthest
Good better than the best
Bad worse than the worst
Much more than the most
Little less than the least
Few fewer than the fewest
Equal comparison:
- as + adj/adv+ as
ex: This bag is as cheap as that bag.
This dog is as intelligent as that dog.
She runs as quickly as me.
- Not + as + adj/adv + as
Ex: He isn’t as smart as me.
This house isn’t as expensive as that house.
He doesn’t do the exercise as well as me.
EXERCISE
1. Comparative: (adjective or adverb)
fast/ bad / far / good / hot / difficult / fluent / long
a) Rabbits are _________________________ than turtles.
b) The weather in Kenya is ____________________________than in Italy.
c) Lucy’s brother can speak English___________________ than her.
d) The Finnish ice hockey team is _______________________ than the
Italian one.
e) The journey home by train takes _________________ than by plane.
f) New York is ______________________ from Sydney than Hong Kong.
h) Our team played_________________ than the other one, that’s why
we lost.
i) I think math is ____________________ than English.
2. Superlative: (adjective or adverb)
a) This is __________________________(fancy) dress I own.
b) In my opinion, a cheetah moves ____________________ (fast) of all
the animals.
c) January is ________________________ (cold) month of a year.
d) Bopha speaks ________________(fluent) of the whole family.
e) She has ________________________ (beautiful) voice I’ve ever heard.
f) John weighed 635kg. He was __________________ (heavy) man in
the world.
g) Our team played _____________________ (bad) of all.
3. Equal comparison: (adjective or adverb)
a) This exam is not ______________________(difficult) the last one.
b) John runs _________________ (fast) his brother.
c) Her painting is ____________________ (beautiful) mine.
d) The weather today is ____________________(bad) it was yesterday.
e) My dog is ____________________(friendly) yours.
f) The children played ______________ (quiet) they could.
g) She sings ________________ (good) a professional singer.
4. Comparative/ Superlative/ Equative (as….as)
Last summer, I visited my grandparents' village. It was ___________
(beautiful) place I’ve ever been to. The weather there was much
___________ (cool) than in the city, and the air felt ___________ (fresh)
I could imagine. My grandparents' house is ___________ (large) as my
own house, but it’s much ___________ (comfortable). My grandmother
cooks ___________ (well) than anyone I know. Her food is always
___________ (delicious) as the food in fancy restaurants.
One day, my cousin Jack and I decided to explore the nearby hills.
Jack is ___________ (strong) as I am, but he walks ___________
(quickly) than me, so I had to keep up. The hills were not ___________
(steep) as I expected, but the view from the top was ___________
(amazing) thing I’d ever seen.
In the evening, we sat outside under the stars. The sky there is
___________ (clear) as it can be, with no pollution to block the view. I
could see more stars than I had ever seen before. That night was
___________ (peaceful) and ___________ (quiet) than any night I’ve
spent in the city. I can’t wait to go back next summer!
