COMPARATIVE/SUPERLATIVE

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Superlatives

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COMPARATIVE/SUPERLATIVE

Use of superlatives

Although the usually occurs before a superlative, it is sometimes left out in informal speech or writing

This one seems to be cheapest.

Another way of being specific is by placing a relative clause after the superlative

This offer is the best I’m going to get.

superlatives are often used on their own if it is clear what or who is being compared.

Annabel was the youngest child. Annabel was the youngest of the children.

superlatives can be placed before nouns in the attributive position, or occur after be and other link verbs

It is the most delicious chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten. Annabel was the youngest. This restaurant is the best.

Use of comparatives

Two comparatives can also be linked with and to show a continuing increase in a particular quality

The sea was getting rougher and rougher. Her illness was becoming worse and worse. He became more and more tired as the weeks went by.

Two comparatives can be contrasted by placing the before them, indicating that a change in one quality is linked to a change in another

The smaller the gift, the easier it is to send. The more stressed you are, the worse it is for your health.

Comparatives are often qualified by using words and phrases such as much, a lot,far, a bit/little, slightly, e.g.

You should go by train, it would be much cheaper. Could you be a bit quieter? I’m feeling a lot better. Do you have one that’s slightly bigger?

As well as pronouns and noun groups, than is often followed by other kinds of clause

I think the portions were bigger than they were last time. They had given a better performance than in previous years.

Comparatives are very commonly followed by than and a pronoun or noun group, in order to describe who the other person or thing involved in the comparison is

John is taller than me. I think that she’s more intelligent than her sister.

Comparatives can also occur after be and other link verbs

The street has become quieter since they left. You should be more sensible.

Just like other adjectives, comparatives can be placed before nouns in the attributive position

a more intelligent child the bigger piece of cake

Topic principal

One way of describing a person or thing is by saying that they have more of a particular quality than someone or something else. To do this, we use comparative adjectives, which are formed either by adding -er at the end of the adjective, or placing more before it, e.g.

This is a bigger piece of cake.

She’s more intelligent than her sister.

Rules about forming comparatives and superlatives

7. Comparatives and superlatives of compound adjectives are generally formed by using more andmost, e.g.

Going skiing was the most nerve-wracking experience I’ve had.

6. The following adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms:

Adjective Comparative Superlative good better the best bad worse the worst far farther/further the farthest/furthest

5. Adjectives which have three or more syllables always form the comparative and superlative with more and most.

Adjective Comparative Superlative dangerous more dangerous the most dangerous difficult more difficult the most difficult exciting more exciting the most exciting ridiculous more ridiculous the most ridiculous

4. Two-syllable adjectives ending in -ed, -ing, -ful, or -less always form the comparative with more and the superlative with most

Adjective Comparative Superlative worried more worried the most worried boring more boring the most boring careful more careful the most careful useless more useless the most useless

3. Two-syllable adjectives which end in -y usually form the comparative by adding -er and the superlative by adding -est, (note the change of -y to-i in the comparative/superlative).

adjetive comparative Superlative Lucky luckier The luciest Pretty prettier The prettiest tidy tidier Tthe tidies

2.More and most are sometimes used with one-syllable adjectives as an alternative to the -er/-est form when we particularly want to emphasize the comparison, or if the adjective occurs with another adjective which has more than one syllable

That sofa might look nice, but this one is more soft and comfortable.

The icing was supposed to be pink and white, but it looked more red than pink.

1. One syllable adjectives generally form the comparative by adding -er and the superlative by adding -est

If an adjective ends in a consonant followed by -y, -yis replaced by -iwhen adding -er/-est, e.g. dry - drier/driest.

If an adjective ends in -e, this is removed when adding -er/-est, e.g. wide - wider/widest

Note that if a one-syllable adjective ends in a single vowel letter followed by a single consonant letter, the consonant letter is doubled, e.g. thin - thinner/thinnest, big - bigger/biggest.

The opposite of comparative and superlative forms

Comparative and superlative forms with -er/-est and more/most are always used to talk about a quality which is greater in amount relative to others