Superlatives and Comparatives

Superlatives and Comparatives

1. Superlatives

   • We use a superlative to say that a thing or person is the most of a group. When we use a superlative adjective ('the tallest student') before the noun, we generally use it with 'the'. This is because there's only one (or one group) of the thing we are talking about. There is one student who is the tallest in the class, and because it's clear to the listener which one we mean, we usually use 'the':
     • Examples:
       • She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.
       • It's the best café in London.
       • John and Lisa are the most intelligent students here.
     • Remember, we don't use 'the' when there is a possessive:
       • Examples:
         • He's my best student.
         • That's our most important goal.
     • It's possible to drop 'the' when the adjective is used later in the sentence, rather than directly before the noun. We can choose either 'the' or 'no article', with no change in meaning:
       • Examples:
         • She is (the) most beautiful.
         • This café is (the) best.
         • John and Lisa are (the) most intelligent.
         • This bowl is (the) biggest.
     • This is not possible when the adjective comes directly before the noun:
       • Examples:
         • He is fastest swimmer.

2. Comparatives

   • When we want to express the differences between two things, units or people we use comparative forms of adjectives. The way we use comparatives in English is different from the way we do it in Spanish. In English we must be familiar with the number of syllables an adjective has, according to that we will use the corresponding form of comparing. This unit will help you use comparative forms in many aspects of your life.
     • Comparative structures: things or people that are the same
       • First, we can use 'as ... as' with a normal adjective (not a comparative) to say two things are the same:
         • Examples:
           • John is as tall as Luke (= they are the same height).
             • The red shirt is as expensive as the blue shirt (= they are the same price).
       • We can use 'not as ... as' to say that two things are not the same.
         • Examples:
           • Lucy is not as tall as Helena (= Helena is taller than Lucy)
           • Paris is not as big as London (= London is bigger than Paris).
     • Comparative Structures: one thing or person is more than another thing or person
       • We can say that something is more than another thing by using a comparative adjective with 'than'.
         • Examples:
           • France is bigger than Scotland.
           • Luke is taller than Lucy.
           • Your book is more interesting than my book.
       • We can make the comparison stronger by using 'far' or 'much' or 'a lot' before the adjective. We can make it less strong by using 'a little' or 'a bit'.
         • Examples:
           • Canada is far bigger than Scotland.
           • Your book is much more interesting than my book.
           • Amanda is a lot younger than Julie.
           • This exercise is a little more difficult than that exercise.
       • We can say that one thing or person is less than another thing by using 'less ... than':
         • Examples:
           • Scotland is less big than France.
           • Lucy is less tall than Luke.
           • My book is less interesting than your book.
       • To show something is changing, we can use 'comparative and comparative' or 'more and more adjective'.
         • Examples:
           • That child is getting taller and taller.
           • The climate is getting hotter and hotter.
           • This city is becoming more and more crowded.

3. Words Examples

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