Comparatives and superlatives in English: rules and examples

comparatives

• one syllable
  • add 'er than'
    • you are taller than him
    • consonant-short vowel-consonant = double last consonant
      • your house is bigger than my house
      • this food is hotter than the one at the table
• two syllable ending in y
  • change the 'y' with 'ier'
    • cats are prettier than dogs
    • that comedian is funnier than we are
• more than two syllables
  • add 'more' before the adjective, and 'than' after
    • that dress is more expensive than this one
    • monkeys are more intelligent than cats

superlatives

• if theres a possessive we dont use 'the'
  • He's my best student.
  • That's our most important goal.
• one syllable
  • add: 'the' ... 'est'
    • consonant-short vowel-consonant = double the last consonant
      • the biggest
    • the smallest
    • the fastest
• two syllable ending in y
  • change 'y' with 'iest'
    • the friendliest
    • the heaviest
    • the happiest
• two syllables
  • we add 'the most' + the adjective
    • the most expensive
    • the most beautiful
    • the most dangerous