Comparative and Superlative

Comparative and Superlative

1. SUPERLATIVE

   • We use Superlative Adjectives to compare three or more people, things or groups.
   • SHORT ADJECTIVES:
     • 1 syllable adjectives and 2 syllable adjectives ending in –y
   • SPELLING RULES:
     • Most of them → +-est
       • Ex: cool → the coolest
     • Adjectives ending in –e → + -st
       • Ex: nice → the nicest
     • Adjectives ending in one vowel + one consonant → double the final consonant + -est
       • Ex: big → the biggest
     • Adjectives ending in –y → y + -iest
       • Ex: heavy → the heaviest
   • LONG ADJECTIVES:
     • 2 syllables or more
     • STRUCTURE:
       • The most + base form of the adjective
         • Ex: He’s the most intelligent in the class
       • Note
         • We always write the before the adjective.
   • IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES
     • Good → the best Bad → the worst Far → the furthest
   • Remember
     • After superlatives, we normally use:
       • In before the names of places and words for groups of people.
       • In most other cases, we use of after superlatives.

2. COMPARATIVE

   • We use Comparative Adjectives to compare two people, things or groups.
   • SHORT ADJECTIVES:
     • 1 syllable adjectives and 2 syllable adjectives ending in –y
   • SPELLING RULES:
     • Most of them → +-er
       • Ex: cool → cooler
     • Adjectives ending in –e → + -r
       • Ex: nice → nicer
     • Adjectives ending in one vowel + one consonant → double the final consonant + -er
       • Ex: big → bigger
     • Adjectives ending in –y →do not write y but -ier
       • Ex: heavy → heavier
   • LONG ADJECTIVES:
     • STRUCTURE:
       • More + base form of the adjective
         • Ex: She is more beautiful than me.
       • Note: We use than after the comparative to make comparisons.
         • Ex: he’s taller than Ann
     • 2 syllables or more
   • IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES
     • Good → better Bad → worse Far → further
   • (NOT) AS ... AS
     • We use (not) as ... as to compare two people, things or groups.
     • STRUCTURE:
       • (not) as + base form of the adjective + as
         • She is as tall as her mum.
           • Brad isn't as handsome as his eldest son

3. TOO / ENOUGH

   • STRUCTURE
     • too + adjective / adverb (too big / too hard)
       • Can you turn the radio down? It's too loud. ( = louder than I want) I think you work too hard.
     • adjective + enough
       • The hat isn't big enough. ( = it's too small) The radio isn't loud enough.
     • enough + noun
       • We haven't got enough time. ( = we need more time)