comparative and superlative forms of adjectives © beni suarez prado (2010)

Comparative and superlative forms of adjectives

© BENI SUAREZ PRADO (2010)

General ideas:We use the comparative form of an

adjective when we want to compare just TWO things or people:

My With your

My car is faster than your car

General ideas:We use the superlative form of an

adjective when we want to compare one thing or person with the rest of its group:My With all the houses in my

village

My house is the most beautiful house in my village.

Formation rules:We must take into account the

NUMBER of syllables the adjective has. We consider: Adjectives with 1 syllable: BIG, SHORT, FAST Adjectives with 2 syllables and ending in –y: FUNNY, PRETTY

Adjectives with 2 or more syllables: MODERN, INTELLIGENTThe second part of the comparison is made with THAN in compartive forms and OF ALL, IN THE world, town, class……….. In superlative forms.

Comparative form:

ADJECTIVES WITH 1 SYLLABLE

SHORT FAST

+ ERSHORTERFASTER

The young girl is SHORTER THAN her sister

BIG + G + ER

BIGGER

My present is BIGGER THAN yours

Comparative form:

ADJECTIVES WITH 2 SYLLABLES AND ENDING IN -Y

FUNNY

PRETTY+ ER

FUNN-I-ERPRETT-I-ER

is FUNNIER THAN

Comparative form:ADJECTIVES WITH 2 SYLLABLES OR

MORE MODERN

+ MORE MODERN

is MORE modern THAN

is MORE

comfortableTHAN

+THAN

My your

COMFORTABLE

MORE +CONFORTABLE +THAN

This

that

Superlative form:ADJECTIVES WITH 1 SYLLABLE

SHORT FAST

+ THESHORT + ESTFAST +EST

A F1 car is THE FASTEST car OF ALL

BIG +BIG+G+EST

is THE BIGGEST country IN THE WORLD

THE

Superlative form:ADJECTIVES WITH 2 SYLLABLES

AND ENDING IN -Y FUNNY

PRETTY+

THE

FUNN-I-ESTPRETT-I- ESTÇ

She is the prettiest girl in the world.

Superlative form:ADJECTIVES WITH 2 SYLLABLES OR

MORE PEACEFUL

INTERESTING

+ THE MOST

is the most peaceful place in my town

PEACEFUL

INTERESTING+

This park

It is the most interesting book

I have ever read

COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS

ADJECTIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

1 SyllableSHORT

BIGSHORT ERBIG G ER

THE SHORT EST

THE BIG G EST

2 Syllables ending in

–y

FUNNY FUNN I ERTHE FUNN I

EST

2 Syllables or more

MODERNINTERESTING

MORE MODERNMORE

INTERESTING

THE MOST MODERN

THE MOST INTERESTING

IRREGULAR COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS

AdjectiveComparativ

eSuperlative

GOOD BETTER THE BEST

BAD WORSE THE WORST

FARFARTHERFURTHER

THE FARTHESTTHE FURTHEST