COMPARATIVES AND

SUPERLATIVES

USE:

•We use comparative adjectives and adverbs to compare things or people that are different and separate from each other.This computer is better than those computers. Tom drives more carefully than his sister.

•We use superlative adjectives and adverbs to compare one member of a group with the whole group.This is the best computer in the shop. Of all the people in my family, Tom drives the most carefully.

TYPE OF ADJECTIVE:

regular adjectives with one syllable:

ADJECTIVE:old

COMPARATIVE:

+ -er older

SUPERLATIVE:

+ -est oldest

TYPE OF ADJECTIVE:

regular adjectives with one

syllable(ending in vowel +

consonant)

ADJECTIVE:big

COMPARATIVE: double final letter

+-er bigger

SUPERLATIVE:

double final letter + -est

biggest

TYPE OF ADJECTIVE:

regular adjectives with two syllables ending in -y

ADJECTIVE: happy

COMPARATIVE

:replace –y with –ier happier

SUPERLATIVE: replace –y with –iest

happiest

TYPE OF ADJECTIVE:

other regular adjectives

with two or more syllables

ADJECTIVE:comfortable

COMPARATIVE:more/less than

+adjective more

comfortable

SUPERLATIVE:most/least+

adjective most

comfortable

TYPE OF ADJECTIVE:

irregular adjectives/quantifiers

ADJECTIVE: good bad far

little much many

COMPARATIVE: better worse further

Less more more

SUPERLATIVE: best worst

furthest least most most

Notes:

-To compare two or more things that are similar or the same, we can use as+ adjective/adverb+ as.My story is (nearly) as funny as yours. Paul did as well as Carol and Angela in the test.

-We can also use the negative form of this: not as+ adjective/adverb+ as.-My story isn´t as funny as yours.

TYPE OF ADVERB: regular adverbs

ADVERB:slowly

COMPARATIVE:

more/less + adverb

more slowly

Adverbs:

TYPE OF ADVERB:

irregular adverbs

Note: superlative adverbs are not used very often in English

Adverbs:

PRACTICE:

Which one would you prefer for commuting in the city?

CAR MOTORBIKE

EXPENSIVE *

CHEAP *

FAST *

COMFORTABLE *

ECONOMICAL *

CONVENIENT *

What about parking?What about the money?

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

CAR MOTORBIKE

EXPENSIVE * *

CHEAP *

FAST *

COMFORTABLE *

ECONOMICAL *

CONVENIENT *