Comparatives and Superlatives

​Grades of Adjectives:

Positive / Comparative / Superlative

Adjectives can vary in degree or intensity.

They have comparative and superlative forms.

​Positive Degree

Quality or attribute in its most simple degree:

​

fast, hard, smart, pretty, clean, large, small, old, easy, etc.

​

​Comparatives

When making comparisons, we can highlight the superiority, inferiority or equality.

​

The structure of each of these comparison degrees is different.

1. Comparatives of superiority.

​

In superiority comparisons, the adjective, which is in the comparative form, is followed by "than."

​

Ejemplos:

Juan runs faster than Mark.

Angela’s room is cleaner than Sue’s.

I am taller than Beth.

New York is bigger than Los Angeles.

​

2. Comparatives of inferiority.

​

To form this type of comparison we can use the conjunctions “not as…as” or “less…than”.

​

In both cases, the adjective is in the positive degree.

​

Mark is not as fast as Juan.

Sue’s room is less clean than Angela’s.

Beth is not as tall as me.

Los Angeles is not as big as New York.​

3. Comparatives of equality.

​

With the adjective in the positive degree, we use the conjunction “as…as” to form equality comparisons.

​

Mark is as fast as Juan.

Sue’s room is as clean as Angela’s.

Beth is as tall as I am.

Los Angeles is as big as New York.

​

​Superlatives

The superlative degree denotes quality in the highest degree and as in Spanish, “the” is used before the adjective in the superlative form.

​

Juan is the fastest .

Angela’s room is the cleanest.

I am the tallest.

New York is the biggest city in the United States.

​

​Note:

If the adjective is possessive, “the” is not used.

In addition, "the" is not used if we compare something with itself.

​

Examples:

His smartest student is Lisa. / Your biggest fear is the sea.

New York is coldest in January. / John is quietest in English class.

​

​Rules (1/3):

1. One syllable adjective ending in a silent 'e' — nice

Comparative — add 'r' — nicer

Superlative — add 'st' — nicest

​

2. One syllable adjective ending in one CONSONANT/VOWEL/CONSONANT — big

Comparative — the last consonant is doubled and 'er' is added —bigger

Superlative — the last consonant is doubled and 'est' is added—biggest

​

3. One syllable adjective ending in more than one consonant or more than a vowel (or long vowels) — high, cheap, soft.

Comparative — 'er' is added — higher, cheaper, softer.

Superlative — 'est is added — highest, cheapest, softest​.

​Rules (2/3):

4. A two-syllable adjective ending in 'y' — happy

Comparative — 'y' becomes 'i' and 'er' is added — happier

Superlative — 'y' becomes 'i' and 'est' is added — happiest

​

5. Two-syllable or more adjectives without 'y' at the end — exciting

Comparative — more (adjective) than — more exciting than

Superlative — the most (adjective) — the most exciting

​Rules (3/3):

IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES

​Note:

Some qualities cannot vary in intensity or degree because they are extreme, absolute, or qualifying adjectives.

These qualities have no comparative or superlative form.

Examples:

​

a. Extremes

freezing

excellent​

​b. Absolutes

dead

unique

​

​c. Classification

married

domestic​

Let's Practice!

The End