Comparatives and Superlatives

Adjectives are used to

describe nouns. When
comparing things, we
use comparative and
superlative adjectives.
For comparatives, we
usually add er and for
superlatives, we
usually add est.
Adjective form
Only one syllable,
ending in E. Examples:
wide, fine, cute

Comparative
Add -r: wider, finer,
cuter

Superlative
Add -st: widest, finest,
cutest

Only one syllable, with

one vowel and one
consonant at the end.
Examples: hot, big, fat

Double the consonant,

and add -er: hotter,
bigger, fatter

Double the consonant,

and add -est: hottest,
biggest, fattest

Only one syllable, with

more than one vowel
or more than one
consonant at the end.
Examples: light, neat,
fast

Add -er: lighter,

neater, faster

Add -est: lightest,

neatest, fastest

Two syllables, ending

Change y to i, then
in Y. Examples: happy, add -er: happier,
silly, lonely
sillier, lonelier

Change y to i, then
add -est: happiest,
silliest, loneliest

Two syllables or more,

not ending in Y.
Examples: modern,
interesting, beautiful

Use most before the

adjective: most
modern, most
interesting, most
beautiful

Use more before

the adjective: more
modern, more
interesting, more
beautiful

Comparatives of Equality:
as ... as - tan ... como
not so ... as - no tan ... como
not as ... as - no tan ... como
(not) as much ... as - (no) tanto ... como
(not) as many ... as - (no) tantos ... como
the same ... as - la misma ... que

Bill is as tall as Peter.

Bill es tan alto como Peter.
Jane is not so beautiful as Mary.
Jane no es tan hermosa como Mary.
This is not as easy as you think.
Esto no es tan fcil como piensas.
They do not drink as much beer as him.
Ellos no toman tanta cerveza como l.
I have not read as many books as you think.
No he ledo tantos libros como piensas.
Mary has the same age as Jane.
Mary tiene la misma edad que Jane.
Practice: Exercise 1: Choose the correct word to complete the
sentence.
1. Jane is ................... taller than Jennifer.
C. many

A. very B. much

2. My friend Peter is as old .............. me.

as

A. than B. like C.

3. She likes the same things ......... I do.

C.as

A. than B. like

4. Our house is ......... from the station than yours. A.

farthest
B. more far C. farther
5. Your shirt isnt .......... clean as mine.
B. like C. than

A. as

6. Frank is the most intelligente boy ........ the class. A. of

into C. in
7. Traditional food is better ......... fast food.
that
B. than C. then
8. Italian is the ........... language Ive ever learnt.
B. easiest
C. most easy

A.
A. easyest

Exercise 2: Choose the correct word to complete the

sentence.
1.

My house is (big)

than yours.
bigger

B.

2.

This flower is (beautiful)

than that one.

3.

This is the (interesting)

4.

Non-smokers usually live (long)

5.

Which is the (dangerous)

6.

A holiday by the sea is (good)

book I have ever read.

than smokers.
animal in the world?
than a holiday in the

mountains.
7.
It is strange but often a coke is (expensive)

than a

beer.
8.

Who is the (rich)

9.

The weather this summer is even (bad)

summer.
10.
He was the (clever)

woman on earth?
than last

thief of all.

Exercise 3: Choose the correct answer for each question.

a) Canada is big but Russia is __________________________
(biger/bigger/biggest).
b) Of all the sofas, this one is _____________________ (most
nice/nicest/the nicest).
c) Diana was much taller _______________________________ Charles
(so/as/than).
d) France is a long way away but Germany is even
____________________________ (farther/further/more far).
e) I'm not short. I'm just ____________________________ (that/than/as)
tall as Hans.
f) This hamburger is bad, but that one is __________________
(worst/badder/worse).

g) She's beautiful, but her mother is

____________________________________ (most beautiful/beautifuller/more
beautiful).
h) Andrew is just as rich ________________________________
(than/that/as) David.
i) The Hurt Locker was the ___________________ (better/best/worse) film
this year.
j) This one is better ___________________________________ (to/than/as)
that one.