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In this article we explain how comparatives and superlatives are used using pictures to help make it easier to understand. In English, when we want to make comparisons we use modified forms of adjectives called comparatives and superlatives. Comparative adjectives are used in sentences comparing two things, while superlatives adjectives are used to show the best of a group.

For example:

[Tom's house] + [is] + [bigger] + [than] + [Jim's house,]

[NOUN] + [VERB] + [COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVE] + [THAN] + [NOUN]

but [Dan's house] + [is] + [the most impressive.]

[NOUN] + [VERB] + [SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVE]

Short one-syllable adjectives use "-er" and "-est"

Forming comparatives and superlatives is quite easy. The structure depends on the number of syllables, or sounds, of the original adjective. Short, one-syllable adjectives add "-er" for the comparative form followed by "than," while the superlative form uses "the" in front of the original adjectives plus "-est" at the end.

For example:

The girl is younger than the woman, [comparative]

but the baby is the youngest. [superlative]

The cat is smaller than the dog, [comparative]

but the mouse is the smallest. [superlative]

The train is faster than the car, [comparative]

but the plane is the fastest. [superlative]

Comparatives and superlatives: Two-syllable adjectives can use "-er / -est" or "more / most"

For longer adjectives made up of two syllables/sounds, the comparative is formed either by using "-er," like one-syllable adjectives or by putting "more" in front of the original adjective. The superlative, in a similar way, is made by adding "-est" or by using "most" before the original adjective. Usually one form is more popular than the other but both can be used. If you're not sure which structure a two-syllable adjective can take, the safe option is to use "more / most." Remember that adjectives that end in the letter "y" will change their spelling to "i" before adding "-er / est".

For example:

The boy was happier when the test was over, [comparative with "-er"]

but he was even more happy when he got the result. [comparative with "more"]

This is the most busy the restaurant has been recently. [superlative with "most"]

It's because Christmas is the busiest time of year. [superlative with "-est"]

Long adjectives of three or more syllables will always use "more / most"

Since it would be difficult to add extra endings to adjectives that are already long, in English we use "more" and "most" with adjectives that have 3 or more syllables/sounds when comparing.

For example:

The tablet is more expensive than the phone, [comparative]

but the computer is the most expensive. [superlative]

History is more interesting than geography, [comparative]

but I think English is the most interesting subject. [superlative]

Some common adjectives are irregular, they have unique forms

In English, some of the words we use most often are the words that have kept old grammar structures and are exceptions to the usual rules. In these cases, you just have to memorize each different form. The good news is that there aren't too many common irregular adjectives, here are some of the most frequent ones:

[adjective] > [comparative] > [superlative]

For example:

I'm better at cooking than my sister, [comparative]

but our mum is the best. [superlative]

The second film was worse than the first, [comparative]

but the third film was the worst overall. [superlative]

Summary of comparatives and superlatives

Using comparative and superlative adjectives is quite simple, just remember that short adjectives tend to add "er/est" at the end of the word, while long adjectives use "more/most" before the word, and try to learn the irregular adjective forms one by one. People compare things all the time and we see and hear comparative language all around us every day. Music, of course, uses many comparative and superlative adjectives too. Listen to the songs below that have comparative/ superlative structures and leave a comment below with any more songs you can think of that use this kind of grammar. Thanks for reading!

Tina Turner - You're Simply the Best
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqDZOekUDzE
Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFfS4p3Tl0k
Andy Williams - The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJvokYRRuaA
For other examples of grammar explained in pictures, check out our GRAMMAR INDEX here.

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Comparatives and superlatives - Break Into English

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In this article we explain how comparatives and superlatives are used using pictures to help make it easier to understand. In English, when we want to make comparisons we use modified forms of adjectives called comparatives and superlatives. Comparative adjectives are used in sentences comparing two things, while superlatives adjectives are used to show the best of a group.

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Successfully reported this slideshow.

1. 1. EDITED BY: KARLA ROMERO

2. 2. AS...AS (THE ADJECTIVE DOES NOT CHANGE)  She's twice as old as her sister.  I'm almost as good in math as in science.  This book is not as exciting as the last one.  The cafeteria is not as crowded as usual.  Russian is not quite as difficult as Chinese.

3. 3. THAN (SOME CHANGES ARE NECESSARY, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF SYLLABLES THE ADJECTIVE HAS)  This computer is better than that one.  It's much colder today than it was yesterday.  Our car is bigger than your car.  This grammar topic is easier than most others.  I find science more difficult than mathematics.

4. 4. COMPARATIVE CONCLUSIONS Comparative is the name for the grammar used when comparing TWO THINGS The two basic ways to compare are using - as .. as - than

5. 5. What happen to COMPARATIVE adjectives? How do they change?

6. 6. ADJECTIVES  My sister is much taller than me.  It's colder today than it was yesterday. Rule 1: Add -er to the adjective.

7. 7. 1-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES big-bigger fat-fatter hot-hotter Rule 2: If the word ends in the pattern: consonant-vowel-consonant ...double the last consonant and add -er.

8. 8. 2- SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES My sister is funnier than my mom. Mark is happier than John. Cats are grumpier than mice. Rule 3: If the adjective ends in y, drop the -y and add -ier.

9. 9. 2-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES The shops are always more crowded just before Christmas.  Is there anything more boring than watching a bad movie?  My sister is more careful with her writing than I am with mine. Rule 4: Use "more" with the unchanged adjective .

10. 10. 2 - SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES simple-simpler clever-cleverer narrow-narrower Rule 5: The comparative of some shorter 2-syllable adjectives can be formed with -er. Note:To be sure which comparative method to use, you will need to look up in a good dictionary.

11. 11. ADJECTIVES WITH 3 OR MORE SYLLABLES... Russian grammar is more difficult than English grammar.  My sister is much more intelligent than me.  I find math lessons more interesting than science lessons. Rule 6: use more with the unchanged adjective.

12. 12. What happen to SUPERLATIVE adjectives? How do they change?

13. 13. SUPERLATIVES Superlatives talk about one thing only and how it is the best, worst, in a group. You do not compare two things,  You compare more than two.

14. 14. 1- SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES My sister is the tallest in our family. Yesterday was the coldest day of the year so far. Rule 1: add -est to the adjective (plus the).

15. 15. 1- SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES big-biggest fat-fattest hot-hottest Rule 2: If the word ends in the pattern: consonant-vowel-consonant ...double the last consonant and add -est.

16. 16. 2- SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES The richest people are not always the happiest. Which do you think is the easiest language to learn? Rule 3: If the adjective ends in y, drop the -y and add -iest (plus the).

17. 17. 2-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES  Andy is the most careful person I know.  This homework was the most simple assignment of the list.  Tom is the most clever student in the classroom. Rule 4: Use the most with the unchanged adjective. Note: The superlative of some 2-syllable adjectives can be formed with -est.

18. 18. ADJECTIVES WITH 3 OR MORE SYLLABLES...  Some people think that Russian is the most difficult language. Albert Einstein was the most intelligent person in history.  You are the most irritating person I have ever met! Rule 5: Use the most with the unchanged adjective.

19. 19. IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES Common irregular comparative/superlative forms:

20. 20. Now you can be a better English student and why not ....you can be the best. THANK YOU

1. 1. EDITED BY: KARLA ROMERO

2. 2. AS...AS (THE ADJECTIVE DOES NOT CHANGE)  She's twice as old as her sister.  I'm almost as good in math as in science.  This book is not as exciting as the last one.  The cafeteria is not as crowded as usual.  Russian is not quite as difficult as Chinese.

3. 3. THAN (SOME CHANGES ARE NECESSARY, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF SYLLABLES THE ADJECTIVE HAS)  This computer is better than that one.  It's much colder today than it was yesterday.  Our car is bigger than your car.  This grammar topic is easier than most others.  I find science more difficult than mathematics.

4. 4. COMPARATIVE CONCLUSIONS Comparative is the name for the grammar used when comparing TWO THINGS The two basic ways to compare are using - as .. as - than

5. 5. What happen to COMPARATIVE adjectives? How do they change?

6. 6. ADJECTIVES  My sister is much taller than me.  It's colder today than it was yesterday. Rule 1: Add -er to the adjective.

7. 7. 1-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES big-bigger fat-fatter hot-hotter Rule 2: If the word ends in the pattern: consonant-vowel-consonant ...double the last consonant and add -er.

8. 8. 2- SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES My sister is funnier than my mom. Mark is happier than John. Cats are grumpier than mice. Rule 3: If the adjective ends in y, drop the -y and add -ier.

9. 9. 2-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES The shops are always more crowded just before Christmas.  Is there anything more boring than watching a bad movie?  My sister is more careful with her writing than I am with mine. Rule 4: Use "more" with the unchanged adjective .

10. 10. 2 - SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES simple-simpler clever-cleverer narrow-narrower Rule 5: The comparative of some shorter 2-syllable adjectives can be formed with -er. Note:To be sure which comparative method to use, you will need to look up in a good dictionary.

11. 11. ADJECTIVES WITH 3 OR MORE SYLLABLES... Russian grammar is more difficult than English grammar.  My sister is much more intelligent than me.  I find math lessons more interesting than science lessons. Rule 6: use more with the unchanged adjective.

12. 12. What happen to SUPERLATIVE adjectives? How do they change?

13. 13. SUPERLATIVES Superlatives talk about one thing only and how it is the best, worst, in a group. You do not compare two things,  You compare more than two.

14. 14. 1- SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES My sister is the tallest in our family. Yesterday was the coldest day of the year so far. Rule 1: add -est to the adjective (plus the).

15. 15. 1- SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES big-biggest fat-fattest hot-hottest Rule 2: If the word ends in the pattern: consonant-vowel-consonant ...double the last consonant and add -est.

16. 16. 2- SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES The richest people are not always the happiest. Which do you think is the easiest language to learn? Rule 3: If the adjective ends in y, drop the -y and add -iest (plus the).

17. 17. 2-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES  Andy is the most careful person I know.  This homework was the most simple assignment of the list.  Tom is the most clever student in the classroom. Rule 4: Use the most with the unchanged adjective. Note: The superlative of some 2-syllable adjectives can be formed with -est.

18. 18. ADJECTIVES WITH 3 OR MORE SYLLABLES...  Some people think that Russian is the most difficult language. Albert Einstein was the most intelligent person in history.  You are the most irritating person I have ever met! Rule 5: Use the most with the unchanged adjective.

19. 19. IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES Common irregular comparative/superlative forms:

20. 20. Now you can be a better English student and why not ....you can be the best. THANK YOU

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Successfully reported this slideshow. 1. EDITED BY: KARLA ROMERO 2. AS...AS (THE ADJECTIVE DOES NOT CHANGE)  She's twice as old as her sister.  I'm almost as good in math as in science.  This book is not as exciting as the last one.  The cafeteria is not as crowded as usual.

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COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES - IRREGULAR

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COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES - IRREGULAR