Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

There are three types of degree of comparison:

Positive Degree: When no comparison is made.

Comparative Degree: When comparison is made between two.

Superlative Degree: When comparison is made among many. 

What is Comparative?  

Comparative is the form of adjective, or adverb that expresses more in amount, degree or quality. (Oxford Dictionary) We use comparative form of adjectives to make comparison between two.

wiser, closer, better, greater

What is superlative? 

Superlative is the form of adjective or adverb that expresses the highest degree of something. (Oxford Dictionary) We use superlative forms of adjective or adverb to make comparisons among many. 

wisest, closest, best, greatest

 Rules of Forming Comparative & Superlative Degree 

Rule-1:

We usually add –er and –est to one-syllable words to make comparatives and superlatives:

Positive
Comparative
Superlative
Rich
richer
richest
Tall
taller
tallest
Cold
colder
coldest
Poor
poorer
poorest
Young
younger
youngest
Strong
stronger
strongest
Sweet
sweeter
sweetest
Small
smaller
smallest
Great
greater
greatest
Green
greener
greenest
Warm
warmer
warmest

Rule-2:

If an adjective ends in –e, we add –r or –st:

Positive
Comparative
Superlative
Pure
purer
purest
Fine
finer
finest
Wise
wiser
wisest
Wide
wider
widest
Brave
braver
bravest
Gentle
gentler
gentlest
Large
larger
largest
White
whiter
whitest

Rule-3:

If an adjective ends in a consonant and –y, we change –y to –i and add –er or –est:

Positive
Comparative
Superlative
Dry
drier
driest
Funny
funnier
funniest
Foggy
foggier
foggiest
Greedy
greedier
greediest
Lovely
lovelier
loveliest
Easy
easier
easiest
Happy
happier
happiest
Heavy
heavier
heaviest
Holy
holier
holiest
Healthy
healthier
healthiest

Rule-4:

If an adjective ends in a vowel and –y, we do not change –y. We simply add –er or –est:

Positive
Comparative
Superlative
Gay
gayer
gayest
Gray
grayer
grayest

Rule-5:

If an adjective ends in a vowel + a consonant, we double the consonant:

Positive
Comparative
Superlative
Big
bigger
biggest
Red
redder
reddest
Fat
fatter
fattest
Hot
hotter
hottest
Glad
gladder
gladdest
Sad
sadder
saddest
Wet
wetter
wettest

Rule-6:

If an adjective ends in two consonants, we do not double the consonant:

Positive
Comparative
Superlative
Thick
thicker
thickest
Weak
weaker
weakest

Rule-7:

We use more/less  and most/least to make comparatives and superlatives for most two syllable adjectives and for all adjectives with three or more syllables:

Positive
Comparative
Superlative
Attractive
more attractive
most attractive

less attractive
least attractive
Beautiful
more beautiful
most beautiful

less beautiful
least beautiful
Intelligent
more intelligent
most intelligent

less intelligent
least intelligent
Expensive
more expensive
most expensive

less expensive
least expensive
Useful
more useful
most useful

less useful
least useful
Honest
more honest
most honest

less honest
least honest
Precious
more precious
most precious

less precious
least precious
Famous
more famous
most famous

less famous
least famous
Popular
more popular
most popular

less popular
least popular
Populous
more populous
most populous

less populous
least populous
Surprising
more surprising
most surprising

less surprising
least surprising

Rule-8:

If a two-syllable adjective ends in a vowel and –le, –er, –y, we add –er and –est to form comparative and superlative:

Positive
Comparative
Superlative
Noble
nobler
noblest
Tender
tenderer
tenderest
Clever
cleverer
cleverest
Happy
happier
happiest
Simple
simpler
simplest

Rule-9:

The following adjectives have irregular comparatives and superlatives:

Positive
Comparative
Superlative
Good
better
best
well
better
best
Bad
worse
worst
evil
worse
worst
ill
worse
worst
Far
farther
farthest
Many
more
most
much
more
most
Little
less
least
Late
later
latest
Late
latter
last
Fore
former
foremost
Fore
former
first
Old
older
oldest
Old
elder
eldest
Near
nearer
nearest
Near
nearer
next


Degree of Comparison Worksheet

1. Fill in the blanks with right form of adjectives from the bracket.

  1. He is the (strongest/stronger) ---------- of the two.    
  2. This is the (oldest/older) ---------- in Dhaka.    
  3. This cloth is (better/superior) ---------- to that.    
  4. Which is the (wiser / wisest) ---------- of the three sons?    
  5. There are (less / fewer) ---------- girls than boys here.

2. Fill in the blanks with the right form of degrees in the brackets:

  1. Mr. Hasan is the ---------- (fit) chairman.    
  2. This is the ---------- (rare) opportunity.   
  3. He talks ---------- (little) than you.   
  4. He is not ---------- (obedient) to you than to me.    
  5. My car is the ---------- (expensive) in the town.    
  6. This is ---------- (splendid) than all other buildings.    
  7. Very few persons are as ---------- (stoutest) as he.    
  8. Luna is the ---------- (smart) of all girls.    
  9. A railway station is ---------- (busy) than any other place.    
  10. This mountain is the ---------- (high) in Europe.

3. Use the right form of degrees in the brackets.

  1. The elephant is the ---------- of all land animals. (large)   
  2. Your hand is as ---------- as ice. (cold)   
  3. Salma is the ---------- of the three girls. (tall)    
  4. Iron is ---------- than gold. (useful)   
  5. Everest is the ---------- mountain in the Himalayas. (high)   
  6. The weather is ---------- today than yesterday. (bad)   
  7. Your pen is ---------- than hers. (expensive)    
  8. Cairo is the ---------- city in the world. (old)    
  9. Your pronunciation is ---------- than mine. (good)    
  10. You have Tk-20/-. I have Tk-l0/-. I have ---------- money than you have. (little)

4. Fill in the blanks with suitable degrees.

  1. City life is not as ---------- as village life.   
  2. The old man is the ---------- of all men.   
  3. Bangladesh is ---------- than any other country.   
  4. This is the ---------- day in the year.    
  5. The Padma is the ---------- river in Bangladesh.    
  6. No other girl is as ---------- as Rina.    
  7. Anis is ---------- than you.    
  8. Money is ---------- than honey.    
  9. Dhaka is the ---------- city of Bangladesh.    
  10. Akbar was as ---------- as a lion.

5. Re-write the following sentences putting the right form of the adjectives in the brackets.

  1. He is the ---------- (old) man in the village.    
  2. Kamal is the ---------- (good) boy in the class.    
  3. Faruk is ---------- (tall) than I.    
  4. Mujib is ---------- (strong) than his brother.    
  5. She is the ---------- (beautiful) girl in the class.    
  6. This pen is ---------- (cheap) than that.    
  7. Iron is the ---------- (useful) metal.    
  8. Dipu is ---------- (active) than Siraj.   
  9. Flies fly ---------- (swiftly) than birds.   
  10. You look ---------- (pretty) than she.

6. Use the right form of degrees in the brackets.

  1. Rahim is ----------  (intelligent) and taller than Karim.    
  2. The wiser you are, the ----------  (happy) you will be.     
  3. He has ----------  (supreme) power.    
  4. This is a ---------- (unique) opportunity.    
  5. They are ---------- (wise) of all.    
  6. He is as ----------  (strong) as a lion.   
  7. It is ----------  (good) to go than staying.    
  8. Of the two girls Salma is ---------- (beautiful).
  9. Rahim is the ---------- (old) son of his parents.    
  10. Mr. Zaman is the ---------- (old) man in our village.

7. Use the right form of degrees in the brackets.

  1. He is ---------- boy in the class. (good)    
  2. She is ---------- than wise. (clever)   
  3. Ali is ---------- than any other boy in the class. (tall)    
  4. Gold is a ---------- metal. (precious)    
  5. He is ---------- boy of this class. (young)    
  6. He is ---------- man in the village. (wise)     
  7. Sabina is ---------- than Mina. (beautiful)    
  8. The book is ---------- than yours. (fine)    
  9. Dhaka is ---------- city in Bangladesh. (large)    
  10. They are ---------- than all others. (popular)

8. Fill in the blanks with suitable degrees.

  1. Raka is the ---------- girl in the class. 
  2. Ruba is the ---------- girl in the village. 
  3. He is ---------- than that. 
  4. I am ---------- better today. 
  5. Dhaka is ---------- from Chittagong than Comilla. 
  6. Iron is ---------- than gold. 
  7. Rabindranath is the ---------- poet in Bengali literature. 
  8. The pen is ---------- than the sword. 
  9. No other festival of the Muslim is as ---------- as the holy Ramadan. 
  10. He is ---------- to me.

9. Correct the following sentences.

  1. The book is inferior than that. 
  2. Death is preferable than dishonour. 
  3. I prefer to read than to write.   
  4. I am comparatively better today. 
  5. Kobita is more taller than Sobita. 
  6. This tree is the most tallest in the jungle.
  7. He is smaller than me.  
  8. Going by bus is easier than to go by rickshaw.
  9. It is better to do than staying. 
  10. I am much happy now. 
  11. I am very better today. 
  12. It is much interesting.  
  13. I was very interested. 

Select the correct answer

Q1. Degree is a part of-----.
Adjective
Verb
Adverb
Adjective & Adverb
Q2. Degrees are of-----types.
two
three
four
five
Q3. He is the-----boy in the class.
thinnest
most thiner
most thin
thinest
Q4. Which one is correct?
She is as wiser as you.
She is as wise like you.
She is as wise as you.
none of these.
Q5. He is as-----as you.
strong
strongest
stronger
more strong
Q6. ‘Deep’ is a positive degree of-----.
deepest
deep
deeplyest
deeply
Q7. What is the superlative form of 'fast'?
faster
fastest
well
fastly
Q8. Which one is the positive Degree of 'Laziest'?
lazi
lazie
lazee
lazy
Q9. Which sentence is correct?
Among my friends he is eldest.
He is comparatively better today.
He is better than all the boys.
He is the best boy in the class.
Q10. Prevention is-----than cure.
good
better
best
worse
Q11. He is the-----boy in the class.
good
bad
best
worse
Q12. What is the comparative and of ‘much’?
mucher
more
most
morer
Q13. Which one is the superlative form of 'old'?
older
oldest
most old
none of these
Q14. Which one is the superlative form of 'gay'?
most gay
gayest
gaiest
none of these
Q15. Which spelling is incorrect?
compartive
positive
superlative
Negative