
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.
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.
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 |