Comparative adjectives are used to compare two things or people to each other.
•A bus is bigger than a car.
•Bill is older than Harry.
Superlative adjectives are used to compare one member of a group to the whole group.
We use the with a superlative adjective.
•The Nile is the longest river in the world.
•In our class Maria is the oldest and Charlie is the youngest.
| FORMATION | ||||
| Form | Adjective | Comparative | Superlative | |
| One syllable : | long | longer than | the longest | |
| (add : -er / -est) | nice | nicer than | the nicest | |
| hot | hotter than | the hottest | ||
| Two or more syllables : | famous | more famous than | the most famous | |
| (add: more-less/most-least before the adjective) |
interesting | less interesting than | the least interesting | |
| practical | more practical than | the most practical | ||
| Two syllables ending in -y : | funny | funnier than | the funniest | |
| (the ‘y’ becomes ‘i’ before -er/-est) |
easy | easier than | the easiest | |
| happy | happier than | the happiest | ||
| Irregular Adjectives : | good | better than | the best | |
| bad | worse than | the worst | ||
| much/many | more than | the most | ||
| little | less than | the least | ||
| far | farther/further than | the farthest/furthest | ||
N.B. : Adjectives ending with a vowel and a consonant double the consonant
big – bigger – biggest
except when the consonant is ‘w’ or ‘y’ :
new – newer – newest.
Now, let´s practice!
First, do the three online quizzes with correction bellow. When you have finished, prepare an exercise similar to the ones you have just done and share it with your peers.
1- http://englishteststore.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1459:english-grammar-comparisons-test-001&catid=165&Itemid=321
2- http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/exercises/adjectives-com-super_quiz1.html
3- http://esl.about.com/od/intermediatelevelquizzes/a/comparative_superlative_quiz.htm
If you need any help you can send me a text message or use Google.
Good luck and Happy Learning.
Paula Lyra ELT School 