Common comparative and superlative forms:
We use the comparative when comparing one person or one thing with another.
We use the superlative when comparing one person or one thing with more than one.
THE COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES
Adjectives | Comparative | Superlative | |
One syllable and some two syllable words ending in –y,-er, -ow,-le |
| …+er | …+est |
Two or more syllable words |
| More+… | Most+… |
Irregular forms | Good | Better | the best |
Note:
Some two or more syllable adjectives like happy ( clever, common, narrow, pleasant, quite, simple, stupid) have two comparative or superlative forms:
- either with –er/est:
Comparative and superlative forms often confused:
1. Further and father refer to distance:
London is five miles further/father.
Further (Not “father”) can mean in addition:
There is no further information.
2. We use elder/ the eldest before a noun only with reference to people in a family:
My elder son/ the eldest child.
We use older/the oldest for people and things:
He is older than me. This book is older.
3. Lesser is formed from less but is not true comparative. We cannot use than after it.
Lesser means “not so great” and we use in fixed phrases like:
The lesser of two evils.
4. Latest/last:
Exercises
Ex.1. Give the comparative and superlative of the falling adjectives:
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