COMPARATIVES & SUPERLATIVES

There are two ways for adjectives and adverbs to make comparatives of superiority and superlatives:

1.       By adding the suffix-ER (comparatives) or –EST (superlatives)

2.       By putting MORE (comparatives) or MOST (superlatives) in front of the adj /adv

To form comparatives of inferiority LESS is put before the adj /adv.

To form comparatives of equality we use the pattern

AS adj/adv AS

Not AS adj/adv AS  or Not SO adj/adv AS

  The general rules for comparatives of superiority and superlatives are:

-ER /-EST	MORE /MOST
·         One-syllable words ·         Two-syllable adjs ending in -Y	·         Two-syllable adjs NOT ending in –Y ·         Two-syllable advs ending in –Y ·         Three-syllable words or longer

There are EXCEPTIONS and IRREGULAR forms. Here are some exceptions:

·         Some one-syllable adjs and mainly those formed from verbs make the comparative and superlative with MORE and MOST

e.g. tired, bored, just, chic, real, wrong

Some others may also have both forms:

e.g. quiet quieter quietest or more quiet most quiet

·         Negative adjs with the prefix –UN formed from two-syllable adjs ending in –Y can form their comparatives and superlatives in the two possible ways:

e.g. Unhappy unhappier unhappiest or more unhappy most unhappy.

·         Some two-syllable adjs not ending in –Y can also follow either rule:

e.g. clever, gentle, simple, narrow, shallow, pleasant, polite, common

·         For emphasis MORE and MOST are sometimes acceptable instead of the suffixes.

Here you are some webpages where you can check again these rules, the irregular forms, spelling rules, the whole structures for comparatives and superlatives with examples and follow-up exercises.

Click HERE
Click HERE
Click HERE
Click HERE
Click HERE
Click HERE  (good for EXCEPTIONS)