::You learn english:: Free grammar courses

In this lesson, we will learn about comparisons in the English language.

The comparison of the adjectives has two forms called: the comparative and the superlative. Comparative means that something is more than something while superlative means it’s the most. We can divide comparatives and superlatives into one syllable, two syllables, three or more syllables and irregular. Let’s look at some one syllable comparatives and superlatives which end with -er for comparative and -est for superlative.

 

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
Great Old Big Simple Hard	Greater Older Bigger Simpler Harder	Greatest Oldest Biggest Simplest Hardest

Now let’s look at two syllable comparatives and superlatives which end with -ier for comparatives and -iest for superlatives.

 

Easy Happy Busy

Easier Happier Busier

Easiest Happiest Busiest

 

Three or more syllable comparatives and superlatives involve the words more for comparative and most for superlative.

 

Expensive Important Crucial

More expensive More important More crucial

Most expensive Most important Most crucial

There are also irregular comparatives and superlatives that don’t follow a specific formula.

Good Bad Much

Better Worse More

Best Worst Most

 

From these examples, we can conclude that there are some rules:

• We form the comparative by adding –er to the adjective, and the superlative by adding –est.
• For the adjectives ending by y, we change y to i and add er/
• For some adjectives like Big we double the last letter and add er/est.
• There are irregular adjectives whose comparatives and superlatives are different like “good”.

 

Let’s do some exercises with what we have learned already. Write the comparative and superlative versions for the following words.

 

Ugly, cheap, large, bright, dark, pretty, young, brave.