COMPARATIVES and SUPERLATIVES

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COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES

FORMING THE COMPARATIVE AND
SUPERLATIVE

Number of syllables	Comparative	Superlative
one syllable	+ -er	+ -est
tall	taller	tallest

one syllable with the spelling consonant + single vowel + consonant: double the final consonant:
fat	fatter	fattest
big	bigger	biggest
sad	sadder	saddest

Number of syllables	Comparative	Superlative
two syllables	+ -er OR more + adj	+ -est OR most + adj
ending in: -y, -ly, -ow ending in: -le, -er or -urethese common adjectives – handsome, polite, pleasant, common, quiet
happy	happier/ more happy	happiest/ most happy
yellow	yellower/ more yellow	yellowest/ most yellow
simple	simpler/ more simple	simplest/ most simple
tender	tenderer/ more tender	tenderest/ most tender

If you are not sure, use MORE + OR MOST + Note: Adjectives ending in ‘-y’ like happy, pretty, busy, sunny, lucky etc:. replace the -y with -ier or -iest in the comparative and superlative form
busy	busier	busiest

Number of syllables	Comparative	Superlative
three syllables or more	more + adj	most + adj
important	more important	most important
expensive	more expensive	most expensive

Examples:

a. A cat is fast,
a tiger is faster
but a cheetah is the fastestb. A car is heavy,
a truck is heavier,
but a train is the heaviestc. A park bench is comfortable,
a restaurant chair is more
comfortable, but a sofa is the
most comfortable

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES

IRREGULAR COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

These adjectives have completely irregular comparative and superlative forms:

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
good	better	best
bad	worse	worst
little	less	least
much	more	most
far	further / farther	furthest / farthest