06
Comparatives & Superlatives
Bigger, smaller, the most interesting.
Visual Explanation
Comparing things
Subject+is+adjective + -er / more + adjective+than...
Examples
The train is faster than the bus.
This exercise is more difficult than the last one.
She is the tallest person in her family.
When to Use
- Short adjectives (1-2 syllables)
- Add -er for comparatives and -est for superlatives: cheap/cheaper/cheapest, big/bigger/biggest.
- Long adjectives (3+ syllables)
- Use 'more' and 'the most': expensive/more expensive/the most expensive.
- Irregular forms
- Good/better/the best. Bad/worse/the worst. Far/further/the furthest. (Also: farther/farthest — more common in American English for physical distance.)
Tip
Never combine both forms: say 'more expensive,' not 'more expensiver.' Say 'the best,' not 'the most best.'