A degree of comparison is used to express a comparison between two (or more) things.
- positive degree
She is as tall as Sam. My car is not as expensive as yours. - comparative degree
She is taller than Beth. A car is more expensive than a bike. - superlative degree
She is the tallest of all the girls. His car is the most expensive ever made.
1 syllable –er / –est
- –er /-est is used to form the comparative and superlative of 1-syllable adjectives: cold – colder – coldest
2 syllables –er / –est or more / most or both
- –er /-est is used to form the comparative and superlative of 2-syllable adjectives ending in –y: easy– easier – easiest
- more / most is used to form the comparative and superlative of most 2-syllable adjectives
- both –er /-est and more / most can be used to form the comparative and superlative of some 2-syllable adjectives, e.g. clever, common, cruel, gentle, narrow, pleasant, polite, quiet, simple, stupid, tired
clever – cleverer – cleverest / clever – more clever – most clever
3 syllables more / most
- more / most is used to form the comparative and superlative of 3-syllable adjectives: beautiful – more beautiful – most beautiful
spelling
| adjective ending in -e > –r / – st | safe gentle |
safer gentler |
safest gentlest |
| consonant + y > ie: | dry easy |
drier easier |
driest easiest |
| adjective ending in a single consonant > the single consonant doubles after a single vowel | big | bigger | biggest |
| mind the spelling of ‘than’ |
irregular degrees of comparison
| good/well | better | best | |
| bad/badly | worse | worst | |
| little | less | least | |
| much/many | more | most | |
| far | farther | farthest | (actual distance) |
| further | furthest | (figurative distance) | |
| old | elder | eldest | (family) |
| older | oldest | (age) | |
| late | latter | last | (sequence) |
| later | latest | (time) |
exercises
Comparative and superlative (-er / –est)
- exercise 1: fill in -er or –est
- exercise 2: fill in -er or –est
- exercise 3: compare using -er/-est
- exercise 4: make sentences: as … as
- exercise 5: make sentences: not as … as
- exercise 6: fill in the correct form of the adjectives
- exercise 7: fill in the correct form of the adjectives
Comparative and superlative (-er/-est and more/most)
- exercise 1: choose the comparative or superlative form
- exercise 2: choose -er/-est or more/most
- exercise 3: fill in -er/-est or more/most
Comparative degree (-er and more and exceptions)
- exercise 1: fill in the correct form of the comparative form
- exercise 2: choose the correct form of the comparative form
- exercise 3: fill in the correct form of the comparative form
- exercise 4: fill in the correct form of the comparative form
Superlative degree (-est and most and exceptions)
- oefening 1: fill in the correct form of the superlative form
- exercise 2: fill in the correct form of the superlative form
- exercise 3: fill in the correct form of the superlative form
Comparative and superlative (-er/-est and more/most and exceptions)
- exercise 1: choose the comparative or superlative form
- exercise 2: fill in the comparative or superlative form
- exercise 3: fill in the comparative or superlative form
- exercise 4: fill in the comparative or superlative form
