COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES One-syllable adjectives add –er for the comparative and –est for the superlative. small nice big warm hot smaller smallest nicer nicest bigger biggest warmer warmest hotter hottest * We use more and most before words ending in –ed, e.g. bored > more bored

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES We use more and most with two-syllable adjectives not ending in –y, and with longer ones. careful boring famous exciting reliable more careful most careful more boring most boring more famous most famous more exciting most exciting more reliable most reliable

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES Two-syllable adjectives ending in consonant + y lose y and add –ier and -iest busy happy dirty busier busiest happier happiest dirtier dirtiest Some two-syllable adjectives not ending in “-y” also add -er / -est; e.g. narrow, clever, gentle, quiet, simple.

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES Spelling rules for the –er/-est endings Adjectives ending in –e add –r / -st, e.g. finer, safest, larger Adjectives ending in consonant + y lose y and add –ier / -iest, e.g. lovelier, luckiest, prettier Adjectives ending in a single vowel + single consonant double the consonant, e.g. fitter, sadder, thinner, wettest, hottest

IRREGULAR FORMS Some adjectives have irregular forms: better best worse worst good/well bad/badly We can use elder / eldest instead of older / oldest for people in the same family.

Use the words given to compare the following pictures. Let’s practise! Use the words given to compare the following pictures.

FRUIT FRIES CHOCOLATE HEALTHY EXPENSIVE SWEET TASTY FATTENING

DIFFICULT EASY BEAUTIFUL FAST VOCABULARY

JAMAICA SPAIN CANADA COLD HOT LARGE POPULAR EASYGOING POPULATED

CLEANING BORING USEFUL POPULAR BAD TIME CONSUMING IRONING COOKING

BIKE ELECTRIC CAR SUV CHEAP SLOW SMALL ECO-FRIENDLY COMFORTABLE CONTAMINANT

ICE SKATING FOOTBALL AMERICAN FOOTBALL SNOWBOARDING AMUSING POPULAR DANGEROUS FUN HEALTHY EXPENSIVE ICE SKATING FOOTBALL AMERICAN FOOTBALL SNOWBOARDING