Comparatives & Superlatives

Comparatives of equality As + adjective + as Not so / as + adjective + as ‘He is as tall as me’ ‘He isn’t so / as tall as me’ In Spanish we use ‘tan’+ adjective + ‘como’

Comparatives of superiority Short adjectives (1 syllable) We add –er or –r. Two – syllable adjectives ending in –y We take –y out and we add –ier. Longer adjectives (2or more syllables) We use more before the adjective. Irregular forms Some adjectives take completely irregular forms.

‘John is shorter than Mary’ ‘He is more intelligent than her’ We use these comparatives of superiority to compare two things or two people. We can use than after the comparative forms. ‘John is shorter than Mary’ ‘He is more intelligent than her’ In Spanish we use ‘más’ + adjective + ‘que’

Superlatives Short adjectives (1 syllable) We add –est or –st. Two – syllable adjectives ending in –y We take –y out and we add –iest. Longer adjectives (2or more syllables) We use the most before the adjective. Irregular forms Some adjectives take completely irregular forms.

We use superlatives to compare a person / thing with a group. We always use the before the superlative adjectives. ‘He is the shortest in the group’ ‘He is the most interesting of the students’ In Spanish we use ‘el más’ + adjective

The farthest / furthest Irregulars Rich Richer than The richest Nice Nicer than The nicest Easy Easier than The easiest Happy Happier than The happiest Stressful More… than The most … Dangerous Good Better than The best Bad Worse than The worst Far Farther / further than The farthest / furthest

Exceptions Those adjectives with two syllables and ending in –er or –l can take both comparative and superlative forms: Clever – cleverer / more clever the cleverest / the most clever Simple – simpler / more simple the simplerest / the most simple Those adjectives ending in –ing / -ed / -ful / -less always take ‘more / the most’ Tired – more tired / the most tired

Comparatives of inferiority Less + adjective + than ‘He is less tall / intelligent than her’ In Spanish we use ‘menos’ + adjective + ‘que’ Superlatives of inferiority The least + adjective (in / of) ‘He is the least tall / intelligent in the group / of the students’ In Spanish we use ‘el menos’ + adjective (‘de’)

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