> Other English exercises on the same topic: | Comparisons [Change theme]
	> Similar tests: - Placement test : grammar for beginners - Comparatives / Superlatives - Comparative of superiority - Superlative + and adjective - Comparatives - Comparatives of superiority - Superlative - Comparative of superiority
	> Double-click on words you don't understand

Comparative and superlative forms of adjectives...

I) COMPARATIVES: It's necessary to distinguish short adjectives and long ones: 

Adjectives qualifying nouns are often used in the comparative and in the superlative forms, when it comes to comparing qualities attributed to nouns. 

-  Short adjectives: they have only one syllable (old- fat) and adjectives formed of two syllables ending with -y  (happy - lazy);

-  Long adjectives: all others. 

1) EQUALITY / INEQUALITY:

 To express the idea that an object or a person is "comparable to" ( Comparative of  equality),  "as + adjective + as..." is used, or on the contrary, "... not comparable to..." (Comparative of inequality)"... not as/ so + adjective + as... "

·          -  Connie is as old as her husband, but she isn't so tall as he is...

     2) COMPARATIVES:  when comparing two unequal elements, you must use: 

 a) The Comparative of Superiority, depending on the length of the adjectives: 

 - Short adjectives: ( see definition above) use the pattern: ... short adjective+ ER+ THAN...

 - Derek Pierce is older than Julian. 

 - Long adjectives  ... MORE + long adjective + THAN...

 - David Pierce's car is more expensive than Connie's. 

b) The Comparative of Inferiority: "... LESS + adjective + THAN..." This pattern must be used with both long and short adjectives. 

 BEWARE!  When using an adjective ending with -y, the vowel must be turned into an -i : happy => happier=> the happiest. 

II) SUPERLATIVES: express a quality at a very high, or at its highest degree.( He's very tall! ; David is the taller of the Pierce parents! *- here, the comparison is between two people=> the comparative form must be used) 

* BEWARE! When the superlative form is used to compare only two elements, you MUST use a comparative form. 

- Look at the twins! The taller is definitely also the more attractive one! =

- Superlative of superiority: for short adjectives= THE + short adjective + -EST+ noun/ / THE MOST+ long adjective + noun... (the smallest car, the tallest boy... the most interesting lecture. )

- Superlative of inferiority: the least + adjective (short or long)...

The superlative of inferiority is less used than that of superiority. Simply choose the opposite adjective: 

- the least poor man => the richest man.../ the very rich man...

 If the adjective ends with this pattern: Consonant-Vowel-Consonant, then, the final consonant is doubled (fat => fatter)   

III)  EXCEPTIONS: only 3 adjectives have irregular comparatives and superlatives. 

Here you are, with all the comparatives in hands!   You'll easily show that you are THE BEST!  

Twitter Share
English exercise "Comparative and superlative forms of adjectives..." created by here4u with The test builder. [More lessons & exercises from here4u]
Click here to see the current stats of this English test

Please log in to save your progress.

- ' Oh Leo, I've just had the more horriblethe most horriblea horriblestI don't know nightmare I had ever had...

- I was with unknown kids who were more old asoldest thanas old asI don't know I was, but not as old asnot older asas old asI don't know you, you know!

- I had to choose between three boxes: a very small onethe more smallmost small oneI don't know, a most largelarger onelargest oneI don't know, and the most hugethe huggerthe hugest oneI don't know which I couldn't hold alone.

- I chose the medium one, but it was very heavymore heaviermost heavierI don't know... I couldn't lift it.

- Then, I tried to pick the most small onethe smallest onethe smaller oneI don't know, but it was even heavier thanheaviest thanmost heavy thanI don't know the middle one.

- Finally, I started running but a dark-haired girl was running more fastfaster thanmost fastI don't know me and ran away.

- A most tallvery tallmore tallI don't know boy was coming to me in the more strangethe most strangestrangestI don't know way, like in slow motion and started addressing me but I couldn't understand what he was saying. - He spoke loudest aslouder thanmost louderI don't know before and much most distinctlymore distinctlydistinctlierI don't know. Yet, I couldn't understand a word.

- Then, he tried to grab me and I started running as far asas further thanfarthest asmore far asI don't know I could, and as safely assafelier thanmost safe asI don't know I could, but less efficiently thanefficientless thanefficientlier asI don't know I expected. I couldn't go farther thanmore far asfarer thanI don't know the door and yelled so loud that I awoke, in a sweat.
I hate having nightmares...'