ESL CONNECT | Comparatives and Superlatives

Explanation: comparatives and superlatives

Use comparatives to compare two people, places or things. Use superlatives to compare one person, place or thing with a whole group.

1. Comparatives

A comparative compares two things. We often use than after the comparative adjective.

Examples:
London is bigger than Oxford.
This hotel is cheaper than that hotel.
English is easier than Chinese for some students.

Adjective	Comparative	Example
small	smaller	This room is smaller than the main room.
cheap	cheaper	The bus is cheaper than the train.
big	bigger	Milan is bigger than Saronno.
easy	easier	This exercise is easier than the test.
expensive	more expensive	This restaurant is more expensive than the café.

2. Comparative rules

Adjective type	Rule	Examples
Short adjectives	add -er	small → smaller · fast → faster
Adjectives ending in -e	add -r	large → larger · nice → nicer
Consonant + vowel + consonant	double the final consonant + -er	big → bigger · hot → hotter
Adjectives ending consonant + y	change y to i + er	easy → easier · busy → busier
Long adjectives	use more + adjective	more expensive · more interesting

3. Superlatives

A superlative compares one thing with all the others in a group. We usually use the before the superlative.

Examples:
This is the cheapest hotel.
She is the tallest student in the class.
This is the most interesting book.

Adjective	Superlative	Example
small	the smallest	This is the smallest room.
cheap	the cheapest	This is the cheapest ticket.
big	the biggest	Tokyo is one of the biggest cities.
easy	the easiest	This is the easiest question.
expensive	the most expensive	This is the most expensive option.

4. Superlative rules

Adjective type	Rule	Examples
Short adjectives	the + adjective + -est	small → the smallest
Adjectives ending in -e	the + adjective + -st	nice → the nicest
Consonant + vowel + consonant	double final consonant + -est	big → the biggest
Adjectives ending consonant + y	change y to i + est	easy → the easiest
Long adjectives	the most + adjective	the most comfortable

5. Irregular adjectives

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
good	better	the best
bad	worse	the worst
far	farther / further	the farthest / the furthest

Remember:
Comparative = two things: Rome is bigger than Siena.
Superlative = one thing in a group: Rome is the biggest city in this list.

Comparatives

Choose the correct comparative form.

1. Milan is __________ than Saronno.

more big bigger biggest

2. The bus is __________ than the taxi.

cheaper more cheap the cheapest

3. This restaurant is __________ than the café.

expensiver more expensive most expensive

4. This exercise is __________ than the last one.

easier more easy easyer

5. This phone is __________ than my old phone.

gooder better more good

Write the comparative sentence

Complete: The train / fast / the bus.

Answer: The train is faster than the bus.

Superlatives

Choose the correct superlative form.

1. Luca is __________ student in the class.

the most tall the tallest taller

2. This is __________ hotel in the area.

the cheapest the cheaper the most cheap

3. This is __________ book in the shop.

the interestingest the more interesting the most interesting

4. This is __________ room in the hotel.

the biggest the bigest the most big

5. This is __________ answer.

the goodest the best the most good

Write the superlative sentence

Complete: This / expensive / restaurant.

Answer: This is the most expensive restaurant.

Comparative or superlative?

Choose the correct form.

1. My sister is __________ than me.

the oldest older oldest

2. My grandmother is __________ person in my family.

older the oldest more old

3. This chair is __________ than that chair.

more comfortable the most comfortable comfortabler

4. This is __________ chair in the room.

more comfortable the most comfortable most comfortable

5. This test is __________ than the last test.

badder the worst worse

6. This is __________ mistake in the text.

worse the worst the baddest

Spelling practice

Choose the correct spelling.

1. big →

biger bigger more big

2. big →

the biggest the bigest the most big

3. easy →

easyer more easy easier

4. easy →

the easyest the easiest the most easy

5. hot →

hotter hoter more hot

6. hot →

the hotest the most hot the hottest

Mixed practice

Choose the best answer.

1. This bag is heavier __________ that bag.

that than then

2. This is __________ most beautiful place in the city.

the than a

3. This apartment is __________ the old apartment.

modern than more modern than the most modern than

4. The train is __________ way to get there.

the fastest faster than more fast

5. This café is __________ the one near school.

the best than better than more good than

Correct the mistake

Correct: This room is more big than that room.

Answer: This room is bigger than that room.

Correct: This is the expensivest hotel.

Answer: This is the most expensive hotel.

Correct: She is the goodest student in the class.

Answer: She is the best student in the class.