Grammar, compared
Comparatives and superlatives
The comparative compares two things: taller. The superlative picks the top of a group: the tallest.
Book a trial classThe short answer
| Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|
| My flat is bigger than yours. | It is the biggest flat in the building. |
| This test is more difficult than the last. | It is the most difficult test of the year. |
| She works harder than me. | She works the hardest. |
How to form them
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| Short: tall | taller | the tallest |
| Ends in -e: nice | nicer | the nicest |
| One vowel and one consonant: big | bigger | the biggest |
| Two syllables ending in -y: happy | happier | the happiest |
| Long: expensive | more expensive | the most expensive |
| Irregular: good, bad, far | better, worse, farther | the best, the worst, the farthest |
To say two things are equal, use as plus the adjective plus as: as tall as. To say less, use not as ... as or less.
Watch out if you speak Spanish
- Do not use more with a short adjective: taller, not more tall.
- Say than, not that: bigger than me. Más grande que is bigger than.
- Add the before a superlative: the biggest.
- After a superlative, use in for a group or place (in the class) and of for a plural (of all).
Practice
Grammar practice
Choose or type the answer for each sentence, then check.
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Questions
- Is it farther or further?
- Farther is for distance. Further also means more: for further information.
- Can I say more nice?
- No. Nice is short, so nicer. Use more with longer adjectives: more interesting.
Keep going
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