Grammar
Comparison of Adjectives
Positive Degree
We use the Positive Degree to compare two equal persons or things. As is used before and after the adjective (as as).
Examples: as big as, as small as, as tall as, as short as, as clever as, as young as, etc.
John runs as fast as I.
Your bicycle is as new as Marys.
Alan is as naughty as Nicholas.
This job is as easy as that.
Abbys dictionary is as thick as Doras.
Mr. Charles is as wealthy as Mr. Peterson.
Comparative Degree
We use the Comparative Degree to compare two unequal persons or things. The comparative of an adjective is normally formed by adding er to the adjective, followed by than ( er than).
Examples:
strong - stronger than
weak - weaker than
quiet - quieter than
rich - richer than
poor - poorer than
clean - cleaner than
Pamela is fairer than Patsy.
Steve is taller than James.
My chair is lighter than yours.
Pond A is deeper than Pond B.
Your handwriting is neater than mine.
Mrs. Donovans house is cleaner than Mrs. Newmans.
We form the comparative of some adjectives, especially those that end in ful and those with three or more syllables, by adding more before the adjectives and than after them (more than).
Examples:
useful more useful than
beautiful more beautiful than
forgetful more forgetful than
interesting more interesting than
important more important than
comfortable more comfortable than
Jonathans painting is more beautiful than his brothers.
I can see that your gadget is more useful than mine.
This story is more interesting than the one I read yesterday.
The new sofa is certainly more comfortable than the old one.
Superlative Degree
We use the Superlative Degree to compare three or more unequal persons or things. The superlative of an adjective is normally formed by adding the before the adjective, followed by the adjective with est added (the est).
Examples:
high - the highest
low - the lowest
dark - the darkest
thin - the thinnest
heavy - the heaviest
safe - the safest
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
This is the widest road in this city.
Chloe is the prettiest girl in my class.
The cheetah is the fastest of all animals.
This is the longest zip that I have ever seen.
Pete is the eldest child in his family.
We form the superlative of some adjectives, especially those that end in ful and those with three or more syllables, by adding the most before the adjectives (the most ...).
Examples:
skillful the most skillful
wonderful the most wonderful
careful the most careful
dangerous the most dangerous
talkative the most talkative
difficult the most difficult
Walter is the most skillful of all the workers here.
Youve just given me the most wonderful present in the world.
Gold is the most valuable metal on earth.
This medicine is the most effective treatment for your illness.
*The comparative and superlative of some adjectives are irregularly formed.
Examples:
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| good | better than | the best |
| bad | worse than | the worst |
| little | less than | the least |
| much | more than | the most |
| many | more than | the most |
Amys command of English is as good as Tracys.
Steven speaks better English than Harry.
Benny speaks the best English among the five friends.
Toms handwriting is as bad as Williams
Your handwriting is worse than mine.
Edwins handwriting is the worst among all of us.
*There are adjectives with two possible forms of comparison.
Examples:
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| common | commoner than / more common than | the commonest / the most common |
| handsome | handsomer than / more handsome than | the handsomest / the most handsome |
| likely | likelier than / more likely than | the likeliest / the most likely |
| pleasant | pleasanter than / more pleasant than | the pleasantest / the most pleasant |
| polite | politer than / more polite than | the politest / the most polite |
| simple | simpler than / more simple than | the simplest / the most simple |
| stupid | stupider than / more stupid than | the stupidest / the most stupid |
| subtle | subtler than / more subtle than | the subtlest / the most subtle |
| sure | surer than / more sure than | the surest / the most sure |
John is handsomer than Tim. / John is more handsome than Jim.
To me, this the pleasantest place on earth. / To me, this is the most pleasant place on earth.
Rickys plan is simpler than Alans. / Rickys plan is more simple than Alans.
Stephanie is the politest lady in the office. / Stephanie is the most polite lady in the office.
Exercises
A. Fill in the blanks in the table.
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| brave | braver | bravest |
| wonderful | more wonderful | most wonderful |
| clean | ____________ | ____________ |
| ____________ | shallower | ____________ |
| good | ____________ | ____________ |
| ____________ | ____________ | merriest |
| ____________ | tidier | ____________ |
| ____________ | ____________ | most logical |
| young | ____________ | ____________ |
| ____________ | more careful | ____________ |
| ____________ | ____________ | lightest |
| bad | ____________ | ____________ |
| ____________ | ____________ | healthiest |
| ____________ | more important | ____________ |
| ____________ | ____________ | the least |
| smooth | ____________ | ____________ |
| ____________ | ____________ | most beautiful |
| ____________ | wilder | ____________ |
| ____________ | ____________ | most comfortable |
| ____________ | more | ____________ |
| slim | ____________ | ____________ |
B. Choose the right answers.
1. Your knife is as ( sharp, sharper ) as mine.
2. My grandfather is ( healthier, healthiest ) than my grandmother.
3. Daniel is the ( tall, tallest ) student in his class.
4. This lake is ( shallowest, shallower ) than the one behind my house.
5. Mrs. Richies culinary skills is ( bad, worse ) than Mrs. Carlisles.
6. Linda is a ( more popular, most popular ) singer than Janet.
7. Benedict is the ( fatter, fattest ) member in his family.
8. Tinas necklace is as ( expensive, more expensive ) as mine.
9. A tortoise is ( slower, slowest ) than a snake but ( fast, faster ) than a snail.
10. The Nile River is the ( longer, longest ) river in the world.
C. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the adjectives in brackets.
1. Light travels (fast) than sound.
2. Leslie is as (intelligent) as Laura.
3. Of the three men, Mr. Parker is the (wealthy).
4. Jupiter is the (large) planet in the solar system.
5. Which suitcase is (suitable) for me the blue one or the black one?
6. Look! My kite is flying (high) than yours.
7. Miss Angel is (strict) than Miss Belinda in class.
8. My kitten is as (cute) as yours.
9. Among the six of us, Timothy caught the (many) fish yesterday.
10. This movie is (exciting) than the one I saw last week.
D. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the adjectives in brackets.
1. I think keeping a dog as a pet is (good) than keeping a cat.
2. Which is the (ferocious) beast in the world?
3. The weather today is as (windy) as the weather yesterday.
4. This restaurant serves the (bad) food in town.
5. This is the (exciting) story that I have ever read.
6. Diamond is the (hard) substance on earth.
7. Gold is (valuable) than silver.
8. Marie is the (pretty) lady at the party.
9. The lamp in my room is as (bright) as the lamp in yours.
10. Traveling by air is (expensive) than traveling by land.
Answers
A.
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| brave | braver | bravest |
| wonderful | more wonderful | most wonderful |
| clean | cleaner | cleanest |
| shallow | shallower | shallowest |
| good | better | best |
| merry | merrier | merriest |
| tidy | tidier | tidiest |
| logical | more logical | most logical |
| young | younger | youngest |
| careful | more careful | most careful |
| light | lighter | lightest |
| bad | worse | worst |
| healthy | healthier | healthiest |
| important | more important | most important |
| little | less than | the least |
| smooth | smoother | smoothest |
| beautiful | more beautiful | most beautiful |
| wild | wilder | wildest |
| comfortable | more comfortable | most comfortable |
| many/much | more | most |
| slim | slimmer | slimmest |
B.
1. sharp
2. healthier
3. tallest
4. shallower
5. worse
6. more popular
7. fattest
8. expensive
9. slower, faster
10. longest
C.
1. faster
2. intelligent
3. wealthiest
4. largest
5. more suitable
6. higher
7. stricter
8. cute
9. most
10. more exciting
D.
1. better
2. most ferocious
3. windy
4. worst
5. most exciting
6. hardest
7. more valuable
8. prettiest
9. bright
10. more expensive