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THE COMPARATIVE
AND
SUPERLATIVE
OF ADJECTIVES
We need to use the comparative and the superlative forms of an adjective when we compare things (nouns).
The first thing to remember about this subject is the number of things in question:
a) Where only TWO things are being compared we use the comparative.
b) when THREE OR MORE things are involved we use the superlative.
There are two different forms for this in English:
1. For short adjectives and adjectives that end in -y we use
-er and the – est.
For example –
short, shorter, the shortest
tall, taller, the tallest
big, bigger, the biggest
happy, happier, the happiest
pretty, prettier, the prettiest
For long adjectives and adjectives that end in –ful and –able we must use, with the basic adjective,
‘more’ for two things (2) and
‘the most’ for three or more things (3+)
For example -
likeable, more likeable, the most likeable
Plain adjective, for example, good (1)
Comparative, for example, better (2)
Superlative, for example, the best, (3+)
The plain adjective deals with one (1) thing, or things
the adjective does not change for any reason
and doesn’t compare anything. For example, a cold day. The plural is simply treated:
cold days, colder days, the coldest days.
The comparative is used for the comparison of TWO things although one of the things being compared can be a group or quantity.
Monday was colder than yesterday.
This building is higher than that one.
Examples of comparisons with a group:
a) Maria is louder than all the other singers.
b) Paul is smarter than the others in his class.
c) Clara is brighter than anyone else in her class.
The superlative is used to compare three or more things (3+):
For example, ‘Monday was the coldest day this year.’
You do not have any choice over the number of things – the quantity decides the matter – are you dealing with two things, or more? That is the question.
The numbers 1, 2, and 3+ give the answer.
This is another area where you must be able to analyze a sentence. At the very least, you must be able to identify the adjective (the word describing a noun). Then, if a comparison is involved, you must identify the number of people or things:
‘Isabel was smarter than her sister.’ Obviously, two people and so ‘smarter’ is correct.
‘Isabel was the smartest girl in her school.’ This clearly involves more than three people, so ‘ the smartest’ is right.
Sometimes the sentence is not very clear and you have to be sure of what is being compared, to determine the number in question. Look at the following sentences and identify the specific things that are being compared –
a) Is this brand better than Coca Cola?
b) Is this the biggest frying pan you have?
c) The patient is a lot better now.
d) Give it your best shot.
e) Simply the best! (an advertising slogan)
f) Ben’s beans are best! (advert)
g) I’ll buy the bigger one, thank you.
h) Is this the best route to take?
i) I think this is a better route.
[Please see the correct answers below]
2. LONG ADJECTIVES and adjectives ending –ful and –able
For example:
an educational toy. (1)
a more educational toy than that one. (2)
the most educational toy in the store. (3+)
She is a powerful person. (1)
She is a more powerful person than him. (2)
She is the most powerful person in town. (3+)
Thus there are many cases where we cannot form the comparative and superlative by adding – ’er’ or ‘the –est’. This is because the resulting word would be ugly or difficult to pronounce.
There are some more detailed rules about words in this category but these can be left for later. For the present it is enough to remember –
more and the most go with long words or words ending in ‘–ful’ and –able.
The two categories are completely separate; there is no crossover. It is impossible for a comparative or superlative to take
‘–er’ or ‘the –est’ AND ‘more ………..’, ‘the most ………….’ at the same time.
Phrases such as ‘more nice’, ‘more nicer’ or ‘the most prettiest’ or ‘more better’ are unacceptable at any level. [These are some of the most common errors committed by students].
Examples of words that take –er and ‘the –est’ –
nice, nicer, the nicest....................high, higher, the highest;
proud, prouder the proudest.........clean, cleaner, the cleanest;
late, later, the latest......................fine, finer, the finest;
noble, nobler, the noblest..............light, lighter, the lightest;
kind, kinder, the kindest................dear, dearer, the dearest
ugly, uglier, the ugliest..................pretty, prettier, the prettiest
wealthy, wealthier, the wealthiest
[note the change of ending when –y appears at the end of a word. Under the general rule ‘-y’ changes to ‘ies’ when terminating letters follow].
Examples of words that take ‘more’ and ‘the most’
observant, more observant, the most observant
distinguished, more distinguished, the most distinguished
playful, more playful, the most playful
probable, more probable, the most probable
entertaining, more entertaining, the most entertaining
detailed, more detailed, the most detailed.
wonderful, more wonderful, the most wonderful
There is a grey area where a word can apparently take either form (but not both at once).
The whole subject is less important today as many writers, especially journalists on good newspapers, do not seem to apply any consistent rules. Accordingly we can meet –
deadly, deadlier OR more deadly, the most deadly
strong, stronger OR more strong, the most strong
lovely, lovelier OR more lovely, the most lovely
fierce, fiercer OR more fierce, the most fierce.
Personally, I think that these adjectives should end in ‘-er’ and ‘the –est’, but the trend is strongly towards the “more” and “the most” method.
But don’t worry about it; if native English speaking people (including politicians) don’t know the difference or don’t care about it, both versions can be considered correct.
‘Good’ (above) is an irregular adjective. We can note a few more irregular adjectives –
bad, worse, the worst
little, less, the least
much/many, more, the most
old, older, oldest
elder, eldest, the eldest
*Should we say ‘older’ or ‘elder’? The rules seem weak. I normally use ‘elder’, ‘the eldest’, for people and ‘older’ ‘the oldest’ for everything else.
When using the comparative, we follow it with ‘than’. For example,
‘This is better than that.’
Comparison of equals:
As funny as............
As tall as..........
As dangerous as……….
The superlative is usually followed by ‘of’ or ‘in’ –
‘The best of the workers.’
‘The best hotel in London.’
Adverbs describe a verb: comparison of some adverbs:
well, better, the best
badly, worse, the worst
little, less, the least
far, further, furthest
Answers to questions above:
a) ‘this’ is compared with Coca Cola.
b) ‘this frying pan’ compared with all others the seller (a shop?) has.
c) ‘now’ compared with previously.
d) ‘best shot’ compared with any other shot you might have.
e) ‘best’ compared with all other things (a lot)
f) ‘best beans’ compared with all other beans.
g) The subject “I” is choosing between two things.
h) ‘best route’ as compared with all routes.
i) ‘better’ than the one selected (e.g. the one indicated at statement h).
Have you read our article Strange British Surnames?
You can now hear the correct pronunciation of these names,
and some places, in my video Strange British Surnames on YouTube
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