Use

We use comparatives adjectives to compare two nouns. We use superlative adjectives to compare three or more nouns, and indicate that one is the highest degree.

Example:

The tablet is bigger than the smartphone. The laptop is the biggest.

Explanation:

The comparative adjective bigger describes the difference in size between the tablet and the smartphone. The superlative adjective biggest indicates that the size of the laptop is greater than the tablet and the smartphone.

How to build

To form the comparative or superlative with one- and two-syllable adjectives, we add -er or -ier to the end for comparative adjectives, and -est or -iest to the end for superlatives.

• tall → taller → tallest

For adjectives with more than two syllable, we do not change the adjective but add ‘more’ or ‘less’ before the adjective for the comparative, and ‘most’ or ‘least’ for the superlative.

• beautiful → more beautiful → most beautiful

There are some adjectives with irregular comparative and superlative forms:

• good → better → best

• bad → worse → worst

• far → farther → farthest

Comparative adjectives are followed by ‘than’ unless they are at the end of a sentence.

• My brother is younger than I am.

• This car is more expensive.

Superlative adjectives are always preceded by ‘the’.

• Out of the three brothers, the youngest one is the most handsome.

• The laptop is the biggest.

More Examples

• The dinner menu is expensive, but the lunch menu is less expensive.

• I had the worst day ever.