Complete Grammar Guide  Comparison of Adjectives

Usage

Adjectives can be used to compare two or more people/things/places.

"Betty is tall, but Joseph is taller and Don is the tallest."

If we are comparing only two things, we use the -er form. For three or more, we use the -est form.

Structure

young >>> younger >>> the youngest

small >>> smaller >>> the smallest

There are five rules for the construction of the comparative and superlative forms of regular adjectives.

1. Short adjectives of one syllable add -er and -est to the adjective.

old >>> older >>> the oldest

Here are a few examples of adjectives of one syllable:

young / small / tall / cheap / few

2. When an adjective ends in -y, change this letter to -i and add -er or -est.     easy >>> easier >>> the easiest

Here are more examples of adjectives that end in -y

heavy / early / busy / healthy / noisy / lucky / silly / happy

3. When an adjective ends in -e, remove the -e and then add -er or -est.

large >>> larger >>> the largest

Here are some more examples of adjectives that end in -e

brave / wise / safe / pale / simple / late

4. When an adjective ends with a vowel plus a consonant, double the consonant and then add -er or -est.

big >>> bigger >>> the biggest

Here are some more examples of adjectives of this type

thin / hot / fat / fit

5. Adjectives of three or more syllables and some adjectives of two syllables do not change but more and the most are put in front of these adjectives.

beautiful >>> more beautiful >>> the most beautiful

Here are some more examples of adjectives of this type:

delicious / efficient / humorous / expensive / careful / modern / famous / correct / honest

There are three adjectives which do not follow any rule: these are called irregular adjectives, and must be memorized:

good >>> better >>> the best

bad >>> worse >>> the worst

far>>> farther/further >>> the farthest/furthest