How to form comparative and superlative adjectives in English.

1. FORMING COMPARATIVE
AND SUPERLATIVE
ADJECTIVES

2. One-syllable adjectives
COMPARATIVE (superiority):(adjective) + - er than
SUPERLATIVE: the (adjective) + - est
Tall – taller than – the tallest
Old – older than – the oldest
Large – larger than – the largest
Wise – wiser than – the wisest
Big – bigger than – the biggest
thin – thinner than – the thinnest
Mary is taller than Max.
Mary is the tallest of all the students.
Max is older than John.
Of the three students, Max is the oldest.
My hair is longer than your hair.
Max's story is the longest story I've ever heard

3. Two-syllable adjectives
COMPARATIVE (superiority): more + (adjective) + than
SUPERLATIVE: the most + (adjective)
Peaceful – more peaceful than – the most peaceful
Pleasant – more pleasant than – the most pleasant
Careful – more careful than – the most careful
Thoughtful – more thoughtful than – the most thoughtful
This morning is more peaceful than yesterday morning.
Max's house in the mountains is the most peaceful in the
world.
Max is more careful than Mike.
Jack is the most careful of all the taxi drivers.
Jill is more thoughtful than your sister.
Mary is the most thoughtful person I've ever met.

4. Two-syllable adjectives ending with:
-y, -er, -le, -ow
COMPARATIVE: (adjective) + - er + than
SUPERLATIVE: the (adjective) + - est
Happy – happier than – the happiest
Angry – angrier than – the angriest
Busy – busier than – the busiest
Clever – cleverer than – the cleverest
Gentle – gentler than – the gentlest
Narrow – narrower than – the narrowest
John is happier today than he was yesterday.
John is the happiest boy in the world.
Max is angrier than Mary.
Max is the angriest of all of John's victims .
The roads in the town are narrower than the roads in the city.
This road is the narrowest of all the roads in California.

5. Adjectives with 3 or more syllables
COMPARATIVE: more + (adjective) + than
SUPERLATIVE: the most + (adjective)
Generous – more generous than – the most generous
Important – more important than – the most important
Intelligent – more intelligent than – the most intelligent
John is more generous than Jack.
John is the most generous of all the people I know.
Health is more important than money.
Of all the people I know, Max is the most important.
Sam is more intelligent than Pete
Mary is the most intelligent person I've ever met.

6. Common irregular adjectives
Good – better than – The best
Bad – worse than – the worst
Much – more than – the most
Many – more than – the most
Little – less than – the least
Old – older / elder than – the oldest / the eldest
Italian food is better than American food.
My dog is the best dog in the world.
My mother's cooking is worse than your mother's cooking.
Of all the students in the class, Max is the worst.
I’ve got less money than Mary.
Susan’s got the least money in her office.

7. Comparative: inferiority and equality
COMPARATIVE (inferiority): Less + (adjective)+ than
COMPARATIVE (equality): As + (adjective) + as
Villages are less noisy than cities. (inferiority)
Villages aren’t as noisy as cities. (equality)
Cities are noisier than villages. (superiority)
Sam is less intelligent than Tom. (inferiority)
Sam is not as intelligent as Tom. (equality)

8. NUMBER OF SYLLABLES COMPARATIVE –
SUPERIORITY-
COMPARATIVE –
INFERIORITY-
COMPARATIVE –
EQUALITY-
1-syllable adjectives
2-syllable adjectives
ending with –y, -er, -le, -ow
Adjective + -er + than
Examples: Bigger than
Easier than
Less + Adjective + than
(not very common in
English)
Examples:
Less big than
Less narrow than
Less popular than
As + adjectives + as
Examples:
as strong as
as pretty as
as beautiful as
Other 2-syllable
adjectives
adjectives with more
than 2 syllables
More + adjective + than
Examples: more pleasant than
more interesting than
Common irregular adjectives
Good ….. better than
Bad …….. worse than
Old …….. older / elder than

9. NUMBER OF SYLLABLES SUPERLATIVE – SUPERIORITY- SUPERLATIVE-
INFERIORITY-
1-syllable adjectives
2-syllable adjectives ending with –y, -er,
-le, -ow
The + adjective + -est
Examples: The biggest
The easiest
The least + Adjective
The least strong
The least important
other 2-syllable adjectives
adjectives with more than 2 syllables
The + most + adjective
Examples: The most pleasant
The most interesting
common irregular adjectives
Good ….. the best
Bad …….. the worst
Old …….. the oldest / the eldest

10. NUMBER OF SYLLABLES SUPERLATIVE – SUPERIORITY- SUPERLATIVE-
INFERIORITY-
1-syllable adjectives
2-syllable adjectives ending with –y, -er,
-le, -ow
The + adjective + -est
Examples: The biggest
The easiest
The least + Adjective
The least strong
The least important
other 2-syllable adjectives
adjectives with more than 2 syllables
The + most + adjective
Examples: The most pleasant
The most interesting
common irregular adjectives
Good ….. the best
Bad …….. the worst
Old …….. the oldest / the eldest