The document provides information about comparatives and superlatives in English grammar. It discusses the structures and forms used to compare two or more things using adjectives and adverbs. It also covers irregular comparisons and some special structures used with comparatives, such as "as...as" and "twice/three times as...as". The document is intended to teach English learners how to properly form and use comparative and superlative forms.

1. COMPARATIVES
&
SUPERLATIVES
For questions 1 and 2, underline the sentence (A-B)
which has the same meaning.
1 The musical was more entertaining than the film.
A The film wasn't as entertaining as the musical.
B The musical wasn't as entertaining as the film.
2 The film wasn't as amusing as the book.
A The film was more amusing than the book.
B The book was more amusing than the film.

2. COMPARATIVES
&
SUPERLATIVES:
ADJECTIVES
STRUCTURES:
COMPARATIVES
adjective-er + than = She is taller than me
(1) (*) more + adjective + than = She is more intelligent than me
_________________________________________________________
as + adjective + as = She is as tall as me
not as/so + adjective + as = She isn’t as/so tall as me
_________________________________________________________
less + adjective + than = I am less intelligent than her.
=======================================================
SUPERLATIVES
(1) (*) the + adjective-est + (of/in) = She is the tallest in the class
the most + adjective + (of/in) = She is the most intelligent of all

3. COMPARATIVES
&
SUPERLATIVES:
ADJECTIVES
STRUCTURES:
COMPARATIVES / SUPERLATIVES
* One-syllable adjectives form their comparative and superlative by adding er and est to the
positive form:
- bright brighter brightest
- new newer newest
* Adjectives of three or more syllables form their comparative and superlative by putting more
and most before the positive:
- expensive more expensive most expensive
- interesting more interesting most interesting
* Adjectives of two syllables follow one or other of the above rules. Those ending in er, y, or ly
add er, est:
- clever cleverer cleverest
- easy easier easiest
- holy holier holiest

4. *
COMPARATIVES
&
SUPERLATIVES:
ADJECTIVES
STRUCTURES:
COMPARATIVES / SUPERLATIVES
* Irregular comparisons:
(Adjective) (Comparative) (Superlative)
- good better best
- bad worse worst
- little less least
- many more most
- much

5. *
COMPARATIVES
&
SUPERLATIVES:
ADVERBS
STRUCTURES:
COMPARATIVES
* With adverbs of two or more syllables the comparative is formed by putting more
before the adverb, and the superlative by putting most before the adverb:
- quickly more quickly most quickly
- fortunately more fortunately most fortunately
* Single-syllable adverbs, however, and the adverb early, add er and est:
- hard harder hardest
- fast faster fastest
- early earlier earliest
* Irregular comparisons:
- well better best
- badly worse worst
- late later last
- little less least
- much more most

6. *
COMPARATIVES
&
SUPERLATIVES:
SOME SPECIAL STRUCTURES _1
STRUCTURES:
* After comparatives we use than.
- Jill is more intelligent than Alec.
- Peter works harder than John.
- It's cheaper to go by car than to go by train.
* Before the comparative of adjectives and adverbs you can use: a bit / a little / much / a lot /
far / a good deal
- Let's go by car. It's much (or a lot) cheaper.
- Could you speak a little (or a bit) more slowly?
- Her illness was far more serious than we at first thought
* not so/as .......... as .......
- Jack isn't as old as he looks. (= He looks older than he is).
- The city centre wasn't as crowded this morning as it usually is. (= it is
usually more crowded).
- Jim didn't do as well in his examination as he had hoped. (= he had
hoped to do better)

7. COMPARATIVES
&
SUPERLATIVES:
SOME SPECIAL STRUCTURES -2
STRUCTURES:
* as .................... as ..............
- I'm sorry I'm late. I got here as fast as I could.
- There's plenty of food, so eat as much as you like.
- Can you send me the money as soon as possible, please?
* We also say twice as ..... as, three times as ..... as, etc.
- Petrol is twice as expensive as it was a few years ago.
- Their house is about three times as big as ours.
* We say the same as (not 'the same like')
- Ann's salary is the same as mine. (or 'Ann gets the same salary as me')
- Tom is the same age as George.

8. Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as
the first.
My new computer is faster than my oId one.
My oId computer isn't _as fast__ as my new one.
My new computer is the same size as my oId computer.
as
My new computer is as big _________my oId computer.
My oId computer was more expensive than my new computer.
as expensive as
My new computer wasn't _______________my computer
My oId computer isn't as exciting as my new computer.
exciting than
My new computer is more _______________my oId
computer.
My new computer weighs the same as my oId computer.
My new computer is as ____________ my oId computer.
heavy as

9. Look at these ways of making Complete these sentences so that
comparisons. Complete each they mean the same as the ones on
sentence with the correct word. the left-hand side
1 My new music teacher is friendlier 1 My previous music teacher was
than
________ my last one. less friendly than
_________________ my new one.
2 I can't go to the cinema
2 I love going to the cinema. I wish I
as often as
____________ I'd like to.
more
could go _________ often.
3 The film about the robbery wasn't
3 The book about the robbery was
as / so as
_________ exciting ______ the more exciting than
_____________________ the film.
book.
4 less
Paul's new motorbike was _____ 4 My motorbike was
than
expensive ______ mine because it more expensive than
________________________ Paul's
has a smaller engine. because it has a bigger engine.
5 She doesn't like Chinese food as
much
_______ as I do. 5 I like Chinese food
more than
____________she does.

10. Use the comparative form of the adjectives in brackets
to write sentences about the pairs of things below.
1 Cardiff I London (not big)
• Cardiff isn’t as big as London
______________________________
2 a drum I a flute (loud)
• A drum is louder than a flute.
______________________________
3 Cairo I Paris (hot)
• Cairo is hotter than Paris
______________________________
4 golf I skiing (not dangerous)
• Golf isn’t as dangerous as skiing
______________________________
5 a helicopter I an aeroplane (not fast)
• A helicopter isn’t as fast as an aeroplane
______________________________
6 a bicycle I a motorbike (cheap)
• A bicycle is cheaper than a motorbike
______________________________
7 snow I rain (cold)
• Snow is colder than rain
______________________________
8 a lion I a giraffe / (not tall)
• A lion isn’t as tall as a giraffe
______________________________

11. Use the superlative form of the adjectives in brackets
to write sentences about these things.
1 Cardiff I London / Edinburgh (big)
• London is the biggest
______________________________
2 a drum I a flute / a violin (loud)
• A drum is the loudest
______________________________
3 Cairo I Paris / Milan (hot)
• ______________________________
Cairo is the hottest
4 golf I skiing / cycling (dangerous)
• Skiing is the most dangerous
______________________________
5 a helicopter I an aeroplane / a bus (fast)
• An aeroplane is the fastest
______________________________
6 a bicycle I a motorbike / a car (cheap)
• A bicycle is the cheapest
______________________________
7 snow I rain / sun (cold)
• Snow is the coldest
______________________________
8 a lion I a giraffe / a tiger (tall)
• ______________________________
A giraffe is the tallest

12. Complete the second sentence so that it means the
same as the first, using no more than three words.
0 The paintings in this room are more famous than the others
in the gallery.
• The paintings in this room are the most famous in the
gallery.
1 Tomorrow will be sunnier than the rest of the week.
• Tomorrow will be ______________ day this week.
the sunniest
2 The hotel on the cliff has the best view in the town.
• The hotel on the cliff has a __________ view than the other
better
hotels in the town.
3 My brother is taller than the other children in his class.
• My brother is ______________ child in his class.
the tallest
4 Football is more popular than other sports at my school.
• Football is _________________sport at my school.
the most popular