Are you sometimes confused about whether to use ‘nicer’ or ‘more nice’ in a sentence? Are you wondering if it is ‘more than’ or ‘more as’?  Then let us go ahead and learn about Comparative and Superlative Adjectives and Adverbs to clear out all the confusion.

 

- Comparative adjectives and adverbs:

 

Adjective or adverb that compares someone (or something) to someone (or something) are called comparative.

 

Example:

Maths is more interesting than chemistry. 

Jon is shorter than Robb.

A rabbit is faster than a tortoise.

 

Formulation of Comparative Adjectives and adverbs:

 Add ‘er’ at the end of the word, if it is a one-syllable word

 

Example:

Easy: easier

Early: earlier

Rich: richer

Long: longer

Late: later

 

Add “more’ before the word and ‘than’ after it, if it is a multi-syllable word or a past participle adjective or an adverb ending with ‘-ly’

 

Example: 

Expensive: more expensive

Energetic: more energetic

Lovely: more lovely

Rapidly: more rapidly

Loved: more loved

Interested: more interested

 

- Superlative Adjectives and Adverbs:

Adjective and Adverb that compares someone (or something) to every other person (or thing) in the group.

 

Example:

Math is the most interesting subject.

Jon is the shortest amongst all the siblings.

The cheetah is the fastest animal.

 

Formulation of Superlative Adjectives and adverbs:

 Add ‘est’ at the end of the word, if it is a one-syllable word

 

Example:

Easy: easiest

Early: earliest

Rich: richest

Long: longest

Late: latest

 

 Add “the most’ before the word, if it is a multi-syllable word or a past participle adjective or an adverb ending with ‘-ly’

 

Example: 

Expensive: the most expensive

Energetic: the most energetic

Lovely: the most lovely

Rapidly: the most rapidly

Loved: the most loved

Interested: the most interested

 

Exceptions for the formation of comparative and superlative 

Irregular adjectives and adverbs

Following are examples of some commonly used adjectives and adverbs which do not follow the above rules:

 

Good:

Comparative form: Better

Superlative form: Best

 

Well (in good health) :

Comparative form: Better

Superlative form: Best

 

Well (adverb of good) :

Comparative form: Better

Superlative form: Best

 

Bad :

Comparative form: Worse

Superlative form: Worst

 

Badly :

Comparative form: Worse

Superlative form: Worst

 

Much / Many :

Comparative form: More

Superlative form: Most

 

Little :

Comparative form: Less

Superlative form: Least

 

Far :

Comparative form: Farther / Further

Superlative form: Farthest / Furthest

 

Two syllable adjectives and adverbs:

Few two-syllable adjectives and adverbs can take both  ‘er’ and ‘est’ or ‘more’ and ‘most’.

Some of the commonly used are as follows:

Quiet, simple, lively, polite, friendly, etc.

 

One syllable adjectives and adverbs:

Few one-syllable adjectives and adverbs take ‘more’ and ‘most’ instead of ‘er’ and ‘est’.

Some of the commonly used are as follows:

Real, wrong, ill, fun, right, etc.

 

As you can see, there is nothing to panic about. Comparative and Superlative may seem intimidating at first but really isn’t. Solve some practice sheets to get a proper understanding of the topic.