Comparatives and Superlatives

Overview of Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparatives and superlatives are used to compare.

Comparatives compare 2 people, places, or things.

Superlatives are used for more than 2 people, places, or things.

We will only cover comparatives in this lesson. We will briefly go over the most important parts of comparatives, and we will cover each point in more detail in separate lessons.

Things to Know about Comparatives

1. We use comparative adjectives to compare nouns. We add "-er" to the end of short adjectives. We use "more/less + adjective" for long adjectives.

Use "than" after the comparative to show what is being compared to the subject. If both the speaker and listener know what is being compared to, then we can leave out "than...".

Subject A + be verb + comparative + than + Subject B

• An elephant is bigger than a cat.
• I think that ice cream is more delicious than pizza.
• This is nicer (than that).
• Coffee is stronger than tea.
• Last year was colder than this year.
• Next year will be nicer than this year.

2. We can use comparative adverbs to compare how two subjects do something.

We often use "verb + more/less", "verb + more/less + adverb", or "verb + comparative".

Subject A + verb + comparative + than + Subject B

Again, if both the speaker and listener already know who or what "Subject B" is, then we do not need to say or write it.

• She eats more than I do.
• He walks more slowly than me.
• We stayed longer than her.

We can put an object before or after the comparative.

• She eats more candy than I do.
• She eats candy more than I do.

3. After "than" we can use a clause. Take a look at some common examples.

• It is bigger than I thought.
• She was nicer than I imagined.
• It was more expensive than they promised us it would be.
• The beach is dirtier than I remember when I was young.

4. There are some irregular comparatives. Here are the adjectives and irregular comparatives forms.

• good/well → better
• bad/badly → worse
• far → further

• You can cook better than me.
• I am better at baseball than my brother.
• She is a worse singer than him.
• I live further away than he does.

5. We can use repeated comparatives to emphasize. This is used to emphasize and show a trend or continuing state.

• The weather is getting hotter and hotter.
• The boy is getting taller and taller every day.

For longer words, repeat "more/less" two times and the comparative one time.

• The movie gets less and less interesting each time I see it.
• Water will become more and more expensive in the future.

6. We use double comparatives to show trends. A goes up and B goes up or A goes down and B goes up, or A goes down and B goes down, etc.

These are a little difficult for English learners, but these are very important for advanced English and they are crucial for business English.

These sentences will have two parts – the cause and the result. Both parts start with (the + comparative)

• The more I eat, the bigger I get.
• The older I get, the more I want to work.
• The hotter the weather gets, the harder it is for me to sleep.

Comparatives are a very important part of English. There are many different ways to use comparatives and we have to know them all well.

We can make simple comparative sentences like, "Winter is colder than summer".

We can also make long and advanced comparative sentences like, "English can be much tougher to learn for people who are from Korea than people who grew up with a language that has its roots in Latin."

There are many more free English lessons about comparatives that go into more detail. Improve your English grammar by studying the upcoming free grammar lessons about comparatives, or go to other lessons and study other English grammar points, English speaking lessons, or many other free English lessons.

Adjectives with Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparative adjectives are very common in English.

We use comparative adjectives to compare 2 people, places, or things.

Here is the basic sentence pattern that we use.

Subject A + be verb + comparative + than + Subject B

• Summer is hotter than winter.
• The blue shirt was more expensive than the red shirt.
• It will be nicer than you think.
• Action movies are more exciting than documentaries.

We can make negative sentences by using "be verb + not"

• He isn't taller than me. He is shorter than me.
• Mark is not faster than Cindy. Mark is slower than Cindy.
• This is not more expensive than I thought. It is the same as what I thought.

We can leave out "than...." if both the speaker and the listener already know it.

• This shirt is too small. Can I get a bigger one (than this shirt)?
• My car is faster (than your car).

This happens very naturally in a conversation.

A) Who do you think is faster – Bill or Ted?
B) I think Ted is faster.

A) Do you want to eat pizza or chicken?
B) I want to eat pizza because pizza is more delicious.

A) These shoes are too small.
B) Do you need a bigger size?

If we use "than", we can use a noun/pronoun or a clause after it.

• She is taller than me. = She is taller than I am.
• It is not hotter than yesterday. = It is not hotter than yesterday was.
• He is nicer than her. = He is nicer than she is.

We can also use "than + clause". A clause is a group of words that is similar to a sentence, but many times a clause cannot be a sentence on its own.Here are some of the most common examples. Learn how to do this well and your English will sound advanced and natural.

• It is more interesting than I thought.
• It looks bigger than when I was young.
• She is taller than I remember.
• It was more expensive than I could afford.
• The job was not harder than I had originally expected.

We also use comparative adjectives with stative verbs (look, sound, feel, etc.).

• It looks more comfortable than before.
• He looks stronger than last year.
• Your voice sounds better.
• It feels softer than I remember.
• She doesn't seem older than the last time I saw her.

Questions are formed the same way as other questions. We usually use yes/no questions with comparative adjectives.

• Can you cook better than your brother?
• Are you faster than a horse?
• Will you work harder than now?
• Are you going be nicer to me from now on?
• Which place is warmer – Korea or Japan?

There are also many words that we can add before comparatives to add more detail and to show the degree. Here are some of the most common ones.

much	a lot	far (= a lot)
a bit	a little	slightly (=a little)

• This hotel is much cheaper than that hotel.
• She is a lot taller than her sister.
• Thailand is far hotter than Norway.
• My brother is a bit more ambitious than I am.
• Yesterday was a little colder than today.
• It was slightly better last time.

Even though this grammar compares two things, the second subject can sometimes be a plural noun.

• A Cheetah is faster than other animals.

We are comparing 2 things: 1) cheetah 2) other animals. "Other animals" is considered one group because we are talking about them as one.

Now, let's spend some time learning how to form comparative adjectives.

Making Comparative Adjectives

1. For short adjectives (one syllable or sometimes two syllables), just add "-er" to the end of the adjective. Here are some examples.

fast → faster

strong → stronger

tall → taller

If the adjective ends in "-e", just add "-r" to the end.

nice → nicer

late → later

large → larger

Some adjectives change their spelling a little in the comparative form. These usually end in "g", "t", or "d". But not all adjectives that end in these letters do this.

big → bigger	sad → sadder	fat → fatter
old → older	short → shorter	fast → faster

Note: You just have to memorize these.

If a short adjective ends in "-y", then "y" changes to "-ier". By the way, these are two-syllable adjectives that change this way.

happy → happier

healthy → healthier

scary → scarier

Here are some example sentences.

• My car is faster than your car.
• That tree is tallerthan my house.
• She is nicer than you think.
• This soda is larger than I need.
• Can I get this in a bigger size than this one?
• I want to be healthier than I am now.

2. For long adjectives (two or more syllables), we make the comparative by putting the words "more" or "less" before the adjective.

interesting → more/less interesting	beautiful → more/less beautiful
amazing → more/less amazing	expensive → more/less expensive

Here are some example sentences.

• I think that Thailand is more beautiful than my country.
• Starbucks is more expensive than Min's Coffee Shop.
• This place is more amazing than I thought it would be.
• The movie was less interesting than I thought.
• It was less expensive than she said it would be.

3. Some words that are 2-syllables can form the comparative by adding "-er" or putting "more/less" before them. These are words that are not long, but also not short. They are in the middle.

narrow	narrower	more/less narrow
quiet	quieter	more/less quiet
shallow	shallower	more/less shallow
simple	simpler	more/less simple

Here are some example sentences.

• This English grammar is simpler than I thought.
• This English grammar is more simple than I thought.
• Rivers are shallower than oceans.
• Rivers are more shallow than oceans.
• The nightclub is not quieter than the library.
• The nightclub is less quiet than the library.

4. There are some irregular comparative adjectives. These do not follow the rules that we have covered so far.

good → better	bad → worse
far → further/farther	fun → more/less fun

• Video games are more fun than mobile games.
• It is further away than you think.
• Her hair looks better than before.
• I am worse at soccer than he is.

Note: "Further" can also mean additional or more. For example, "Let me know if you hear any further news."

Adverbs with Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparative adverbs show change or make comparisons.

Just like comparative adjectives, we often use "than" after the comparative. After "than", we can use a noun, pronoun, or a clause.

• She eats more than me.
• She eats more than I do.
• She eats more than I remember.

And remember that is possible to leave out "than..." if both the speaker and listener know it.

• Mark workers harder (than Jon).

There are a few different ways to make comparative adverbs. In this lesson, we will cover everything about comparative adverbs.

1. We can simply use the words "more" or "less" after the verb.

• I eat more than my sister.
• She talks more than I do.
• We fight less than we used to.
• Mary studies more than Mark.

It is also common to use "more often" or "less often" after a verb when talking about frequency of an action.

• She goes to the gym more often than I do.
  (=She goes to the gym more than I do)


• I work overtime less often than I did last year.
  (=I work overtime less than I did last year)

2. For adverbs that end in "-ly", we use "verb + more/less + adverb".

• She dances more beautifully than I do.
• The boy acts more impulsively than the girl.
• He works more quietly than she does.

3. For short adverbs that do not end in "-ly", we use the same form as comparative adjectives.

• We stayed longer than I thought.
• She is working harder than last year.
• He can run faster than I can.
• She arrived later than me.

4. There are some irregular comparative adverbs.well → better badly → worseNote: "Better" and "worse" are the same for comparative adjectives of good and bad.

• She sings better than I do.
• He can write better than her.
• She dances worse than her sister.
• I played worse this game than I did last game.

5. Just like with comparative adjectives, there are words that we can add before the comparative to add detail. These are used a lot by native speakers.

Here is a list of the most common ones.much a lot far (= a lot)a bit a little slightly (=a little)

• Turtles move much more slowly than tigers.
• She acts a lot more selfishly than him.
• I ate far more than you.
• We stayed a bit longer than her.
• She worked a little later than usual.
• She talks slightly less than when she was young.

6. For negative sentences, make the verb negative. The comparative adverb doesn't change.Affirmative NegativeShe talks more than me. She doesn't talk more than me.He eats more slowly than her. He doesn't eat more slowly than her.Mark cooks better than Kathy. Mark does not cook better than Kathy.Practice what you studied in this lesson a lot because this is something that you will need to use and you will hear very often when using English.

Learn to speak better English by simply doing this basic practice exercise. First, complete the sentences with your own answers, and then practice making your own sentences. Finally, try using this grammar in real life.

_______________ speaks English better than I do.
I study harder than _______________.
_______________ can dance better than me.
_______________ can cook better than my mom.
_______________ can run faster than a dog.
A dog can jump higher than a _______________.
I can learn _______________ more quickly than _______________.
_______________ can move more quickly than a car.

Any / No with Comparatives

We can use "any" and "no" with comparative adjectives and comparative adverbs.

Let's look at some examples with "no + comparative". These have the same meaning as "not + comparative".

• It is no bigger than I thought.
  (=It is not bigger than I thought.)


• This shirt is better than that shirt and it is no more expensive.
  (=This shirt is better than that shirt and it is not more expensive.)

"Any" is usually only used with questions and negative sentences.

In comparative sentences, "any" emphasizes that the things are not different.

• He does not work any harder than me.
  (=We both work equally hard.)


• She is not any taller than me.
  (=We are the same height)

For questions, "any" is just used to compare. It does not add extra meaning.

• Is it any warmer today than yesterday?
  (=Is it warmer today than yesterday?)


• Does she dance any better than you?
  (=Does she dance better than you?)


• Will you stay any longer than last time?
  (=Will you stay longer than last time?)

Practice speaking English and improve your English grammar by finishing the sentences below and then practice making your own sentences. It is the best way to learn English and improve your English fluency fast!

_______________ is no more expensive than _______________.
_______________ is no faster than _______________.
_______________ is no more convenient than _______________.
_______________ is not any taller than _______________.
We are not any _______________ than _______________.
_______________ speaks English no better than _______________.

Double Comparatives

Double comparatives show a cause and effect relationship. They are great for showing trends as well as the relationship and connection between two things.

Double comparatives are difficult for English learners, so pay close attention to the examples and try making your own sentences after you study this lesson.

Here is how you make a double comparative sentence.

The + Comparative 1...... + the + comparative 2.....

Comparative 1 is the cause. Comparative 2 is the effect.

This is difficult for English learners because the comparatives go at the beginning. The word order is different than a normal sentence.

The easiest way to learn this is to look at many examples.

Important: Do no use continuous verbs with double comparatives.

• The hotter the weather, the more water we should drink.
• The harder I study, the better grades I get.
• The more you practice, the faster your English will improve.
• The higher the interest rate, the fewer people get loans.
• The higher the price of milk, the more people drink water.
• The more education people get, the less likely they are to get married early.
• The better the quality of health care, the longer the life expectancy.
• The longer the movie, the more likely I am to fall asleep.
• The longer people wait to get married, the fewer children they have.
• The bigger the house, the more expensive the house is.
• The harder people work, the more successful they are.
• The less developed a country is, the lower the life expectancy.
• The younger you are, the easier it is to learn English.
• The sooner we leave, the earlier I can sleep.
• The more expensive the restaurant, the better the food.

This grammar is also used in many short expressions. I highly recommend learning these short and simple expressions.

• The bigger the better.
• The sooner the better.
• The more the merrier.
  (=The more people that come the more fun it is)

This grammar is hard but knowing it well can help you express complex ideas in English and makes you sound like a fluent English speaker.

Learn to speak better English and improve your English grammar by simply doing this basic practice exercise. First, complete the sentences with your own answers, and then practice making your own sentences. Finally, try using this grammar in real life.

The more I study English, the _______________.
The more I eat, the _______________.
The older I get, the _______________.
The older my dad gets, the _______________.
The hotter the weather becomes, the _______________.
The _______________, the happier I get.
The _______________, the angrier I become.
The _______________, the more money I can earn.
The more money I earn, the _______________.
The better the education, the _______________.
The more pollution in a city, the _______________.
The _______________, the more stress I get.
The more stress I get, the _______________

Superlatives

Comparatives and superlatives are used to compare.

Comparatives compare 2 people, places, or things.

Superlatives are used for more than 2 people, places, or things

In this lesson, we will cover everything that you need to know about superlatives. We can do this in one lesson because superlatives are much less complicated than comparatives. (By the way, the last sentence is an example of a comparative. Did you notice?)

Things to Know about Superlatives

1. We use superlatives to compare one noun to a group of other nouns. We use it to show that the subject is at the upper or limit of some quality.

• She is the tallest student in the class.
• The blue whale is the largest animal in the world.
• Vatican City is the smallest country in the world.
• London is the most expensive city that I have visited.
• He is the most interesting person that I have met.

2. We form superlative adjectives by adding "-est" to the end of short adjectives.

• He is the fastest runner in the world.
• They are the greatest baseball players in our country.
• He was the craziest person at the party.

For long adjectives, we use "most/least + adjective"

• That is the most expensive shirt in the store.
• He is the least serious person that I know.
• What is the most interesting place that you have been to?

3. We almost always use "the + superlative".

• He is the best player on our team.
• We walked through the biggest museum in the world.

4. We can use superlatives in different parts of a sentence.

• She is the smartest student in the class.
• The smartest student in the class is James.
• I didn't know that James was the smartest student in the class.
• Is James the smartest student in the class?

5. After superlatives, we normally use "in" with places.

• This is the hottest place in the world.
• We had the most expensive room in the hotel.
• He is the best baseball player in the country.
• Samsung is the biggest and most powerful company in Korea.
• What is the longest river in the world?
• What is the best Indian restaurant in this area?

6. We also use "in" for organizations and groups of people.

• She is the tallest student in the class.
• He is the best speaker in the company.
• That company is the fastest growing company in the industry.

7. We use "of" for a period of time.

• What is the happiest moment of your life?
• That was the best vacation of my childhood.
• It was the best-selling product of 2015.
• Today is the hottest day of the year.
• She is the greatest singer of all time.

8. We often use superlatives with the present perfect.

• It is the best movie that I have ever seen?
• What is the best hotel that you have ever stayed at?
• What is the coolest thing that you have ever seen?
• This is the most delicious steak that I have ever had.
• I think this might be the best idea that I have ever had.

You can make these sentences in two ways.

• Thailand is the most beautiful country that I have ever been.
• The most beautiful country that I have ever been is Thailand.
• Mark is the smartest person that I have ever met.
• The smartest person that I have ever met is Mark.

9. We have already talked about how to form superlatives, but some do not follow the regular rules. Here are the irregular superlative adjectives.

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
good	better	best
bad	worse	worst
far	further/farther	furthest/farthest
fun	more fun	most/least fun

• He is the best student.
• This is the best chocolate that I have ever tried.
• It was the worst movie that I have ever seen.
• This is the worst day of my life.
• This is the furthest that I have ever walked in one day.
• This is the most fun that I have had.

If the last letter of an adjective is "y", then we change "y" to "-iest".

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
happy	happier	happiest
busy	busier	busiest
crazy	crazier	craziest
healthy	healthier	healthiest

• This is the happiest day of my life.
• May is always the busiest month of the year.
• That was the craziest movie that I have ever seen.

Just like with comparatives, some 2-syllable words can change in multiple ways. Here are just a few examples.

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
shallow	shallower / more shallow	shallowest / most shallow
quiet	quieter / less quiet	quietest / least quiet

Superlatives are a crucial English grammar point. You must be able to use these well to write or speak English. Make sure you study these hard and practice using them when you study English and try to use them when speaking English.