COMPARATIVE
AND SUPERLATIVE
ADJECTIVES

Adjectives are words that describe or modify other words.
• The comparative form of an adjective compares two
things.
• The superlative form of an adjective compares three or
more things.

Examples / Adjectives
• The turtle is small but the
giraffe is big.
• The lion is smaller than
the zebra and bigger than
the turtle.
• The turle is the smallest
and the giraffe is the
biggest.

To form the comparative or superlative of
one-syllable adjectives (short adjectives)
add -er OR -est.
Adjective Comparative Superlative
tall taller tallest
short shorter shortest
cheap cheaper cheapest

Rules to Remember!!
Adjective Comparative Superlative
One-syllable adjectives.
Examples:
old, fast, tall, neat, cheap
Add -er:
older, faster, taller, neater, cheaper
Add -est:
oldest, fastest, tallest. neatest,
cheapest
One-syllable adjectives, ending in E.
Examples:
late, fine, nice
Add -r:
later, finer, nicer
Add -st:
latest, finest, nicest
One-syllable adjectives, with one
vowel and one consonant (CVC).
Examples:
hot, big, fat, thin
Double the consonant, and add -er:
hotter, bigger, fatter, thinner
Double the consonant, and add -est:
hottest, biggest, fattest, thinnest
Two-syllable adjectives, ending in Y.
Examples:
happy, easy
Change y to i, then add -er:
happier, easier
Change y to i, then add -est:
happiest, easiest
Two-syllable adjectives ending in a
vowel-sound that is not stressed.
Examples:
narrow, simple
Add -er:
narrower, simpler
Add -est:
narrower, simplest

Some comparative and superlative forms are irregular and do
not follow any rules or patterns. These must be memorized.
Adjective Comparative Superlative
good better best
bad worse worst
much more most
little less least
far farther
further
farthest
furthest

To form the comparative or superlative of adjectives of three
or more syllables (long adjectives) use more and most.
Adjective Comparative Superlative
intelligent more intelligent most intelligent
practical more practical most practical
beautiful more beautiful most beautiful
expensive more expensive most expensive

Adverb Comparative Superlative
hard harder hardest
quietly more quietly most quietly
quickly more quickly most quickly
Like adjectives, some adverbs can
take comparative and superlative forms
You should speak more quietly. You’ll wake up the baby.

COMPARATIVE
AND SUPERLATIVE
ADJECTIVES