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Comparisons of English Adjectives

Learning English online with English Adjective lessons: Comparisons

Most descriptive adjectives have three forms: the positive (happy), the comparative (happier), and the superlatives (happiest).

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
hot	hotter	hottest
interesting	more interesting	most interesting
colourful	more colourful	most colourful
sick	sicker	sickest

The Positive Adjective

The positive shows no comparison. It describes only the simple quality of a person, thing, or group.

• The house is big.
• The flowers are fragrant.

The Comparative Adjective

The comparative involves two entities and shows a greater or lesser degree of differances between them.

• My dog is smarter than yours.
• Bob is more athletic than Richard.
• Spinatch is less appealing than carrots.

It is also possible to compare two entities without using "than". In this case the expression of the two will usually appear someplace in the sentence.

subject + verb + the comparative + of the two + (noun)

OR

of the two + (noun) + subject + verb + the + comparative

Examples:
• Harvey is the smarter of the two boys.
• Of the two shirts, this one is the prettier.
• Please give me the smaller of the two pieces of cake.
• Of the two landscapes that you have shown me, this one is the more picturesque.
• Of the two books, this one is the more interesting.

The Superlative Adjective

In the superlative degree, three or more entities as compared, one of which is superior or inferior to others. The following rule applies.

subject + verb + the + adj-EST / most-adj / least-adj + in singular count noun / of plural noun.

Example:
• John is the tallest boy in the family.
• Deana is the shortest of the three sisters.
• These shoes are the least expensive of all.
• Of the three shirts, this one is the prettiest.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
After the expression one of the + superlative, be sure that noun is plural and the verb is singular.

Example:
• One of the greatest tennis players in the world is Bjorn Borg.
• Kuwait is one of the biggest oil producers in the world.

Adverbs usually are not followed by -ER or -EST. Instead, they are compared by adding more or less for the comparative degree, and by adding most or least to form the superlative.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
carefully	more carefully	most carefully
	less carefully	least carefully
cautiously	more cautiously	most cautiously
	less cautiously	least cautiously

Example:
• Sal drove more cautiously than Bob.
• Joe dances more gracefully than his partner.
• That child behaves the most carelessly of all.
• Irene plays the most recklessly of all.

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