Comparatives And Superlatives
We use Comparatives and Superlatives to compare two or more nouns. A comparison is done between two things. On the other hand, superlative adjective is applied in the sentences, when a single thing or a person is compared with every other member of that group.
Comparative
The apple on the left is bigger than the apple on the right.

Superlative
Chisato Iwasaki, a Japanese farmer, grew and picked the biggest apple in the world.

Note: It is common to see list with superlatives followed by the word ‘ever’, further emphasizing the comparison. Example: ‘Top 5 Best Books On Language Learning Ever’.
Comparing Equals
As … as
We use as + adjective/adverb + as to make comparisons when the things we are comparing are equal in some way:
- The world’s tallest living tree is as big as a 36-story skyscraper.
- The weather this summer is as dry as last year. It hasn’t stopped raining for weeks.
- You have to handle it as carefully as you can. It’s quite delicate.
Not as … as
We use not as … as to make comparisons between things which aren’t equal:
- It’s not as heavy as I thought it would be, actually.
- Brad is not as tall as Scarlet.
- She’s not singing as loudly as she can.
- They didn’t play as well as they usually do.
We can modify not as … as by using not quite as or not nearly as, or other adjective:
- The second race was not quite as long as the first one. (The second race was easy but the first one was longer.)
- These new rollerblades are not nearly as comfortable as my old ones. (My old rollerblades are a lot more comfortable than these new ones.)
We can also use not so … as. Not so … as is less common than not as … as:
- The hike was good but not so hard as the cross country skiing we did.
As … as + possibility
We often use expressions of possibility or ability after as … as:
- Can you call me as soon as possible?
- Go to as many places as you can.
- We got out of there as fast as we could.
Comparative addition
As well as, As much as, as many as
When we want to make comparisons referring to quantity, we use as much as with uncountable nouns and as many as with plural nouns:
- Greg makes as much money as Mick but not as much as Neil.
- They try to give them as much freedom as they can.
- There weren’t as many people there as I expected.
We can use as much as and as many as before a number to refer to a large number of something:
- Scientists have discovered a planet which weighs as much as 2,500 times the weight of Earth.
- There were as many as 50 people crowded into the tiny room.
As well as is a multi-word preposition which means ‘in addition to’:
- She likes pizza as well as pasta.
- When they go to Rio de Janeiro, they like surfing as well as skydiving.
One-syllable Adjectives
- To form the comparative, we add -er to the end of the adjective.
- To form the superlative, we add -est to the end of the adjective.
* When an adjective ends in the letter E, we just add the -R (for comparatives) or -ST (for superlatives). We do not write two Es together. Wider (correct) not wideer (incorrect).
** When an adjective ends in a consonant + short vowel + consonant (C + V + C), we normally double the last letter. big – bigger – biggest, wet – wetter – wettest
- Madrid is bigger than Barcelona.
- Yesterday was the hottest day of the year.
Notice how comparatives are often followed by than when comparing two things or people. Zoe is taller than John but James is the tallest.
Two syllables
Adjectives with two syllables can form the comparative either by adding -er or by preceding the adjective with more. These adjectives form the superlative either by adding -est or by preceding the adjective with most. In many cases, both forms are used, although one usage will be more common than the other. If you are not sure whether a two-syllable adjective can take a comparative or superlative ending, play it safe and use more and most instead. For adjectives ending in y, change the y to an i before adding the ending.
Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
---|---|---|
happy | happier | the happiest |
simple | simpler | the simplest |
busy | busier | the busiest |
tilted | more tilted | the most tilted |
tangled | more tangled | the most tangled |
Three or more syllables
Adjectives with three or more syllables form the comparative by putting more in front of the adjective, and the superlative by putting most in front.
Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
---|---|---|
important | more interesting | the most interesting |
expensive | more expensive | the most expensive |
Comparative And Superlative List
Regular Adjectives
Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
---|---|---|
angry | angrier | the angriest |
beautiful | more beautiful | the most beautiful |
big | bigger | the biggest |
boring | more boring | the most boring |
cheap | cheaper | the cheapest |
clean | cleaner | the cleanest |
clever | cleverer | the cleverest |
close | closer | the closest |
cold | colder | the coldest |
cool | cooler | the coolest |
crazy | crazier | the craziest |
crispy | crispier | the crispiest |
cute | cuter | the cutest |
dark | darker | the darkest |
deep | deeper | the deepest |
dirty | dirtier | the dirtiest |
dry | drier | the driest |
early | earlier | the earliest |
easy | easier | the easiest |
expensive | more expensive | the most expensive |
fast | faster | the fastest |
fat | fatter | the fattest |
few | fewer | the fewest |
fit | fitter | the fittest |
flat | flatter | the flattest |
fresh | fresher | the freshest |
funny | funnier | the funniest |
great | greater | the greatest |
hairy | hairier | the hairiest |
happy | happier | the happiest |
healthy | healthier | the healthiest |
heavy | heavier | the heaviest |
high | higher | the highest |
hot | hotter | the hottest |
hungry | hungrier | the hungriest |
interesting | more interesting | the most interesting |
kind | kinder | the kindest |
large | larger | the largest |
late | later | the latest |
light | lighter | the lightest |
little | littler | the littlest |
long | longer | the longest |
loud | louder | the loudest |
low | lower | the lowest |
modern | more modern | the most modern |
near | nearer | the nearest |
new | newer | the newest |
nice | nicer | the nicest |
old | older | the oldest |
poor | poorer | the poorest |
popular | more popular | the most popular |
quick | quicker | the quickest |
rich | richer | the richest |
sad | sadder | the saddest |
salty | saltier | the saltiest |
scary | scarier | the scariest |
short | shorter | the shortest |
skinny | skinnier | the skinniest |
slow | slower | the slowest |
small | smaller | the smallest |
smart | smarter | the smartest |
soft | softer | the softest |
strong | stronger | the strongest |
tall | taller | the tallest |
thick | thicker | the thickest |
tired | more tired | the most tired |
ugly | uglier | the ugliest |
warm | warmer | the warmest |
weak | weaker | the weakest |
wet | wetter | the wettest |
wide | wider | the widest |
young | younger | the youngest |
Irregular Adjectives
Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
---|---|---|
good | better | the best |
bad | worse | the worst |
much | more | the most |
far | farther/further | the farthest/furthest |
little/less | less/lesser | the least |
many | more | the most |
well | better | the best |
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