The Comparison of Adjectives

Comparison of monosyllabic adjectives

Monosyllabic adjectives are compared with -er, -est.

positive	comparative	superlative
strong	stronger	the strongest
small	smaller	the smallest
late	later	the latest
nice	nicer	the nicest
big	bigger	the biggest
thin	thinner	the thinnest
fat	fatter	the fattest
far further the furthest
Example: London is bigger than Vienna.

Disyllabic adjectives ending with y, er, ow, le are compared with -er, -est.

positive	comparative	superlative
easy	easier	the easiest
happy	happier	the happiest
clever	cleverer	the cleverest
narrow	narrower	the narrowest

Example: Which is the easiest exercise?

All the other adjectives are compared with more, most.

positive	comparative	superlative
careful	more careful	most careful
expensive	more expensive	most expensive
difficult	more difficult	most difficult
tired	more tired	most tired
terrible	more terrible	most terrible

Which dress is more expensive? Which dress is the most expensive?

Special adjectives can be compared with -er, -est or more, most.

friendly friendlier/ more friendly friendliest

(not) as ... as

Ann is as tall as Mary.

I think tomorrow it will be as hot as today.

This test was not as difficult as the last one.

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My brother's older th an me.

It's more dangerous to cycle than to drive.

People walk more quickly than in the past.

I'm less relaxed this year than I was last year.

The service in this restaurant isn't as good as it was.

She doesn't drive as fast as her brother