Comparative and Superlative
Comparatives are used to show the difference between two objects.
Superlatives are used to show the difference between more than two objects.
- Mary is taller than Max.
- Mary is the tallest of all the students.
- Max is older than John.
- Of the three students, Max is the oldest.
- My hair is longer than your hair.
- Max's story is the longest story I've ever heard.
- Mary's car is larger than Max's car.
- Mary's house is the tallest of all the houses on the block.
- Max is wiser than his brother.
- Max is the wisest person I know.
If the one-syllable adjective ends with a single consonant with a vowel before it, double the consonant and add -er for the comparative form; and double the consonant and add –est for the superlative form.
- My dog is bigger than your dog.
- My dog is the biggest of all the dogs in the neighborhood.
- Max is thinner than John.
- Of all the students in the class, Max is the thinnest.
- My mother is fatter than your mother.
- Mary is the fattest person I've ever seen.
With most two-syllable adjectives, you form the comparative with more and the superlative with most.
- This morning is more peaceful than yesterday morning.
- Max's house in the mountains is the most peaceful in the world.
- Max is more careful than Mike.
- Of all the taxi drivers, Jack is the most careful.
- Jill is more thoughtful than your sister.
- Mary is the most thoughtful person I've ever met.
- John is happier today than he was yesterday.
- John is the happiest boy in the world.
- Max is angrier than Mary.
- Of all of John's victims, Max is the angriest.
- Mary is busier than Max.
- Mary is the busiest person I've ever met.
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- The roads in this town are narrower than the roads in the city.
- This road is the narrowest of all the roads in California.
- Big dogs are gentler than small dogs.
- Of all the dogs in the world, English Mastiffs are the gentlest.
- John is more generous than Jack.
- John is the most generous of all the people I know.
- Health is more important than money.
- Of all the people I know, Max is the most important.
- Women are more intelligent than men.
- Mary is the most intelligent person I've ever met.
- Italian food is better than American food.
- My dog is the best dog in the world.
- My mother's cooking is worse than your mother's cooking.
- Of all the students in the class, Max is the worst.
- Big dogs are gentler than small dogs.
- Of all the dogs in the world, English Mastiffs are the gentlest.
- Big dogs are more gentle than small dogs.
- Of all the dogs in the world, English Mastiffs are the most gentle.