Comparatives and superlatives
Compare people, places and things: bigger, more expensive, the best, as ... as.
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We use comparatives (bigger, more expensive) to compare two things, and superlatives (the biggest, the most expensive) to say which one in a group is the most. The length of the adjective decides the form.
Short adjectives: -er and -est
Adjectives with one syllable add -er and -est. Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y do the same, with y → i.
Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
cheap, old | cheaper, older | the cheapest, the oldest |
nice, late | nicer, later | the nicest, the latest |
big, hot | bigger, hotter | the biggest, the hottest |
happy, easy | happier, easier | the happiest, the easiest |
- This bag is cheaper than that one.
- Today is hotter than yesterday.
(One vowel + one consonant: double the consonant.)
- She's the happiest person I know.
Long adjectives: more and the most
Most other adjectives with two syllables, and all longer ones, use more and the most. A few two-syllable adjectives can take both forms: quieter or more quiet. The -er form is more common.
- The train is more comfortable than the bus.
- Which is the most expensive room in the hotel?
- Incorrect: This shop is more cheaper.
- Correct: This shop is cheaper.Use -er or more, never both.
- Incorrect: He is more tall than his brother.
- Correct: He is taller than his brother.
Irregular forms
Learn these three. You can also say farther and the farthest, but further is more common in British English.
Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
good | better | the best |
bad | worse | the worst |
far | further | the furthest |
- I feel better today.
- It was the worst day of my holiday.
- Incorrect: It's the most good restaurant here.
- Correct: It's the best restaurant here.
Comparing two things: than
After a comparative, use than.
- My brother is taller than me.
(In speech we usually say than me, not than I am.)
- This phone is less expensive than that one.
(Less is the opposite of more.)
- Incorrect: She is taller then me.
- Correct: She is taller than me.Then means "after that". Than is for comparing.
The best in a group: in and of
Use the before a superlative. After it, use in with places and groups, and of with a number or a period of time.
- This is the best café in our town.
- It was the best day of my life.
- Incorrect: He is best student in our class.
- Correct: He is the best student in our class.
- Incorrect: It's the biggest city of the world.
- Correct: It's the biggest city in the world.Use in with places.
As ... as: the same or not the same
Use as + adjective + as to say two things are the same. Use not as ... as to say they are different.
- He's as old as my father.
- The film wasn't as good as the book.
(The book was better.)
- Incorrect: My flat is as big than yours.
- Correct: My flat is as big as yours.Than comes only after a comparative: bigger than, but as big as.
To say two things are equal, we also use the same as. For the opposite, use different from.
- Your phone is the same as mine.
- My sister is the same age as your brother.
- Life in a village is very different from life in a city.
- Incorrect: Her jacket is the same like mine.
- Correct: Her jacket is the same as mine.After the same, use as.
Much, a lot, a bit
Use much, a lot, far for a big difference and a bit, a little for a small one. Don't use very with a comparative.
- My new flat is much bigger than my old one.
- I'm a bit older than my sister.
- The weather is getting worse and worse.
(Comparative + and + comparative: it keeps changing.)
- Incorrect: This is very cheaper.
- Correct: This is much cheaper.
Practise this rule
Related rules
Where this rule sits
All A2 rulesAdjectives and adverbs: all rules
Syllabus topics on this page
- A2ElementaryComparative adjectives
- A2ElementarySuperlative adjectives
- A2Elementaryas … as / not as … as