Comparatives and Superlatives
Learn how to compare things in English. This will help you talk about differences between buildings, mountains, rivers, and other things in nature, and explain which ones are the biggest, tallest, or most beautiful.
⏰ When do we use Comparatives and Superlatives?
We use Comparatives and Superlatives to:
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Compare two things (Comparatives -er):
- The Nile is longer than the Amazon.
- This building is taller than my house.
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Compare more than two things (Superlatives -est):
- Mount Everest is the highest mountain.
- The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building.
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Talk about qualities using “more” or “most”:
- The Pacific Ocean is more beautiful than the Atlantic.
- The Grand Canyon is the most spectacular canyon.
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Use irregular forms for specific adjectives:
- The view here is better than from that hill.
- This is the worst flood in history.
📌 Structure
- Affirmative:
Subject + adjective-er/more adjective + than - Negative:
Subject + is/are not + adjective-er/more adjective + than - Question:
Is/Are + subject + adjective-er/more adjective + than...?
📝 Note
Some adjectives are irregular and do not follow the standard rules.
- Good → better → best
- Bad → worse → worst
- Far → farther/further → farthest/furthest
Examples: The pollution here is worse than in the countryside. This is the best lookout point in the park.
💬 Examples
✅ Positive Examples
- The Pacific Ocean is deeper than the Atlantic Ocean.
- The Amazon is longer than the Mississippi River.
- The Sahara Desert is the largest desert.
❌ Negative Examples
- The Empire State Building is not taller than the Tower Bridge.
- This is not the tallest mountain.
- He is not faster than me.
❓ Question Examples
- Is the Amazon longer than the Nile?
- Is this the tallest building in the city?
- Are the Himalayas snowier than the Alps?
🎯 Practice Exercises
⬇️ Interactive exercise will appear here soon.
Ready to Make Comparisons Like a Native Speaker?
Using comparatives and superlatives correctly is a fantastic step to expressing differences and extremes in English. It’s how you say things are “bigger,” “better,” or “the best”!
Do you want to practice forming these comparisons and use them naturally in real conversations? My online English classes offer fun, interactive ways to master comparatives, superlatives, and all other essential grammar points. You’ll get plenty of chances to speak and build your confidence.
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