Comparatives and Superlatives

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.

1. When Do We Use the Comparatives and Superlatives?

Comparatives (-er): To compare two things

    • The Nile is longer than the Amazon.
    • This building is taller than my house.

Superlatives (-est): To say something is the most extreme and compare more than two things

    • Mount Everest is the highest mountain.
    • The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building.

2. Forming the Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparatives

  • One-syllable adjectives: Adjective + –er + than
    • Mount Fuji is higher than Mount Rainier.
    • This tower is taller than that building.
  • Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y: Adjective + change -y to -ier
    • The Amazon is cloudier than the Sahara.
    • This valley is dustier than the plain.
  • Other two-syllable and longer adjectives: more + adjective + than
    • The Pacific Ocean is more beautiful than the Atlantic.
    • The Grand Canyon is more impressive than other canyons.

Superlatives

  • One-syllable adjectives: The + adjective + –est
    • Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
    • The Nile is the longest river on Earth.
  • Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y: The + adjective + change -y to -iest
    • This is the rainiest forest in the country.
    • The Himalayas are the snowiest mountains.
  • Other two-syllable and longer adjectives: The + most + adjective
    • The Grand Canyon is the most spectacular canyon.
    • The Burj Khalifa is the most impressive building.

Irregular Forms
Some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms:

  • Good → better → best
    • The view from this mountain is better than from that hill.
    • This is the best lookout point in the park.
  • Bad → worse → worst
    • The pollution here is worse than in the countryside.
    • This is the worst flood in history.
  • Far → farther/further → farthest/furthest
    • The Sahara Desert is farther from the ocean.
    • This is the farthest mountain from the city.

3. Examples

Buildings:

  • This house is bigger than that one.
  • The Empire State Building is taller than the Tower Bridge.
  • The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world.

Nature:

  • The Pacific Ocean is deeper than the Atlantic Ocean.
  • The Amazon is longer than the Mississippi River.
  • The Sahara Desert is the largest desert.

Weather:

  • Summer is hotter than spring.
  • Winter is colder than autumn.
  • July is the hottest month.
Exercise 1

Comparatives and Superlatives

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