Positive, Comparative, Superlative Adjectives

Comparative Adjective Examples

• I am taller than my mother.
• This car is better than that car.
• Giving examples is more difficult than giving instructions.
• My wife is younger than I am.
• His watch is more expensive than my car.
• Asia is bigger than Europe.
• Health is more important than wealth.
• Grace is more attractive than her sister.
• January is always longer than February.
• This exercise is easier than the previous one.

Superlative Adjective Examples

• My father is the oldest person in my family.
• These are the most expensive things I can buy.
• Bill is the richest guy in the world.
• She's active in the most popular social media website.
• Who's the most powerful man in the world?
• I was born in the largest city in this country.
• He's the most intelligent politician in our town.
• Bengawan Solo is the longest river in Java.
• He's the oldest person to buy this product.
• She's the most beautiful girl in my class.

Positive, Comparative, Superlative Adjective Rules

There are three degrees of comparison. They are :

• Positive
• Comparative
• Superlative

One Syllable Adjectives

We can form comparative and superlative of one syllable adjectives by putting er or est at the end of the adjectives. Let's see the following examples.

 Positive Comparative Superlative 

high higher highest

sharp sharper sharpest

hard harder hardest

light lighter lightest

small smaller smallest

One Syllable Adjectives Ending In 'e'

At the end of adjectives ending in e, we just put r or st. Let's see the following tables.

 Positive Comparative Superlative 

brave braver bravest

nice nicer nicest

fine finer finest

ripe riper ripest

safe safer safest

 Two Or More Syllable Adjectives

We can form comparative and superlative of three or more syllable adjectives by putting more or most before the adjectives. Let's see the following examples.

 Positive Comparative Superlative

amusing more amusing most amusing

boring more boring most boring

expensive more expensive most expensive

intelligent more intelligent most intelligent

interesting more interesting most interesting

important more important most important

frightening more frightening most frightening

Two Syllable Adjectives Ending In y, er, ly

For two syllable adjectives ending in y, er, ly, we normally put er or est at the end of the adjectives.

 Positive Comparative Superlative 

clever cleverer cleverest

early earlier earliest

funny funnier funniest

happy happier happiest

noisy noisier noisiest

pretty prettier prettiest

quiet quieter quietest

silly sillier silliest

Note : y becomes i.

Two Syllable Adjectives Ending In ful And re

For two syllable adjectives ending in ful and re, we normally put more or most before the adjectives.

 Positive Comparative Superlative 

doubtful more doubtful most doubtful

obscure more obscure most obscure

often more often most often

Irregular

Some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative form. Let's see the following table.

 Positive Comparative Superlative 

bad worse  worst

far farther/further farthest/furthest

good better best

little less least

many/much more most

old older/elder oldest/eldest

See positive, comparative, and superlative adjective exercises with answers here.