Comparatives & Superlatives

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 1

Comparatives and superlatives

Degrees of comparison

Box A is small. 

Box B is smaller than box A. 

Box C is the smallest of all. 

A

B

C

adjective

comparative

superlative

Comparatives and superlatives

One syllable words

- Comparative: -er

- Superlative: -est

old

older

oldest

Comparatives and superlatives

1.Adjective ends in -e,

add  -r en -st.

large

larger

largest

Spelling rules

2.  Adjective ends in consonant + y,

add  -ier en -iest.

happy

happier

happiest

Comparatives and superlatives

hot

hotter

hottest

Spelling rules

3.  Adjective ends in 1 vowel (a, e, i, o, u)

+ 1 consonant: double the consonant

big

bigger

biggest

Comparatives and superlatives

Words of three syllables or more

- Comparative: more

- Superlative: most

expensive

more expensive

most expensive

Comparatives and superlatives

famous

more famous

most famous

Exceptions: famous and boring

boring

more boring

most boring

Irregular adjectives

good/well

better

best

bad/ill

worse

worst

much/many

little

more

less

most

least

far

further

furthest

My house is (big) ...
than yours.

Who is the (rich) ...
woman on earth?

This flower is (beautiful)
... than that one.

Who is the (good) .... football player in the world?

1. better
2. gooder
3. goodest
4. best

What is your ... (bad) subject at school?

1. badder
2. worse
3. worst
4. baddest

The ... (little) you can do is study for the tests.

1. leasest
2. least
3. littlest
4. less

Your house is the _______ (far) from school.

1. farrest
2. furthest
3. farst
4. further

For comparatives with 1 syllable you use ...

1. -er
2. more
3. the longer
4. less

For comparatives with 3 or more syllables you use ...

1. -er
2. more
3. the longer
4. less

For comparatives with 2 syllables you use ...

1. -er
2. more
3. the longer
4. less

Comparatives:
French is ...(difficult) than English.

1. difficulter
2. more difficult
3. more difficulter
4. most difficultest

Comparatives:
My friend is ...(intelligent) than I am .

1. intelligenter
2. more intelligenter
3. more intelligent
4. most intelligent

Comparatives:
My father is ...(nice) than yours.

1. nicer
2. more nice
3. nicest
4. most nice

Comparatives:
My computer works ...(bad) than yours.

1. badder
2. more bad
3. worse
4. the worst