3.5: Grammar: Comparative and Superlative Adjectives and Adverbs
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- 51150
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This lesson includes slides for classroom presentation.
Comparative Adjectives
Compare two nouns using a comparative adjective. Which two nouns are compared in these sentences? What is the comparative adjective?
- San Diego, CA is larger than El Cajon, CA
- Black Mountain is higher than Mount Helix
Answers
- The two nouns are "San Diego, CA" and "El Cajon, CA" and the comparative adjective is "larger"
- The two nouns are "Black Mountain" and "Mount Helix" and the comparative adjective is "higher"
Did you notice what word follows the comparative adjective?
Answer
Than
How Do We Make Comparative Adjectives?
What do you notice about this list?
- Larger
- Higher
- More diverse
- Smaller
- More populated
- More difficult
- Richer
- Easier
- More majestic
- More historical
- Deeper
Rules for Writing Comparative Adjectives
- If the word is one syllable, add -er to the end of the word
- If the word ends with -e, add -r
- If the word is one syllable and ends with CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant), double the final consonant
- If the word is two syllables, use "more" + adjective
- If the word is two syllables and ends with -y, drop the -y and add -ier
- Comparative adjectives are followed by "than"
| One-syllable adjectives | Two-syllable adjectives ending with -y | Two-or-more-syllable adjectives | Irregular adjectives |
| Larger | Easier | More diverse | Good = better |
| Richer | Happier | More difficult | Far = further/farther |
| Deeper | Hungrier | More majestic | Little = less |
| Higher | Curlier | More populated | Many = more |
| Smaller | Bad = worse | ||
| Bigger |
Comparative Adverbs
Read the sentences below and identify the comparative adverbs...
- I like to go hiking, but I hike more slowly than my kids
- African Americans moved to the north during the Great Migration because they could vote more freely there
- If you want to sightsee in San Diego, take a car; cars travel faster than buses in San Diego
- It takes longer to visit the zoo than to visit Balboa Park
Answers
- The comparative adverb is "more slowly than"
- The comparative adverb is "more freely"
- The comparative adverb is "faster than"
- The comparative adverb is "longer...than"
How Do We Make Comparative Adverbs?
| One-syllable adverbs | Two-or-more-syllable adverbs (including -ly adverbs) |
| Adverb + -er + "than" | "More" + adverb + "than" |
Practice Quizzes
Check your understanding of comparative adjectives and adverbs. Take practice quizzes at the websites below...
Superlative Adjectives and Adverbs
How are superlatives different from comparatives?
Read the sentences below and identify the superlative adjectives and adverbs...
- Cowles Mountain is the highest point in the city of San Diego
- It is also the most popular mountain for hiking
- On the other hand, Woodson Mountain is the best place to take a photo, because it has Potato Chip Rock
- You can hike most easily at Torrey Pines State Beach
Answers
- The superlative is "the highest"
- The superlative is "the most popular"
- The superlative is "the best"
- The superlative is "most easily"
How Do We Make Superlative Adjectives and Adverbs?
Examine the superlative forms below. How is the superlative formed?
- The highest point
- The most popular mountain
- The best place
- Take most easily
| Adjectives with one syllable | Adjectives with two or more syllables | Adjectives ending with -y | Irregular adjectives and adverbs | Adverbs with one syllable | Adverbs with two or more syllables (including -ly) |
|
The highest The lowest The tallest The strangest |
The most popular The most beautiful The least challenging |
The easiest The earliest The hungriest |
The best The worst The least The fewest The farthest/furthest |
The fastest The longest The latest |
The most happily The most quickly The most seriously |
Spelling when adding -er or -est to the end of an adjective or adverb...
- For most adjectives/adverbs, just add -er or -est, e.g. darker, quicker, fastest
- If the adjective/adverb ends with e, just add -r or -st, e.g. stranger, strangest
- If the adjective ends with -y or -ly, drop the y and add -ier or -iest, e.g. uglier, ugliest
- If the adverb ends with -ly, do not add -er or -est, use "more" or "most" instead
- Use the CVC rule, one-syllable words with consonant-vowel-consonant pattern double the final consonant, e.g. hotter, hottest
Takeaways: Comparatives and Superlatives
- Comparatives are used to compare two items; superlatives compare three or more items
- EX: Torrey Pines State Park is closer than Yosemite National Park (two parks, comparative form)
- EX: Of all the parks in Southern California, Torrey Pines is the best (many parks, superlative form)
- Negative comparisons can be made by using "less" and "least" (instead of "more" and "most")
- EX: Torrey Pines State Park is less crowded than Yosemite National Park
- EX: Of all the parks in Southern California, Torrey Pines is the least crowded
- Comparatives are formed with adjective/adverb + -er + "than" or with "more"/"less" + adjective/adverb + "than"
- Depends on the number of syllables and spelling of the word
- Superlatives are formed with "the" + adjective/adverb + -est or with "the most"/"the least" + adjective/adverb
- Depends on the number of syllables and spelling of the word
- Irregular adjectives and adverbs
- Good/well--better--the best
- Bad/badly--worse--the worst
- Little--less--least
- Much--more--most
- Far--farther/further--farthest/furthest
- Early--earlier--earliest
- "Early" is an adjective and adverb, the form is irregular for adverbs
Video
Watch this video for more explanation of comparatives and superlatives...
Practice
Practice using comparatives and superlatives. Make recommendations to your classmates about the following places in your city or area. Your instructor might have you post your recommendations on a discussion board or pass them to your classmates for comment...
- Compare two restaurants. Which one is better? Why?
- Recommend the most exciting activity for a family with kids. Explain why...
- What's the best place to see a movie in your city/area? Why?
- What sights do you recommend a tourist see when they visit? Compare two or three...
- Which city/area is the easiest for a new immigrant to move into? Why?