Comparations

Form

One-syllable adjectives

-er → comparatives, and -est → superlatives.

short - shorter - shortest

Adjectives ending in -e (e.g. safe, late, large), add -r and -st

strange - stranger - strangest

Adjectives ending in a single vowel + consonant (e.g. thin, hot, wet), double the consonant + -er / -est.

big - bigger - biggest

Adjectives with more than one syllable

Use more and most in front of the adjectives for comp. / sup.

modern - more modern - most modern

Adjectives ending in -y (e.g. funny, noisy, unhappy), change -y to -i + -er / -est.

dirty - dirtier - dirtiest

With some two-syllable adjectives both types can be used. (Clever, common, friendly, gentle, narrow, pleasant, polite, quiet, simple, stupid).

narrow - narrower/more narrow - narrowest/most narrow

Adverbs

More and the most in front of most adverbs.

quickly - more quickly - the most quickly

Adverbs = form as adjectives early, fast, hard, late, long, comp + sup. form -er/-r and -est/-st.

soon - sooner - soonest

Irregular adjectives and adverbs

good and well - better - the best

bad and badly - worse - the worst

far - farther/further - the farthest/furthest

Use

Comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs

For making comparisons between two people or things → comparative adjectives and adverbs + than.

Alison is more confident than her brother.

My order arrived earlier than expected.

Describe small differences → a bit, a little, slightly.

I’m feeling a little better than yesterday.

Describe big differences → (quite) a lot, much, far.

This house is much more spacious than our old flat, and the neighbourhood’s a lot quieter, too.

For making comparisons between more than two people or things → superlative adjectives and adverbs. The definite article the before superlative adjectives. To specify the group → in before the noun.

Amy’s the most intelligent student in the class.

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest building in the world.

Possible to use single-word superlative adverbs with or without the.

Let’s see who can sing (the) loudest.

To emphasise the difference → by far, easily.

This is easily the worst holiday I’ve ever had!

3. Less and Least

Less and least are opposites of more and most; can be used with all adjectives and adverbs, regardless of the number of syllables.

I bought the least expensive coat I could find.

Like more and most, can be used as adverbs; the is optional before most and least.

Most women here work more than the men and get paid less.

Which school subjects do you like (the) most and (the) least?

More and less with uncountable nouns, and more fewer with plural countable nouns.

You may have less money than him, but he’s got fewer friends.

Most and least with uncountable nouns, and most and fewest with plural countable nouns. Preceded (come before) by the.

We aim to sell your house for the most money in the least amount of time with the fewest problems.

(just) as + adjective/adverbs + as

This structure can be used to talk about people or things that are the same in some way.

Don’t ask me – I’m just as confused as you are!

Almost, nearly to qualify the comparisons.

She sings almost as well as her mum.

Negative so can replace the first as.

Alan isn’t so optimistic about the future as I am.

Not quite with this structure → describe small differences.

It isn’t quite so cold today as it was yesterday. (= it’s a little warmer)

Not nearly → big differences.

The exam wasn’t nearly as hard as I thought it would be. (=it was much easier)

As much with uncountable nouns, and as many with plural countable nouns.

I’ve got just as much work to do today as yesterday.

There weren’t as many people at the party as I expected.

Structure can also be used without nouns.

I didn’t eat as much as you but I still feel full.

Not/never… such before adjective + uncountable or plural countable nouns.

We didn’t have such good weather on our holiday this year.

I’ve never seen such ugly buildings as these.

Not/never… such a before adjective + singular countable noun.

Mr Phillips isn’t such a good teacher as Mrs Reid.

Other structure

the + comparative, the + comparative

This structure shows that two changes happen together; second often result of the first.

The easier I find a subject, the less interesting it is for me.

The harder you work, the more you can earn.

like + noun, pronoun or gerund

You children behave like animals!

(not) a lot of/a great deal of/much/little/no difference between

There isn’t a lot of difference between the film and the book.

(= the film is very similar to the book)

the same + noun + as can be

used as an alternative to as + adjective + as → people or things that are the same in some way.

I’m the same height as you.

I’m as tall as you.