Grammar Study Guide: Comparing with Adjectives

Adjectives that compare two things are called comparative adjectives. Adjectives that compare three or more things are called superlative adjectives.

Comparative Adjectives: If an adjective is just one syllable or two syllables ending with a y, then just add the suffix –er to the end to make it a comparative adjective. Note: don’t forget the y changing to i rule when adding suffixes.

Examples: fast becomes faster, mild becomes milder, sleepy becomes sleepier, and sturdy becomes sturdier

Some two-syllable adjectives and adjectives with three or more syllables add the word more before the base adjective rather than adding a suffix.

Examples: modern becomes more modern, generous becomes more generous, and fortunate becomes more fortunate

Superlative Adjectives: If an adjective is just one syllable or two syllables ending with a y, then just add the suffix –est to the end to make it a superlative adjective. Note: don’t forget the y changing to i rule when adding suffixes.

Examples: fast becomes fastest, mild becomes mildest, sleepy becomes sleepiest, and sturdy becomes sturdiest

Some two-syllable adjectives and adjectives with three or more syllables add the word most before the base adjective rather than adding a suffix.

Examples: modern becomes most modern, generous becomes most generous, and fortunate becomes most fortunate

Irregular Comparative and Superlative Adjectives: Some adjectives are irregular and do not use –er, –est, more, or most. The adjectives good and bad have irregular comparative and superlative forms. (Yes, I know you'll see more and most below, but you use more or most just by themselves, not as more bad or most bad.)

The comparative form of good is better and the superlative is best.

The comparative form of bad is worse and the superlative is worst.

The comparative form of many and much is more and the superlative is most.

The comparative form of little is less and the superlative is least.