Degree of Adjectives

There are two major degrees of the adjectives in English:

- Comparative: we use it when we want to compare two things or two
people
- Superlative: we use it when we want to highlight that one
person/one thing out of a group has a certain quality

of Superiority(1) of Equality of Inferiority

more+adjective+ as+adjectiv less+adjective+t
than e+as han

(1)
The Comparative of Superiority is not always written the same way.
It depends on how many syllables the word has.
If the word has:
- More than 2 syllables: more+adjective+than
- Two syllables: more+adjective+than
- Two syllables and ending in y: adjective+ ier (happy – happier;
heavy – heavier)
- Less than two syllables: adjective + er (if the adjective ends in a
vowel followed by a consonant, then we double the consonant and
add er – like big/bigger)

of Superiority(2) of Inferiority
the most + the least +
adjective adjective
(2)
The Superlative of Superiority is not always written the same way. It
depends on how many syllables the word has.
If the word has:
- More than 2 syllables: the most+adjective
- Two syllables: the most+adjective
- Two syllables and ending in y: adjective+ iest (happy – happiest;
heavy – heaviest)
- Less than two syllables: adjective + est (if the adjective ends in a
vowel followed by a consonant, then we double the consonant and
add er – like big/bigger)
Some adjectives are not regular. Note that:
Adjective Comparative of Superlative of
Superiority Superiority
good better than the best
bad worse than the worst

Let’s practise:

1. Write in the Comparative of Superiority.

a) John/ beautiful/Peter
________________________________________________________________________________

b) Jack/ funny/ Louise

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c) Kevin/rich/Tony
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2. Write in the comparative in brackets:

a) Peter/tall/John (Comparative of Superiority)

______________________________________________________________________________

b) This pencil/ bad/ that pen (Comparative of Equality)

______________________________________________________________________________

c) This couch/ comfortable/ that chair (Comparative of Inferiority)

_______________________________________________________________________________

3. Write in the Superlative of Superiority:

a) John/beautiful
________________________________________________________________________________

b) Jack/ funny
________________________________________________________________________________

c) Kevin/rich
________________________________________________________________________________

4. Write in the Superlative in brackets

a) John/good (Superlative of Superiority)
_______________________________________________________________________________
b) Peter/large (Superlative of Inferiority)
________________________________________________________________________________

5. Complete the table

Adjective Comparative Superlative

Big
Tall
Fat
Funny
Horrible
Good
Bad
Heavy
Comfortable
Exciting
Long
Smart
Silly
Nice