Compare people, places, and things using comparatives (-er / more) and superlatives (the -est / the most).
What Are Comparatives & Superlatives?
Two ways to compare adjectives in English
In English, adjectives have three degrees: the base form (tall), the comparative (taller), and the superlative (the tallest). We use these to compare people, places, animals, or things.
The form you choose depends on how many things you are comparing and how long the adjective is.
Compares 2 things.
Always followed by "than".
Compares 3 or more things.
Always starts with "the".
Comparatives always use "than" → taller than
Superlatives always use "the" → the tallest
How to Form Comparatives
5 spelling rules — comparing 2 things
| tall | → taller than |
| fast | → faster than |
| small | → smaller than |
| large | → larger than |
| big | → bigger than |
| hot | → hotter than |
| thin | → thinner than |
| fat | → fatter than |
| expensive | → more expensive than |
| interesting | → more interesting than |
| comfortable | → more comfortable than |
| important | → more important than |
| happy | → happier than |
| easy | → easier than |
| busy | → busier than |
| early | → earlier than |
How to Form Superlatives
5 spelling rules — comparing 3 or more things
| tall | → the tallest |
| fast | → the fastest |
| small | → the smallest |
| large | → the largest |
| big | → the biggest |
| hot | → the hottest |
| thin | → the thinnest |
| fat | → the fattest |
| happy | → the happiest |
| easy | → the easiest |
| busy | → the busiest |
| early | → the earliest |
| expensive | → the most expensive |
| interesting | → the most interesting |
| comfortable | → the most comfortable |
| important | → the most important |
Comparatives vs. Superlatives — Side by Side
All rules in one table for quick reference
| Adjective | Type / Rule | 🟢 Comparative (2 things) | 🟣 Superlative (3+ things) |
|---|---|---|---|
| tall | Short (1 syllable) | taller than | the tallest |
| fast | Short (1 syllable) | faster than | the fastest |
| big | CVC — double consonant | bigger than | the biggest |
| hot | CVC — double consonant | hotter than | the hottest |
| easy | Ends in -Y | easier than | the easiest |
| happy | Ends in -Y | happier than | the happiest |
| interesting | Long (2+ syllables) | more interesting than | the most interesting |
| modern | Long (2 syllables) | more modern than | the most modern |
| good | Irregular | better than | the best |
| bad | Irregular | worse than | the worst |
| far | Irregular | farther / further than | the farthest / the furthest |
Audio Examples
Listen and repeat — comparatives and superlatives in real sentences
Common Mistakes
Errors students often make — and how to fix them
Reading: "The Best Trip We Ever Took"
Tamarindo, Guanacaste & Manuel Antonio, Puntarenas
Sofía and her family visited two places in Costa Rica last year. In March, they went to Tamarindo in Guanacaste. In July, they traveled to Manuel Antonio in Puntarenas. Both trips were wonderful, but very different.
Tamarindo was bigger than Manuel Antonio. The beach was wider and the water was warmer. The town was more crowded than Manuel Antonio because it attracted many international tourists. The restaurants were more expensive, but the food was delicious. Their hotel had a larger pool and a bigger buffet breakfast.
Manuel Antonio was smaller and quieter. The national park there is the most popular in all of Costa Rica. The beach inside the park was cleaner than the beaches in Tamarindo. The water was the clearest they had ever seen. The trees near the beach were taller than any they had seen before, and the monkeys were the funniest animals in the park. The hotel was smaller than the one in Tamarindo, but it was more comfortable and the staff was friendlier.
At the end of the year, the family agreed: both trips were great, but Manuel Antonio was the most beautiful place they had ever visited. The sunset over the Pacific Ocean was the most spectacular view of the entire trip. Sofía said: "Tamarindo was amazing, but Manuel Antonio was even better. It was the best vacation of my life."
Answer based on the reading passage above.
Grammar Quiz — 20 Questions
Comparatives, superlatives, spelling rules & irregular forms
