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Comparative and Superlative Adjectives: Definition and Examples – When comparing two or more things, you鈥檙e going to be using comparative or superlative adjectives. But what exactly are comparatives and superlatives? How do we use them correctly?

Follow along and we鈥檒l dive into what comparatives and superlatives are and how to use these adjectives properly.

The difference between comparatives and superlatives

Let鈥檚 start off with comparative adjectives. Looking at the word , you can spot the word compare and, bingo, you鈥檙e comparing different things. Comparative adjectives will consist of words that usually end with 鈥�er鈥� such as: taller, wider, faster, slower, etc. As an interesting rule, the number of syllables can determine how the comparative adjective is formed. Generally, a one-syllable adjective can become a comparative adjective by adding the 鈥�er鈥� at the end. But that鈥檚 not the only rule.

Comparative adjective rules

1) If you have a one-syllable adjective that is spelled out with a consonant-vowel-consonant, then you should add the identical consonant at the end before adding 鈥�er.鈥�

For example, big (b: consonant, i: vowel, g: consonant) would become bigger (b: consonant, i: vowel, g: consonant, g: consonant, er).

This rule doesn鈥檛 apply to the words taller, wider, faster and slower that we see above. Why? Because the consonant-vowel-consonant doesn鈥檛 apply to them.

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives: Definition and Examples (Continued)

2) If you have a one-syllable adjective that ends with a silent 鈥�e,鈥� then you should add an 鈥�r鈥� at the end of it.

For example, with the word wide (the 鈥�e鈥� at the end is silent), you can add an 鈥�r鈥� at the end, instead of an entire 鈥�er.鈥�

However, as you might have already noted, there are also other ways to write out comparative adjectives. The word 鈥�more鈥� of 鈥�less鈥� can be used before an adjective if the adjective has more than one syllable or if you are comparing two different adjectives. If you think about it, this makes sense because a comparative adjective expresses that something is more of something else than another thing. But if you鈥檙e now confused, let鈥檚 look at the comparative adjectives below that use 鈥�more鈥�:

Today鈥檚 assignment is more complicated than yesterday鈥檚.
We know that Steve is more patient than he thinks he is.
She is more outgoing than her brother.
His project is more difficult than his sister鈥檚.

These sentences are expressing that something is more of something else than another thing.

Then there are the superlative adjectives. Comparative adjectives will state how something has more of something else than another thing. But superlatives express that something has more of something else than any other thing. Superlative adjectives will describe what something is at its uppermost or lowest level. For example, the superlative of the word 鈥�tall鈥� will be 鈥�tallest鈥� and the superlative of 鈥�fast鈥� will be 鈥�fastest.鈥�

Superlative adjective rules

1) For a one-syllable superlative adjective, you鈥檒l see 鈥�the鈥� added before the adjective and 鈥�est鈥� added to the end of it. Similar to the rule for comparative adjectives, if there鈥檚 a one-syllable adjective that is spelled out with a consonant-vowel-consonant, then you should add the identical consonant at the end before adding 鈥�est.鈥�

For example, big (b: consonant, i: vowel, g: consonant) would become the biggest (b: consonant, i: vowel, g: consonant, g: consonant, est).

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives: Definition and Examples (Continued)

2) If the one-syllable adjective ends with a silent 鈥�e,鈥� then you should only add an 鈥�st鈥� at the end, while still including 鈥�the鈥� before the adjective.

For example, with the word wide (the 鈥�e鈥� at the end is silent), you can add an 鈥�st鈥� at the end, instead of an entire 鈥�est.鈥� This is how you come up with the superlative 鈥�the widest.鈥�

3) But with adjectives that have more than one syllable, you can place 鈥�the most鈥� before the adjective:

That is the most complicated assignment I鈥檝e ever had.
We are the most excited we鈥檝e ever been.
He is the most educated man I鈥檝e met.
They have the most intelligent dogs in their family.

(Continued)

4) The superlative adjective also depends on if the adjective ends with a 鈥�y.鈥� If the adjective ends with a consonant and a 鈥�y,鈥� then an 鈥�i鈥� will replace the 鈥�y,鈥� followed with 鈥�est.鈥� Let鈥檚 take a look at the following examples:

The word sunny (ending with a consonant 鈥�n鈥� and a 鈥�y鈥�) becomes the sunniest (the 鈥�y鈥� is replaced by 鈥�iest鈥�).

The same applies for words like: pretty, happy, catchy, and so on:
Pretty (ending with a consonant 鈥�t鈥� and a 鈥�y鈥�) becomes the prettiest (the 鈥�y鈥� is replaced by 鈥�iest鈥�).
Happy (ending with a consonant 鈥�p鈥� and a 鈥�y鈥�) becomes the happiest (the 鈥�y鈥� is replaced by 鈥�iest鈥�).
Catchy (ending with a consonant 鈥�n鈥� and a 鈥�y鈥�) becomes the catchiest (the 鈥�y鈥� is replaced by 鈥�iest鈥�).

One-syllable comparatives and superlatives

Take a look at the chart below to see how comparatives and superlatives are formed for one-syllable adjectives. Refer to the rules listed above and see how you might be able to use them in a sentence.

Two-syllable Examples

With adjectives that end in 鈥榚诲,鈥� 鈥�ful,鈥� 鈥�ing鈥� or 鈥�less,鈥� it鈥檚 safe to assume that the comparative will use 鈥�more鈥� and the superlative will use 鈥�most.鈥� Take a look at the chart below for more comparative and superlative examples:

Used in sentences, the comparatives listed above can appear as the sentences listed below. You鈥檒l find that the word than is often used in sentences with comparative adjectives.

Gillian鈥檚 sweater is softer than Julia鈥檚.
Is Manhattan bigger than Los Angeles?
I thought that his friend was nicer than his brother.
I know that the Empire State Building is taller than my house.
How are you so sure that he鈥檚 smarter than me?

Comparative and Superlative examples (Continued)

The superlatives listed above can appear as the sentences listed below. As noted in the superlative rules above, you鈥檒l find the preceding the adjective:

Gillian鈥檚 sweater is the softest.
What is the biggest city in the world?
His friend is truly the nicest person I鈥檝e ever met.
I used to think that the Empire State Building was the tallest building in the whole world.
I鈥檓 sure that he鈥檚 the smartest person in this room.

Knowing all of the above, let鈥檚 take a look at the following superlatives chart and see in a snapshot how the adjectives can change:

Knowing how to use comparatives and superlatives

As you might have spotted in the charts above, comparative and superlative adjectives do not always assume set positions in a sentence. They can come before a noun, referring to the noun. They can also come after any linking verbs. In this case concerning the linking verb, it鈥檚 often self-understood what is being compared. However, you can also be more specific in identifying the context of what exactly is being compared using in or of. This is also possible by adding a relative clause. Here are a few sentences with superlative adjectives:

Before a noun: The Golden Retriever is the most incredible dog I鈥檝e ever known.
Following a linking verb: This literary magazine is the best.
Specific comparison following a linking verb (with in or of phrase): This literary magazine is the best in the city.
Specific comparison following a linking verb (with a relative clause): This restaurant is the best I鈥檝e ever eaten at.

鈥�The鈥� few tricky rules听

1) There are, of course, sometimes exceptions to the rules, especially when writing or speaking informally. This can occur when you鈥檙e already talking about the subject the adjective is describing. For instance, when you use a superlative, you might not always preface the adjective with the:

Margot told me it appears to be fastest.

Here, Margot could have already been talking about different fast routes, eventually pointing to the fastest route.

2) There are plenty of instances when you absolutely must include the when using the superlative adjective. If the superlative is followed by a phrase using in or of, then the cannot be omitted. The same applies when the superlative is followed by a relative clause:

Margot told me it appears to be fastest.
Margot told me it appears to be the fastest.

Using 鈥榠n鈥� or 鈥榦f鈥�
Correct: Margot told me it appears to be the fastest of routes.
Incorrect: Margot told me it appears to be fastest of routes.

Using a relative clause
Correct: Margot told me it appears to be the fastest she鈥檚 ever been on.
Incorrect: Margot told me it appears to be fastest she鈥檚 ever been on.

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives: Definition and Examples (Continued)

3) You can also replace the with a possessive pronoun or numbers. Check out the superlative examples in the following sentences:

Superlatives with possessive pronouns:
Jackie is my oldest dog.
The cello in our house is her most prized possession.

Superlatives with numbers:
It is the third largest university in America.
Rome is her second most favorite city in the world.

A little goes a long way

Knowing the difference between comparative and superlative adjectives will make all the difference in your sentence or your essay. Although it might seem confusing at first, you鈥檒l find that distinguishing between the two is easier than you think.

听