Comparative and superlative adjectives basic english grammar. For adjectives ending in y, change the y to i before adding the er or est. The way you form the comparative from an adjective depends on the number of syllables and the spelling of the adjective. Aug 08, 2016 the rules of comparative and superlative adjectives. One common mistake is using a superlative form when youre comparing only two items. Common exceptionsbelow are some of the common exceptions that dont follow the rules above. To make the comparative form of adjectives like bigger or more expensive and the superlative form like biggest or most expensive, first we need to know how many syllables are in the adjective. There are some rules to form the comparative and superlative.
They are used in sentences where two nouns are compared, in this pattern. If the first sentence is correct, then what is the rule applying to the superlative. The rules of comparative and superlative adjectives. First, the raw adjectivein its positive statemerely describes the noun. When comparing more than two things, youll likely use words and phrases like smallest, biggest, tallest, most interesting, and least interesting. The comparative and the superlative english grammar ef. One syllable adjectives you make the comparative and superlative of onesyllable adjectives ending in e adding r and st. At the end of the lesson, students discuss their opinions on the lesson topic. If the adjective has a cvc pattern, double the consonant and add er. English grammar explanations comparativesuperlative. Make sure you use the proper ending or superlative adjective when forming these superlatives. Superlative is the highest or the lowest degree when comparing two or more things.
Superlatives are formed following the same rules as comparatives, but using the word most or the est ending. May be freely copied for personal or classroom use. The comparative is used to compare two things and to demonstrate the superiority, inferiority, or equality of one of them by respect to the other. Comparative sentences using the superlative degree are saying that something is the most when compared. New york is bigger than madrid sally is more beautiful than pat we use superlative adjectives to compare more than two people, animals or things brazil is the largest country in south america money isnt the most important thing in life form. Page 154 adjectives and adverbs 71 comparative adjectives 1 look at the way we compare things.
Use comparatives er than and superlatives the est like in exercise 2. The grammar exercises can be adapted for slightly more advanced learners see the teacher notes for exercise 5 and 6. English grammar comparative and superlative adjectives. Comparative adjectives comparative adjectives are used to compare differences between the two objects they modify larger, smaller, faster, higher.
Instead, they indicate that one noun or verb is greater than or superlative to all the rest. The comparative is used to compare two things and to demonstrate the superiority, inferiority, or equality of one of them by respect to. Recall how we defined nouns as words capable of having plurals and possessive endings. They are used in sentences where a subject is compared to a group of objects. But if were dealing with classifying adjectives, its another story. Weve recently completed a blog post, grammar resource, and grammar lesson on spelling rules for adding ed to regular past verbs.
The term comparative grammar was commonly used by 19thcentury philologists. Making comparative and superlative adjectives perfect english. Oct 27, 2019 the term comparative grammar was commonly used by 19thcentury philologists. Comparative and superlative exercises intermediate level. Superlative adjectives compare more than two things. Usually if an adjective has only one syllable, we add er to make the comparative form. The english language has special rules for comparing two or more things. Superlative the rules of comparative and superlative adjectives. Comparative and superlative we use comparative adjectives to compare two people, animals or things. Some examples are brighter, larger, neater, sicker. For one syllable adjective, er is added at the end to make it comparative and est is added at the end to make it superlative. Tell the students to write, on the reverse of their cards, the superlative form of. If you follow the rules above, you will use superlative adjectives correctly. Words of one syllable, with one vowel and one consonant at the end.
In the grammar part of the worksheet, comparative forms and structures are studied and practised. For example, it would be incorrect to say, it was the tallest of the two buildings. For adjectives with three syllables or more, you form the comparative with more and the superlative with most. To form the superlative, we add est to the end of the adjective. This is the most expensive hotel ive ever stayed in. I know that in applies when using singular nouns, and of when using plural ones. Through various writing and speaking tasks, students practice the equative, comparative, and superlative form of adjectives and adverbs. Before you try to form the correct comparative and superlative forms of an adverb, you must first figure out the correct form of the adverb. Double the consonant and add er to the end of the word. One syllable adjectives generally form the comparative by adding er and the superlative by adding. Adjective with three or more syllables comparative form superlative form generous more generous most generous important more important most important intelligent more intelligent most intelligent john is more generous than jack. Adjectives and adverbs in the superlative degree are similar to the comparative degree, but use the est ending and the word most instead. Hello everybody, i have a question regarding the superlative.
Grammarcomparatives and superlatives linkedin slideshare. Comparative and superlative adjectives perfect english grammar. Twosyllable adjective ending with y comparative form superlative form happy happier happiest angry angrier angriest busy busier busiest john is happier today than he was yesterday. Its faster than a zebra, taller than an elephant, and its got the longest neck in africa. The lookitup rule requires some separate discussion. Complete the following sentences using comparative forms of the adjective or adverb. Grammar worksheet all things grammar grammar focus superlatives level intermediate answer key 1. Afterwards, students create a dialogue using the language from. Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. The exercises progress from separate adjective and adverb tasks to mixed exercises to ensure students know the difference between the forms. In this lesson, you will learn what comparative and superlative adjectives are as well as how to form them and when to use. The second item of comparison can be omitted if it is clear from the context final. John is the shortest in the class we put the comparative and superlative adjective before the noun. Comparatives and superlatives we use comparative and superlative adjectives when we want to compare and contrast things.
Grammar test comparatives and superlatives do the test then write down your score. The rules for adding er to form comparative adjectives and est for superlative adjectives are quite similar to the rules for adding ed to regular past verbs. The students then go on to do a comparison activity. Comparatives, superlatives, equatives comparatives are used to describe contrasts between two things. The equative and nonequative form are used to express equality or inequality. If you want to learn english grammar or grow your vocabulary then these resources will help you with your studies. Oct 08, 2009 an explanation of comparative and superlative. If were dealing with qualitative adjectives, the onesyllable ones almost all form their comparatives by adding er to the end. In the superlative you talk about one thing only and how it is the best, worst, etc. For the superlative form change the y to i and add est. The comparative is used to compare two things and to demonstrate the.
Rules of superlative and comparative adjectives education. Adjectives comparative and superlative degree 003 april 2012. Comparative and superlative 1 comparative and superlative. Making comparative and superlative adjectives to make the comparative form of adjectives like bigger or more expensive and the superlative form like biggest or most expensive, first we need to know how many syllables are in the. When in doubt, check the dictionary to find out, first, the proper form of the adverb and, second, its proper comparative and superlative forms. Tell the students to write, on the reverse of their cards, the superlative form of the adjective on the front. The most boring thing about esl class is doing grammar exercises. The rules for using comparativesuperlative adjectives.
Adjectives and their first cousin, the adverb also have a feature that distinguishes them. Jul 10, 2016 complete the following sentences using an appropriate comparative or superlative form. If a word ends with a y, replace it with ier in the comparative form, and iest in the superlative form. If the adjective has a cvc pattern, double the consonant and add est. Comparative and superlative adjectives here are some examples. Commonly, adjectives that contain only one syllable or end in y use er to form comparatives and est to form superlatives. To be sure which superlative method to use, you will need to consult a good dictionary. Some rules about forming comparatives and superlatives. Includes helpful articles, a glossary, quizzes, and a large language reference.
The superlative of some shorter 2syllable adjectives can be formed with er. The superlative is used to say what thing, person, or idea has the most of a particular quality within a group or of its kind. In english, comparative and superlative adjectives are used to compare two or more things. In addition, the article the must be placed before the adjective or adverb in the sentence. The comparative form of adjectives and adverbs compares two people, places or things. Comparatives and superlatives national geographic learning. In this guide, well discuss the rules governing these comparatives and superlatives as well as a few exceptions to these rules. I think english homework is the easiest than history homework. Superlative adjectives normally come before any other adjectives. To make the comparative form of adjectives like bigger or more expensive and the superlative. To form the comparative, we add er to the end of the adjective. Postive, comparative, superlative good, better, best. Superlatives describe the contrast between one thing.
See page a3 for more information on speling rules for comparative adjectives. Comparative and superlative adjectives article onestopenglish. Complete the exercises to learn about the grammar in this lesson. Comparative and superlative adjectives learnenglish.
When an adjective ends in the letter e, we just add the r for comparatives or st for superlatives. Superlative adjectives are used to describe an object which is at the upper or lower limit of a quality the tallest, the smallest, the fastest, the highest. Comparison exercises type comparative and superlative forms. However, which of the following sentences is correct. Not all onesyllabe adjectives take comparative andor superlative forms. Equative and nonequative form the superlative form of the adjective is used to compare at least three nouns or pronouns. Comparative and superlative adjectives download this explanation in pdf here. Good vs well exercise exercise 2 multiple choice adjectivesadverbs. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. Comparatives and superlatives english grammar notes.