COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVES
White cars are safer than yellow cars. Mosquitoes are more dangerous than sharks. Tigers are better swimmers than cats. Use comparative adjectives + than to compare two people / things. Adjective old cheap big hot healthy happy famous expensive good bad far Comparative older cheaper bigger hotter healthier happier more famous more expensive better worse further

one-syllable adjectives: add -er Adjectives ending in one vowel + one consonant: double the final consonant and add -er One- or two-syllable adjectives ending in consonant + y > -ier Two- or more syllable adjectives: more + adjective irregular

Notes: to convey an idea of inferiority, use less + adjective: European actors are sometimes less famous than American ones. to convey an idea of equality, use as + adjective + as: British actors can be as famous as American ones.

SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES
Its the hottest country in the world. The most dangerous time is the spring. Use the + superlative adjective to say which is the (biggest, etc.) in a group. Adjective cold high hot big pretty sunny dangerous good bad far Superlative the coldest the highest the hottest the biggest the prettiest the sunniest the most dangerous the best the worst the furthest

add -est adjectives ending in one vowel + one consonant: double consonant, add -est one- or two-syllable adjectives ending in consonant + y > -iest Two- or more syllable adjectives: the most + adjective irregular

Note: Superlative of Inferiority: the least + adjective. Hes the least famous of all his brothers.

EXERCISES
A. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. B. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Complete with the comparative. English is _________________________ French. (easy) Sue is pretty but Jane is _________________________. (pretty) Life in Coimbra is _________________________ life in Lisbon. (peaceful) Life in the city is _________________________ life in the village. (expensive) Madrid is _________________________ Porto. (big) Portugal is _________________________ Poland. (hot) Manchester is _________________________ than Lisbon. (cold) The Mississippi is _________________________ the Amazon. (long) This book is funny but that one is _________________________. (funny). Complete the sentences using the superlative. It was a very bad decision. It was _________________________ decision ever made. It was a very happy day. It was _________________________ day of my life. It was a very hot day. It was _________________________ of the week. Its a modern hotel but it isnt _________________________ in town. Its a very easy exercise. Its _________________________ exercise of this page. Its very unusual but it isnt _________________________ thing hes ever done. Jerry is a good player but he isnt _________________________ in the team. Money is important but it isnt _________________________ thing in life. Shes a pretty girl. Shes _________________________ in class. Its a very long river. Its _________________________ river in the world. That house is very big. Its _________________________ house in the street.

C. Complete the sentences with a comparative or superlative form, adding any words that are needed. 1. This exercise is too easy cant we try a _________________________ one? (difficult) 2. Englands too cold in the spring lets go to Spain where its _________________________. (warm) 3. She comes top in all the exams she must be _________________________ girl in the class. (intelligent) 4. The temperature in July reaches forty-four degrees its _________________________ month of the year. (hot) 5. Lets buy this video it doesnt cost that much its _________________________ the other one. (cheap) 6. This pens not very good Id like a _________________________ one, please. (good) 7. When I passed my driving test, it was _________________________ day of my life. (happy) 8. Lying down in bed is _________________________ sitting on a hard chair. (good) 9. Our youngest son doesnt want to be a teacher, unlike his _________________________ brother. (old) 10. Australia is much _________________________ from Europe than I thought. (far) 11. I could hardly keep awake it was _________________________ film Ive ever seen. (boring) 12. The rules of this game are too complicated. Can we play something _________________________? (simple)