ADJECTIVES

Adjectives are used to modify nouns.

e.g. The dog is loud. What is the dog like? loud
Positive Form
Use the positive form of the adjective if the comparison
contains one of the following expressions:
as as
Example: Jane is as tall as John.

big

bigger

the biggest

Exceptions in spelling when adding -er / -est

silent e is dropped
Example: late-later-latest
final y after a consonant becomes i
Example: easy-easier-easiest
final consonant after short, stressed vowel is
doubled
Example: hot-hotter-hottest
Comparative Form and Superlative Form
(more/most)
adjectives of three or more syllables (and twosyllable adjectives not ending in -y/-er)

not as as / not so as
Example: John is not as tall as Arnie.
Comparative Form and Superlative Form (-er/est)

positive form

comparative
form

superlative form

difficult

more difficult

the most difficult

one-syllable adjectives (clean, new, cheap)

two-syllable adjectives ending in -y or -er (easy,

happy, pretty, dirty, clever)

beautiful

more beautiful the most beautiful

dangerous

more
dangerous

the most
dangerous

comparative

intelligent

more
intelligent

the most
intelligent

interesting

more
interesting

the most
interesting

more
expensive

the most
expensive

positive form

form

superlative form

clean

cleaner

the cleanest

expensive

happy

happier

the happiest

Comparative Form and Superlative Form

(irregular comparisons)

late

later

the latest

positive form

comparative
form

superlative form

good

better

the best

bad / ill

worse

the worst

little (amount)

less

the least

little (size)

smaller

the smallest

much / many

more

the most

far (place + time)

further

the furthest

far (place)

farther

the farthest

late (time)

later

the latest

late (order)

latter

the last

near (place)

nearer

the nearest

near (order)

the next

old (people and

things)

older

the oldest

old (people)

elder

the eldest

EXERCISES
I. Put the adjectives in the brackets in the
comparative or superlative form.
a) He demands a (high)salary than the
managing director.
b) A (hard)mattress often helps for back
injuries.
c) My new assistant is (lazy).than the
previous one.
d) His grandfatherwas (extraordinary) man I
have ever met.
e) Thats (good) advice of all Ive been
given.
f) Geriatrics in (little)popular branch of
medicine.
g) This flower is (beautiful) than
that one.
h) This is the (interesting) book I have
ever read.
i) Non-smokers usually live (long) than
smokers.
j) Which is the (dangerous) animal
in the world?

k) A holiday by the sea is (good) than a

holiday in the mountains.
l) It is strange but often a coke is (expensive)
than a beer.
m) Who is the (rich) woman on earth?
n) The weather this summer is even (bad)
than last summer.
o) He was the (clever) thief of all.
p) Her dress is (pretty) ..............................................
than mine.
q) Cheetahs are (fast) ................................ animals we
can find.
r) Eating fruit and vegetables is (healthy) ......................
than eating hot dogs.
s) I like milk (good) ......................... than coffee.
t) China has (many) ................... people than any other
country in the world.
u) The blue whale is (heavy) ........................ animal in
the world.
v) Which is (big) ....................................., Portugal or
Spain?
w) Travelling by plane is (comfortable) ............................
than travelling by car.
x) He is (untidy) ......................................... person in
class.
y) Buying things from plastic is (bad) .....................than
buying things from recycled paper.
z) The Nile is (long) ........................... river in the world.
aa)In Marks opinion History is
(difficult) .................................... than Geography.
ab)
Antarctica is one of (cold) .............................
places on Earth.
ac)Greece is (hot) ................................ than England.
ad)
1Mirror,mirror on the wall, whos
(pretty) .............................. of them all?
ae)Elvis Presley is one of (popular) .................. rock
singers ever.
af) Jenny is (tall) ......................than Alice even though
she is (young) ..............................
ag)
Switzerland is one of (rich) .................countries
in the world.
ah)
People in Africa are the
(poor) ................................ in the world.
II. Choose the correct adjective (-ED or ING ending)

1. My nephew was (amusing / amused) by the clown.

2. Its so (frustrating / frustrated)! No matter how much I
study I cant seem to remember this vocabulary.
3. This lesson is so (boring / bored)!
4. Im feeling (depressed / depressing), so Im going to go
home, eat some chocolate, and go to bed early with a good
book.
5. I thought her new idea was absolutely (fascinated /
fascinating).
6. This maths problem is so (confusing / confused). Can you
help me?
7. The teacher was really (amusing / amused) so the lesson
passed quickly.
8. The journey was (exhausting / exhausted)! Twelve hours
by bus.
9. The plane began to move in a rather (alarming / alarmed)
way.
10. He was (frightening / frightened) when he saw the
spider.

11. I was really (embarrassing / embarrassed) when I fell

over in the street.
12. That film was so (depressing / depressed)! There was no
happy ending for any of the characters.
13. Im sorry, I cant come tonight. Im completely
(exhausting / exhausted).
14. We are going in a helicopter? How (exciting / excited)!
15. Dont show my baby photos to people, Mum! Its so
(embarrassing /embarrassed)!
16. Its okay, its only me. Dont be (alarming / alarmed).
17. My sister is so (exciting / excited) because she is going
on holiday tomorrow.
18. I hate long flights, Im always really (boring / bored).
19. She looked very (confusing / confused) when I told her
we had to change the plan.
20. John was (fascinated / fascinating) by Mandarin when he
first started learning languages. He decided to study more
and now he can speak it fluently.