Comparatives and Superlatives

We make the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives based on their NUMBER
OF SYLLABLES:

Adjectives with ONE SYLLABLE

• Comparative: Adjective + er
• Superlative: Adjective + est
• Example: FAST (faster than/ the fastest)
• Spelling: Sometimes you need to double the last letter, for example: big -->
bigger/biggest (remember the CVC rule)

Adjectives with 2 SYLLABLES ENDING WITH A CONSONANT SOUND

• Normal comparative: more (or less) + adjective

• Normal superlative: most (or least) + adjective
• Examples:
• handsome --> more handsome --> most handsome
• distant --> more distant --> most distant

Adjectives with 2 SYLLABLES ENDING WITH A VOWEL SOUND

• Normal comparative: Adjective + er

• Normal superlative: Adjective + est
• Examples:
• slow --> slower --> slowest
• busy --> busier --> busiest

Adjectives with 3 SYLLABLES OR MORE

• Comparative: more (or less) + adjective

• Superlative: most (or least) + adjective
• Example: more expensive than/ the most expensive.
•

***************Irregular forms

There are three common adjectives - good, bad and far - with irregular comparative
and superlative forms:

• good  better  best

• bad  worse  worst
• far  further  furthest
1.- Fill in the gaps with the correct COMPARATIVE FORM of the given
adjectives:

This candidate has ……………….(good) references ……….. the other one.

My accountant obtains …………….(high) benefits by investing in the stock market.
Studying a PhD is …………………(hard) ………… completing an MA.
My qualifications for the job are …………(bad) ……….. the other candidates’.
The screen of this cutting-edge computer is ………….(thin) …………..1 inch.

2.-Fill in the gaps with the correct SUPERLATIVE FORM of the given
adjectives:

Mr Smith is ……………………(competent) boss I’ve ever had.

The career prospects that this job offers are…………………(good) in the field.
The refurbishing project we chose had………………….(suitable) budget.
The company went bankrupt because they had …………….(low) benefits in decades.
She rearranged the archive in…………………..(accurate) order I’ve ever seen.

3.- Fill in the gaps with the correct DEGREE of the adjective in brackets:

My salary is one of ………………………….(high) in my rank.

The CEO is ………………(hard-working) as anyone else in the executive committee.
My business card has a……………………(appropriate) typography than yours.
I fired my PA because he was …………………(useless) employee I’ve ever had.
Your sales forecast was very accurate. Our benefits were just as …………(low) ……
you had predicted.
Investing in the stock market is ……………….(risky) business I’ve ever tried.
My company is not doing ……..well……….yours.
The availability of the product will be confirmed …….soon ………possible.
They discontinued the product because its sales were………………(low) in the
market.
We lowered the price of our furniture set so now it is ………………(competitive) in
the market.

4.-Translate:

El presupuesto de este año es más limitado que el del proyecto anterior.

El reciclaje hace que el futuro de la industria sea más sostenible.

El asistente que has contratado es mucho menos competente que el que tenías
antes.

Esta solución me parece tan adecuada como la que ha sugerido el ingeniero.

Los empleados han pedido que sus sueldos sean tan altos como en Japón.

Esta idea es menos interesante que la propuesta de John.