Most adjectives have three forms: the absolute (the basic adjective form), the comparative, and the superlative. Comparatives are used to show that one item has more of some quality that another does.
George is taller than his brother.
Superlatives are used to show that one item in a group of three or more has the greatest amount of some quality.
He was the tallest man in the room.
The chart explains how comparatives and superlatives are formed:
| Absolute | Comparative | Superlative | |
| One-syllable adjectives | warm | warmer | the warmest |
| Two-syllable adjectives ending with -y | funny | funnier | the funniest |
| Other two-syllable adjectives | common | more common | the most common |
| Adjectives with three or more syllables | important | more important | the most important |
Some two-syllable adjectives have two correct forms of both the comparative and the superlative:
| narrower more narrow | clever more clever | polite more polite |
| narrowest most narrow | cleverest most clever | politest most polite |
A “negative” comparison can be expressed with the words less and least. Less and least are used no matter how many syllables an adjective has.
| less bright | less expensive |
| the least bright | the least expensive |
The absolute form of a few adjectives ends in -er (tender, bitter, slender, clever, and so on). Don’t confuse these with the comparative forms (more bitter or bitterer, for example).
Many adverbs also have comparative and superlative forms. The comparative and superlative forms of all -ly adverbs are formed with more and most.
| more brightly | more importantly |
| most brightly | most importantly |
A few adjectives and adverbs have irregular comparative and superlative forms.
Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives
| good/well | better | the best |
| bad/badly | worse | the worst |
| far | farther | the farthest |
| further | the furthest |
(Far has two comparative and superlative forms, depending on how the word is used, but the distinction between these two forms will not be tested.)
There are two main types of errors involving comparatives and superlatives:
Any of the three forms–absolute, comparative, or superlative–may be incorrectly used in place of one of the other forms.
∇ Sample Items
Basketball is played (A) at a much (B) fast (C) pace than baseball (D).
(A) is
(B) played
(C) a much fast
(D) baseball
The answer is (C) because the comparative form faster is needed because two concepts–the pace of basketball and the pace of baseball–are being compared.
The deep (A) oceans contain (B)Â some of the stranger (C) of all living (D) creatures.
(A) deep
(B) contain
(C) stranger
(D) living
The answer is (C) because this sentence does not compare two groups; a superlative form (strangest) is required.
Incorrect forms such as more bigger or most hot may appear.
∇ Sample Items
The most small (A) vessels in the (B) circulatory system (C)Â are (D) capillaries.
(A) most small
(B) the
(C) system
(D) are
The answer is (A). Because small is a one-syllable adjective, the correct form is smallest.
Exercise 41