(beginners)

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES

A - Comparison with -er/-estclean - cleaner - (the) cleanestWe use -er/-est with the following

adjectives:1) Adjectives with one syllablePositive comparative

superlativeclean cleaner cleanestnew newer

newestcheap cheaper

cheapest

-er, -est

2) Adjectives with two syllables and the following endings:

2 - 1) Adjectives with two syllables, ending in –y

positive comparative superlativedirty dirtier dirtiestEasy easier easiesthappy happier happiestpretty prettier prettiest

Spelling of the adjectives using the endings -er/-est

positive comparative superlative

large larger largestbig bigger biggestsad sadder saddest

dirty dirtier dirtiestshy shyer shyest

Comparison with more – most

Positive comparative superlativeDifficult more difficult (the) most difficult

all adjectives with more than one syllable

C – Irregular adjectives  positive form comparative form superlative formgood better bestbad / ill worse worstlittle (amount) less leastlittle (size) smaller smallestmuch / many more most

far (place + time) further furthestfar (place) farther farthestlate (time) later latest

late (order) latter last

near (place) nearer nearest

near (order) - nextold (people and things) older oldestold (people) elder

eldest

As/So .. As Examples:•She's twice as old as her sister.•He's not as/so stupid as he looks!•I'm almost as good in maths as in science.•This book is not as/so exciting as the last one.•The cafeteria is not as/so crowded as usual.•Russian is not quite as/so difficult as Chinese.

Rule: So/as…as is used in negative sentences.

Too… What's the difference

between the following two sentences?

It's very cold. It's too cold.

The first sentence is just a statement. The

second sentence implies some sort of difficulty, maybe it's

too cold so we can't go outside.

FIND THE DIFFERENCEScompare and contrast

use the adjectives: modern, old, expensive, cheap, fast, slow, comfortable, small, heavy, practical, sporty

Exercise on Comparison of AdjectivesFill in the correct form of the words in brackets

(comparative or superlative).1. My house is (big) ………………..bigger than yours.2. This flower is (beautiful)………………………. than that

one.3. This is the (interesting)……………… book I have ever

read.4. Non-smokers usually live (long) ……………than smokers.5. Which is the (dangerous)……………... animal in the

world?6. A holiday by the sea is (good)…………………… than a

holiday in the mountains.7. It is strange but often a coke is (expensive)

……………….than a beer.8. Who is the (rich)……………… woman on earth?9. The weather this summer is even (bad)…………….. than

last summer.10. He was the (clever) ……………………thief of all.

1. London is the (large)……………… city in Great Britain.

2. No other British city has as (many)………………… inhabitants as London.

3. The London underground, the tube, is the (old) ……………….underground in the world.

4. The Tower of London is one of the (famous). …………………London sights.

5. Another sight is the London Eye. With its 135 metres, it is (tall)……………………………. than any other big wheel in the world.