What is Comparison of Adjectives in English?

What is Comparison of Adjectives? In this article, I am going to explain comparison of adjectives in English for kids. There are a few kinds of adjectives, but comparison adjectives (Comparative adjectives and Superlative Adjectives) are the most common. Other kinds of adjectives include demonstrative adjectives, proper adjectives, compound adjectives, possessive adjectives, quantitative adjectives, and negative adjectives.

Learn to use superlative and comparative adjectives in English with example sentences and ESLBLOCK worksheets for printing.

Also read: Adjectives That Start With M

What is Comparison of Adjectives?

There are many different languages in which many adjectives are comparable. A baby, for example, might be “beautiful”; however, another baby could consider itself to be “more beautiful” while another baby could have the glory of being the “most beautiful” of three. The term “more” in this context modifies an adjective like “beautiful” to signify a comparison is being made, and “most” alters the adjective to mean absolute comparability (Superlative).

If you recognize your grammar, you’re most likely already well aware of adjectives.

Types of Comparison of Adjectives?

There are three types of comparison of adjectives. When students need to make sense of their thoughts and draw a comparison line between two or more things, it is useful to provide several examples of superlative and comparative adjectives for children. Superlatives and comparatives are frequently used in writing to enhance language.

Also read: Adjectives That Start With N

1. Positive Ordinary Adjectives

It is an ordinary form of adjectives.

Sentences with Positive Adjectives

• My house is large.
• This scale is small.
• Your cat runs fast.
• Willow is old.
• Matthew is smart boy.

2. Comparative Adjectives

The term “comparative adjective” can compare one noun with another. In these situations, it is only two things that are being compared. For example, someone could claim that “the blue bird seems to be more angrier than the bird called the robin.”

Sentences with Comparative Adjectives

• My house is larger than Ellie.
• This scale is smaller than the one I lost.
• Your cat runs faster than Samuel’s cat.
• Willow is older than Tom.
• Matthew is smarter than Anthony.
• My city is bigger than yours.
• Your grade is better than mine.
• The Pacific Ocean is deeper than the Arctic Ocean.
• You are more polite than Bella.
• My sister is taller than I am, but she is older too.
• A rose is more beautiful than a daisy.
• The sun is larger than the Earth.
• Learning Chinese is more difficult than learning Japanese.

Also read: Adjectives That Start With O

3. Superlative Adjectives

The superlative adjective uses them to describe three or more nouns. They also serve to compare an item against the rest of an entire group. Superlative adjectives show a greater quality of comparison between different entities. Article “the” is used before 3rd form of adjectives. For example, “She is he prettiest princess of all the country.”

Sentences with Superlative Adjectives

• My house is the largest in the street.
• This is the smallest candy I’ve ever seen.
• Your cat runs the fastest of any cat in the race.
• Hudson is the tallest son in his family.
• I can’t find my most comfortable shoes.
• Jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system.
• Ariana is the smartest girl in our class.
• This is the most interesting museum I have ever visited.
• I am the shortest student in my class.
• Morgan is the least worried about the game.
• That was the best TV show ever.
• Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
• Nelson is the most handsome boy in the whole family.

Also read: Adjectives That Start With P

Degrees of Comparison of Adjectives

It’s a good idea to share the concept of degrees of comparison with students. In the above examples, it is evident that there is a range in comparison among smart, smarter, and smartest.

Don’t forget that you can compare two or more things using more and most. For example, “Zoey is more active than Sebastian” provides a lower degree of comparison than “Zoey is the most active person in the entire household.”

Comparisons can also be made in opposite directions with “less” and “least.” The same rule applies in the examples below. You can compare two things using the comparative form and three things using the superlative form.

Also read: Adjectives That Start With Q

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
angry	angrier	angriest
anxious	more anxious	most anxious
bad	worse	worst
bad/ill	worse	worst
beautiful	more  beautiful	most  beautiful
big	bigger	biggest
bitter	bitterer	bitterest
black	blacker	blackest
bland	blander	blandest
bloody	bloodier	bloodiest
blue	bluer	bluest
bold	bolder	boldest
bossy	bossier	bossiest
brave	braver	bravest
brief	briefer	briefest
bright	brighter	brightest
broad	broader	broadest
busy	busier	busiest
calm	calmer	calmest
careful	more  careful	most  careful
careless	more  careless	most  careless
cheap	cheaper	cheapest
cheerful	more  cheerful	most  cheerful
chewy	chewier	chewiest
chubby	chubbier	chubbiest
classy	classier	classiest
clean	cleaner	cleanest
clear	clear	clearest
clever	cleverer	cleverest
close	closer	closest
cloudy	cloudier	cloudiest
clumsy	clumsier	clumsiest
coarse	coarser	coarsest
cold	colder	coldest
comfortable	more  comfortable	most  comfortable
compassionate	more compassionate	most compassionate
cool	cooler	coolest
crazy	crazier	craziest
creamy	creamier	creamiest
creepy	creepier	creepiest
crispy	crispier	crispiest
cruel	crueller	cruellest
crunchy	crunchier	crunchiest
curly	curly	curliest
curvy	curvier	curviest
cute	cuter	cutest
damp	damper	dampest
dangerous	more  dangerous	most  dangerous
dark	darker	darkest
deadly	deadlier	deadliest
dear	dearer	dearest
deep	deeper	deepest
delightful	more  delightful	most  delightful
dense	denser	densest
difficult	more  difficult	most  difficult
dirty	dirtier	dirtiest
dry	drier	driest
dull	duller	dullest
dumb	dumber	dumbest
dusty	dustier	dustiest
early	earlier	earliest
easy	easier	easiest
embarrassed	more embarrassed	most embarrassed
enjoyable	more  enjoyable	most  enjoyable
evil	more evil	most evil
faint	fainter	faintest
fair	fairer	fairest
famous	more famous	most famous
fancy	fancier	fanciest
far	farther/further	farthest/furthest
fast	faster	fastest
fat	fatter	fattest
few	fewer	fewest
fierce	fiercer	fiercest
filthy	filthier	filthiest
fine	finer	finest
firm	firmer	firmest
fit	fitter	fittest
flaky	flakier	flakiest
flat	flatter	flattest
foolish	more  foolish	most  foolish
fore	former	first
forgetful	more  forgetful	most  forgetful
fresh	fresher	freshest
friendly	friendlier	friendliest
frightening	more  frightening	most  frightening
full	fuller	fullest
funny	funnier	funniest
generous	more  generous	most  generous
gentle	gentler	gentlest
good	better	best
great	greater	greatest
handsome	more  handsome	most  handsome
happy	happier	happiest
hard	harder	hardest
healthy	healthier	healthiest
heavy	heavier	heaviest
helpful	more  helpful	most  helpful
high	higher	highest
hip	hipper	hippest
hot	hotter	hottest
humble	humbler	humblest
hungry	hungrier	hungriest
icy	icier	iciest
ignorant	more  ignorant	most  ignorant
important	more  important	most  important
intelligent	more  intelligent	most  intelligent
interesting	more  interesting	most  interesting
itchy	itchier	itchiest
juicy	juicier	juiciest
kind	kinder	kindest
large	larger	largest
late	later	latest
late	latter	last
lazy	lazier	laziest
light	lighter	lightest
likely	likelier	likeliest
little	littler	littlest
little	less	least
long	longer	longest
lovely	lovelier	loveliest
low	lower	lowest
many/much	more	most
merry	merrier	merriest
narrow	narrower	narrowest
naughty	naughtier	naughtiest
near	nearer	nearest
new	newer	newest
nice	nicer	nicest
noisy	noisier	noisiest
odd	odder	oddest
oily	oilier	oiliest
old	older/elder	oldest/eldest
old	elder	eldest
old	older	oldest
plain	plainer	plainest
pleasant	more  pleasant	most  pleasant
polite	politer	politest
polite	more polite	most polite
poor	poorer	poorest
powerful	more  powerful	most  powerful
pretty	prettier	prettiest
proud	prouder	proudest
pure	purer	purest
quick	quicker	quickest
quiet	quieter	quietest
rare	rarer	rarest
rich	richer	richest
sad	sadder	saddest
safe	safer	safest
sensible	more  sensible	most  sensible
sharp	sharper	sharpest
short	shorter	shortest
simple	simpler	simplest
sincere	sincerer	sincerest
skinny	skinnier	skinniest
sleepy	sleepier	sleepiest
slim	slimmer	slimmest
slimy	slimier	slimiest
slow	slower	slowest
small	smaller	smallest
smart	smarter	smartest
smelly	smellier	smelliest
smoky	smokier	smokiest
smooth	smoother	smoothest
smooth	smoother	smoothest
soft	softer	softest
soon	sooner	soonest
sore	sorer	sorest
strong	stronger	strongest
sweet	sweeter	sweetest
tall	taller	tallest
terrible	more  terrible	most  terrible
thick	thicker	thickest
thin	thinner	thinnest
thoughtful	more  thoughtful	most  thoughtful
tiny	tinier	tiniest
ugly	uglier	ugliest
unusual	more  unusual	most  unusual
useful	more  useful	most  useful
valuable	more  valuable	most  valuable
warm	warmer	warmest
wealthy	wealthier	wealthiest
wet	wetter	wettest
wide	wider	widest
wild	wilder	wildest
wise	wiser	wisest
wonderful	more  wonderful	most  wonderful
young	younger	youngest

Rules for Comparatives and Superlatives

Here are some general rules for comparatives and superlatives.

There are basic rules in forming the degrees of comparison:

1. One-syllable adjective, you can add –er to form comparative and –est for superlative as follows.

• smart / smarter / smartest,
• long / longer / longest
• big / biger / bigest
• ltall / taller / tallest
• fat / fatter / fattest

Example sentences:

• Emily is two years older than me.
• Alaska is much bigger than Boston.
• Lionel Messi is a better player than Ronaldo.
• France is a bigger country than Britain.

Also read: Adjectives That Start With R

2. Two-syllable adjectives, for most of two syllable adjectives, add –er for comparative and – est as follows.

• gentle / gentler / gentlest
• simple / simpler / simplest

3. Three or more syllables, always use more and most to form the comparative and superlative form of adjectives.

• peaceful / more peaceful / most peaceful
• creative / more creative / most creative
• pleasant / more pleasant / most pleasant
• careful / more careful / most careful
• thoughtful / more thoughtful / most thoughtful

4. Adjectives end with y, change y to i and add –er or -est as follows.

• happy / happyier / happyiest,
• busy / busier / busiest,
• angry / angryier / angryiest
• merry / merrier / merriest

5. Adjectives end with a single vowel and single final consonant letter. Double the final consonant and add –er or -est as follows.

• thin / thinner / thinnest
• fat / fatter / fattest

6. Adjectives end in “e”, add –r for the comparative and –st for superlative form as follows.

• simple / simpler / simplest
• wise / wiser / wisest,

7. Irregular comparisons of adjectives

• bad / worse / worst
• good / better / best
• far / farther / farthest
• many / more / most
• ill / worse / worst
• little / less / least

Example sentences:

• Today is the best day I’ve had in a long time.
• They play tennis better than she does.
• This is the least expensive table in the store.
• This house is less expensive than that one.
• Justin ran pretty far yesterday, but he ran even farther today.

Also read: Adjectives That Start With S

Rules	Adjective or Adverb	Comparative	Superlative
One-syllable adjectives	small	smaller	(the) smallest
	fast	faster	(the) fastest
	large	larger	(the) largest
	big	bigger (Note the spelling here)	(the) biggest
Most two-syllable adjectives	thoughtful	more/less thoughtful	(the) most/least thoughtful
	useful	more/less useful	(the) most/least useful
Adverbs ending in -ly	carefully	more/less carefully	(the) most/least careful
	slowly	more/less slowly	(the) most/least slowly
Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y	sleepy	sleepier	(the) sleepiest
	happy	happier	(the) happiest
Two-syllable adjectives ending with –er, -le, -or, or –ow	narrow	narrower	(the) narrowest
	gentle	gentler	(the) gentlest
Three or more syllable adjectives	intelligent	more/less intelligent	(the) most/least intelligent
	important	more/less important	(the) most/least important

Also read: Adjectives That Start With T

Comparison of Adjectives InfoGraphics

Here are some printable infographics about Comparison of Adjectives. Printable infographics are a fantastic way to share a significant amount of details in a short time in a stunning way. The Comparison of Adjectives infographic can help teachers and students to share their thoughts easily.

My Considerations

Since the Adjective is the main part of English reading, the importance of developing vocabulary cannot be undervalued without Comparison of Adjectives.

You can read the above simple list of Comparison of Adjectives to improve your understanding of English grammar.

Encourage your children to learn these basic but commonly used Comparison Adjectives, by following the simple example sentences given above. Then, save this list of Comparison Adjectives, handy for future interview use.

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Recap of what we just learned

• What is Comparison of Adjectives?
• Comparison Adjective Definition
• Types of Comparison of Adjectives?
• Positive Ordinary Adjectives
• Comparative Adjectives
• Superlative Adjectives
• Degrees of Comparison of Adjectives
• Rules for Comparatives and Superlatives
• Comparison of Adjectives InfoGraphics

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