Comparison
Regular forms
Adjectives |
Adjective
|
Comparative
|
Superlative
|
1. Of one syllable, add-(e)r/-(e)st to form
their comparative & superlative forms.
|
small
hot
safe
|
smaller (than)
hotter (than)
safer (than)
|
the smallest (of/in)
the hottest (of/in)
the safest (of/in)
|
2. Of two syllables ending in
-ly, -y, -w, also add -er/-est.
|
friendly
busy
shallow
|
friendlier (than)
busier (than)
shallower (than)
|
the friendliest (of/in)
the busiest (of/in)
the shallowest (of/in)
|
3. Of two or more syllables,
take more/most.
|
serious
amazing
|
more serious (than)
more amazing (than)
|
the most serious (of/in)
the most amazing (of/in)
|
Usage
1.
We use the comparative
to compare one person/ thing with another.
e.g. Mary is prettier than Ann.
This car is more expensive
than the others.
2.
We use the superlative
to compare one person/ thing with more than one of the same group.
e.g. He is the fastest runner of
all.
She is the most intelligent child in the
family.
3.
We often use than after
a comparative. We normally use the before a superlative. We often
use of or in after a superlative.
We use in with places.
e.g. She
is shorter than you.
This
problem is more complicated than that one.
I
am the smartest of all.
This
room is the most comfortable one in the hotel.
4.
Certain adjectives form their
comparative and superlative in both ways, either by adding -er/-est to
the adjectives or by taking more/most. Some of these are: clever,
common, cruel, friendly, gentle, narrow, pleasant, polite, shallow, simple,
stupid, quiet.
e.g. simple - simpler -
the simplest ALSO
simple - more simple - the most simple
Regular forms
Adverbs |
Adverb
|
Comparative
|
Superlative
|
1. Adverbs having the same forms as their adjectives
add -er/-est.
|
long
fast
early
|
longer (than)
faster (than)
earlier (than)
|
(the) longest
(the) fastest
(the) earliest
|
2. Two syllables or compound adverbs (adjectives+-ly,
e.g. careful-carefully) take more/most.
|
often
slowly
quickly
|
more often (than)
more slowly (than)
more quickly (than)
|
(the) most often
(the) most slowly
(the) most quickly
|
Irregular forms
Adjectives/Adverbs
|
Comparative
|
Superlative
|
good/ well
bad/badly
much/ many/ a
lot of
little
few
far
|
better
worse
more
less
fewer
farther/further
|
best
worst
most
least
fewest
farther/furthest
|
Usage
1.
Well is the adverb of good.
e.g. He is a good cook. He cooks well.
2.
further (adj) = more
e.g. For
further information contact Mr White.
further/farther (adv) = longer (in distance)
e.g. He
walked further/farther than I did.
3.
very + adjective
e.g. It is very hot weather.
4.
most + adj/adv = very
e.g. He was most obliging. = He
was very obliging.
5. even/much/far/a bit + comparative
e.g. My sister behaved even worse than
before.
Susan is much more patient with children
than Lily is.
6.
any + comparative (used in negatives & questions)
e.g. This article was not any better
than the previous one.
Types of Comparison Examples
1. as … (adj/adv) … as
not so/as as …
(adj/adv) … as
such a(n)/so …
as
|
She speaks as calmly as usual.
It is not so/as hot as it was yesterday.
This is not such an exciting film as the last one.
|
2. twice/three times /half/ etc as …
(adj/adv) … as
|
Their house is three times as big as ours.
His watch cost half as much as mine.
|
3. the same as
|
Your violin is the same as the one I’ve bought.
|
4. less … (adj/adv) … than
the least …
(adj/adv) … of/in
|
The red sofa is less expensive than the blue one,
but the black one is the least expensive of all.
|
5. the + comparative … , the + comparative
|
The earlier you start, the sooner
you’ll finish.
|
6. comparative + and + comparative
|
Their life is getting better and better.
|
Sentence transformation
1a. I’ve never seen such a boring movie.
b.
It is the most boring
movie I’ve ever seen.
2a. He is taller than his sister.
b.
His sister is not as tall as
he is/him.
3a. If you work more, you will earn
more.
b.
The more you work, the more you will earn.
4a. She is the quickest runner of all.
b.
She is quicker than any
other runner.
c.
No other runner is as quick
as she is/her.
5a. He is a terrible driver.
b.
He drives terribly.
6a. Jack has got the same number of
books as Peter.
b.
Peter has got as many books
as Jack.
7a. She hasn’t made as many mistakes as
last time.
b. She has made fewer mistakes than last time.
Exercise A
Complete the comparative and superlative forms of the following
adjectives/ adverbs.
Adjective/ Adverb
|
Comparative
|
Superlative
|
e.g. high
|
higher
|
highest
|
1. loud
|
||
2. large
|
||
3. thin
|
||
4. heavy
|
||
5. quiet
|
||
6. quietly
|
||
7. intelligently
|
||
8. dependent
|
||
9. good/well
|
||
10. difficult
|
Exercise B
Choose the correct option for each of the following sentences.
e.g. He worked more
efficiently than I did. (efficiently, more efficiently, most efficiently)
1. Her promotion was
the __________ moment of her life. (proud, prouder, proudest)
2. Hawaii
is _________ from Hong Kong than Japan. (far, farther, farthest)
3. This
ring is too _________ for me. (small, smaller, smallest)
4. It
is _________ to ask for help than solve the problem by yourself. (easy, easier,
easiest)
5. Grace’s work is
__________, but Joan’s is __________. (good, better, best)
6. August is __________
than any other month. (hot, hotter, hottest)
7. Do you support his
__________ proposal? (late, later, latest)
8. Prevention is
__________ than cure. (good, better, best)
9. He may be the
__________ man in Hong Kong. (rich, richer,
richest)
10. This pair of glasses
is as __________ as that pair. (fashionable, more fashionable, most
fashionable)
Exercise C
Fill in each blank with the correct form – adjective/ adverb,
comparative or superlative.
e.g. The manager is the most powerful man here. (powerful)
1. Iron is _______________
than other metals. (useful)
2. My English teacher is as
_______________ as Andy Lau. (handsome)
3. His Chinese is getting
_____________ and _______________. (bad)
4.
The _______________ he gets, the _______________ he becomes. (old, wise)
5.
Ann does not swim so _______________ as her coach claims. (quickly)
6.
Which is _______________, grammar or vocabulary? (important)
7.
Staying at home is
_______________ than going on holiday abroad. (comfortable)
8.
The _______________ money you
spend, the _______________ you can save. (little, much)
9.
The new job is the
_______________ one that I have had. (challenging)
10.
This mini-bus driver is much
_______________ than any other driver. (kind)
Exercise D
There is one mistake in each sentence. Underline the mistakes and
correct them.
‘X’: extra word; ‘^’: missing
word; ____: wrong word
e.g. Tommy is the most(X)
cleverest boy in the class. ( X )
Tommy is (^ the)
cleverest boy in the class. ( ^ )
Tommy is the clever
(cleverest) boy in the class. ( __ )
1. This is cheaper of
the two pens. ( ^ )
2. He is speaking more
slowly and more slowly. ( X )
3. Ms Lee is very
shorter than her daughter. ( __ )
4. The weather of Hong
Kong is different from that of Canada’s.
( __ )
5. Mary is much more
nervous Jane. ( ^ )
6. Her face turned more
as white as a sheet when she heard what he said. ( X )
7. Police in Sydney are investigating
the death of a younger German tourist. ( __ )
8. The more you smoke,
more dangerous it is to your health. ( ^ )
9. To be frank, this
was the most easiest test in this term. ( X )
10. She is the best
singer of the two, but she is not the best in Hong Kong.
( __ )
Exercise E
Rewrite the following sentences using the words given, without
changing the meaning.
e.g. No one else in the
team plays better than he does. (best)
He plays the
best in the team.
1. No other dancer is
as graceful as she is in the play. (most graceful)
_________________________________________________________________________
2. Susan dresses more
smartly than Emily. (less smartly)
_________________________________________________________________________
3. Tom is noisier than
his brothers. (as noisy as)
_________________________________________________________________________
4. If you try harder,
you will do better. (the harder)
_________________________________________________________________________
5. Wealth is not as
good as health. (better)
_________________________________________________________________________
6. Mr. Chan is younger
than he looks. (old)
_________________________________________________________________________
7. It got darker and
the situation became worse. (the darker)
_________________________________________________________________________
8. Sandy does not study so diligently as she did
in the past. (less diligently)
_________________________________________________________________________
9. His father is the
most capable man in the office. (as capable as)
_________________________________________________________________________
10. Losing weight is not
so easy as putting on weight. (difficult)
_________________________________________________________________________
Suggested Answers
Exercise A
Adjective/ Adverb
|
Comparative
|
Superlative
|
e.g. high
|
higher
|
highest
|
1. loud
|
louder
|
loudest
|
2. large
|
larger
|
largest
|
3. thin
|
thinner
|
thinnest
|
4. heavy
|
heavier
|
heaviest
|
5. quiet
|
quieter/ more quiet
|
quietest/ most quiet
|
6. quietly
|
more quietly
|
most quietly
|
7. intelligently
|
more intelligently
|
most intelligently
|
8. dependent
|
more dependent
|
most dependent
|
9. good/well
|
better
|
best
|
10. difficult
|
more difficult
|
most difficult
|
Exercise B
1. proudest
|
2. farther
|
3. small
|
4. easier
|
5. good, better
|
6. hotter
|
7. latest
|
8. better
|
9. richest
|
10. fashionable
|
Exercise C
1. more useful
|
2. handsome
|
3. worse, worse
|
4. older, wiser
|
5. quickly
|
6. more important
|
7. more comfortable
|
8. less, more
|
9. most challenging
|
10. kinder
|
Exercise D
1.^ the cheaper
|
2. slowly(X) and
|
3. very much
|
4.Canada’s
Canada
|
5. nervous ^ than
|
6.more (X)
|
7. younger young
|
8. ^ the more
|
9. most (X)
|
10.best (better) singer
|
Exercise E
1. She is the most
graceful dancer in the play.
2. Emily dresses less
smartly than Susan.
3. Tom’s brothers are
not as noisy as Tom.
4. The harder you try,
the better you will do.
5. Health is better
than wealth.
6. Mr. Chan is not as
old as he looks.
7. The darker it got,
the worse the situation became.
8. Sandy studies less diligently than she did in
the past.
9. No man is as capable
as his father in the office.
10. Losing weight is more
difficult than putting on weight.
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