Comparatives and Superlatives Exercises
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Comparatives and superlatives
A comparative compares two things. A superlative identifies one thing at the top or bottom of a group.
- Short adjectives:
- Add -er and than: tall → taller than. Add the + -est for a group: the tallest.
- Long adjectives:
- Use more/most: more interesting than; the most interesting.
- Spelling:
- Big → bigger → the biggest; happy → happier → the happiest.
- Irregular forms:
- Good → better → the best; bad → worse → the worst.
Examples
This bag is bigger than that one.
Compare two bags with -er than.
Anna is the tallest student.
Use the + -est for one in a group.
This book is more interesting than that one.
Long adjectives often use more.
This is the best day.
Best is the irregular superlative of good.
My room is smaller than yours.
Small takes -er in a comparison.
Practice exercises
Choose the correct answer
Select the option that completes the sentence.
1.The blue box is ___ than the red box.
2.My bag is ___ than yours.
3.This phone is ___ than my old one.
4.Mount Everest is ___ mountain in the world.
5.This is ___ film I watched this year.
Fill the gaps
Type the missing word or words.
Put the words in order
Click the parts in the correct order.
11. Build the sentence:
12. Build the sentence:
13. Build the sentence:
14. Build the sentence:
Right or wrong?
Decide whether each sentence is correct.
15.This book is longer than that one.
16.This chair is more taller than that chair.
17.Of the three cups, this one is the largest.
18.This is the beautifullest painting in the gallery.
How English comparisons work
Comparatives compare two people or things. A short adjective usually takes -er followed by than: This room is smaller than that one. Longer adjectives often use more: This book is more interesting than that one.
Superlatives identify one person or thing within a larger group. Use the with -est or most: the smallest room, the most interesting book.
Some common adjectives change completely. Good becomes better and the best; bad becomes worse and the worst. The exercises above practise regular, spelling-change and irregular forms.
Frequently asked questions
When do I use a comparative?
Use a comparative to compare two people or things: bigger than.
When do I use a superlative?
Use a superlative for one member of a group: the biggest.
Can I say more bigger?
No. Use bigger or more plus a long adjective, not both together.
Answer key
1. The blue box is ___ than the red box.
Answer: bigger
Use the comparative bigger before than when comparing two boxes.
2. My bag is ___ than yours.
Answer: lighter
Light takes -er in a comparison of two bags: lighter than.
3. This phone is ___ than my old one.
Answer: newer
Use newer than to compare two phones.
4. Mount Everest is ___ mountain in the world.
Answer: the highest
Use the + superlative -est for the highest member of a group.
5. This is ___ film I watched this year.
Answer: the most interesting
Use the most before a longer adjective in a superlative: the most interesting.
6. Winter is ___ (cold) than summer here.
Answer: colder
Cold is a short adjective. Add -er: colder than.
7. A train is usually ___ (fast) than a bicycle.
Answer: faster
Fast is short: fast + -er = faster.
8. The second road is ___ (wide) than the first.
Answer: wider
Wide ends in -e, so add only -r: wider.
9. Of these three bags, the blue one is ___ (small).
Answer: the smallest
Use the smallest when choosing one from three bags.
10. Of the four runners, Mia is ___ (fast).
Answer: the fastest
Use the fastest for one person within a group of four.
11. than mine. / Your bag is / bigger
Answer: Your bag is bigger than mine.
Use bigger than to compare two bags.
12. the tallest / in the class. / She is
Answer: She is the tallest in the class.
Use the + -est within a group.
13. is / This book / more interesting.
Answer: This book is more interesting.
A long adjective takes more.
14. than yesterday. / Today is / better
Answer: Today is better than yesterday.
Better is the comparative of good.
15. This book is longer than that one.
Answer: True
Longer than is the correct comparative form of long.
16. This chair is more taller than that chair.
Answer: False
Use taller, not more taller. Do not combine more with -er. Correct: This chair is taller than that chair.
17. Of the three cups, this one is the largest.
Answer: True
The largest is the correct superlative when comparing three cups.
18. This is the beautifullest painting in the gallery.
Answer: False
Use the most beautiful, not beautifullest, for this longer adjective. Correct: This is the most beautiful painting in the gallery.