Comparatives and superlatives

A comparative adjective is used to compare two things. A superlative adjective is used when you compare three or more
things. For example, looking at apples you can compare their size, determining which is big, which is bigger, and which
is biggest. The comparative ending (suffix) for short, common adjectives is generally "-er"; the superlative suffix is
generally "-est." For most longer adjectives, the comparative is made by adding the word "more" (for example, more
comfortable) and the superlative is made by adding the word "most" (for example, most comfortable).
If a 1-syllable adjective ends in "e", the endings are "-r" and "-st", for example: wise, wiser, wisest.
If a 1-syllable adjective ends in "y", the endings are "-er" and "-est", but the y is sometimes changed to an "i". For
example: dry, drier, driest.
If a 1-syllable adjective ends in a consonant (with a single vowel preceding it), then the consonant is doubled and the
endings "-er" and "-est" are used, for example: big, bigger, biggest.
If a 2-syllable adjective ends in "e", the endings are "-r" and "-st", for example: gentle, gentler, gentlest.
If a 2-syllable adjective ends in "y", the endings are "-ier" and "-iest", for example:
happy, happier, happiest.
Some 2-syllable adjectives use the standard "-er" and "-est suffixes", including
adjectives that end in "er", "le", or "ow". For example: narrow, narrower, narrowest.
For most adjectives with two or more syllables, the comparative is formed by adding the word "more," and you form
the superlative by adding the word "most", for example: colorful, more colorful, most colorful.
Some comparative and superlative adjectives are irregular, including some very common ones such as good/better/best
and bad/worse/worst.

Case

Adjective

Comparative Form

Superlative Form

1-syllable adjectives

close
huge
large
strange
wise
big
fat
red
sad
thin
dry
spry
wry

closer
huger
larger
stranger
wiser
bigger
fatter
redder
sadder
thinner
drier
sprier/spryer
wrier/wryer

closest
hugest
largest
strangest
wisest
biggest
fattest
reddest
saddest
thinnest
driest
spriest/spryest
wriest/wryest

fast
great
quick
short
tall
fickle
handsome
polite

faster
greater
quicker
shorter
taller
fickler
handsomer
politer

fastest
greatest
quickest
shortest
tallest
ficklest
handsomest
politest

bumpy
heavy
icy

bumpier
heavier
icier

bumpiest
heaviest
iciest

ending in "e"

1-syllable adjectives
ending in a consonant with a
single vowel preceding it
1-syllable adjectives
ending in "y"
1-syllable adjectives,
other cases

2-syllable adjectives
ending in "e"
2-syllable adjectives

ending in "y"
2-syllable adjectives
ending in "le", or "ow"

2 or more syllable
adjectives,
other cases

Irregular and confusing

adjectives

shiny
tiny

shinier
tinier

shiniest
tiniest

able
gentle
hollow
narrow
shallow
simple
beautiful
colorful
complete
delicious
generous
important
bad
far (place)
far (place or time)
good
late (time)
late (order)
little (size)
little (amount)
many/much/some
old (people or
things)
old (people)

abler
gentler
hollower
narrower
shallower
simpler
more beautiful
more colorful
more complete
more delicious
more generous
more important
worse
farther
further
better
later
latter
littler
less
more
older

ablest
gentlest
hollowest
narrowest
shallowest
simplest
most beautiful
most colorful
most complete
most delicious
most generous
most important
worst
farthest
furthest
best
latest
last
littlest
least
most
oldest

elder

eldest