Comparatives of adjectives are formed with –er or with more.

Superlatives are formed with –est or with most.

Adjectives ending in a consonant + y have er, est, e.g. happy  happier, happiest.

Comparatives and superlatives of adverbs are normally formed with more and most, though there are
some exceptions.
Study Box
Comparative Superlative
One-syllable adjectives: cheap cheaper (than) (the) cheapest
Two or more syllable adjectives: reliable more reliable (than) (the) most reliable
Adverbs: smoothly less smoothly (than) (the) least smoothly
Irregular adjectives: good better (the) best
bad worse (the) worst
far (distance)
farther (the) farthest
(time) further (the) furthest
Irregular adverbs: well better (the) best
badly worse (the) worst
little less (the) least
much more (the) most
Gradual increase: more and more expensive
better and better (we repeat comparatives)
Saying one thing depends on the other: the… the (with two comparatives)
The sooner we leave, the sooner we will arrive.
Notice: Before comparatives we can use: much a lot far(= a lot) a bit a little slightly (= a little)
e.g. Today, robots are much smarter than in the past.

Practice

1 Fill in the blanks with the comparative or superlative of the adjectives within brackets:

1. Is January ________________________ (long) March? No, it isn’t.

2. Which is ________________________ (interesting) book in the library?
3. They have their raincoats on, but they are ________________________ (wet) we are.
4. My ring wasn’t ________________________ (valious) as yours.
5. He eats very much but he is not ________________________ (fat) the others.
6. It was ________________________ (fascinating) experience of her life.
7. Wednesday is ________________________ (bad) day of the week for me.
8. These words are ________________________ (common) the others.
9. Which is ________________________ (good)? Staying at home or going out?
10. Who is ________________________ (charming) teacher in your school?
11. She normally feels ______________________ (dizzy) in high places ____________ in low places.
12. Peter’s room isn’t ________________________ (tidy and neat) as his brother’s room.
13. Is your car better than mine? No, it isn’t. it is _____________ good _____________ yours.
 14. The movie isn’t good. It’s ________________________ (bad) the book.
15. This is ________________________ exercise-book I have. (thin)
16. My book is small, but yours is still ________________________ mine. (small)
17. A dog is ________________________ a cat. (faithful)
18. Jenny wants to get a ____________________ job ________________ her parents did. (good)
19. I know a ________________________ place _________________ this for camping. (peaceful)
20. Australia is the sixth ________________________ country in the world. (large)
21. Who’s ________________________? John or Peggy? (old)
22. The city is ________________________ because there are more cars now. (noisy)
23. Which is ________________________ bedroom in the house? (sunny)
24. I don’t think that is ________________________ solution to your stress. (good)
25. Who is ________________________? Betty, Paul or Mary? (sad)
26. These shoes don’t fit me. I need a ________________________ size. (big)
27. The ________________________ thing is having to get up at 7.30. (bad)
28. It is ________________________ nowadays to travel by plane than by ship. (frequent)
29. It is windy today but yesterday it was still ________________________. (windy)
30. What was ________________________ thing that has ever happened to you? (frightening)

2 Put the adjective or adverb in brackets into the form, which best suit the meaning of
the sentence.

1. What is _________________________ (stressful) aspect of being a teacher?

2. Of the people in the class, who is _________________________ (interesting)?
3. She has only been doing the job for a month. Of all the staff she has
_________________________ (little) experience.
4. Sometimes I think he comes _________________________ (late) everyone else does just to annoy
me.
5. Please talk a bit _________________________ (quietly). You are disturbing everyone in class.
6. Mary is much _________________________ (friendly) she was when she was young.
7. I have to start work _________________________ (early) you do. You don’t start until nine.
8. Who is _________________________ (useful) to society, a farmer or a doctor?
9. I think women drive _________________________ (carefully) men.
10. He’s so noisy. It’s a lot _________________________ (quiet) when he isn’t here.
11. Your robot keeps breaking down. You should buy a ______________________ one. (reliable)
12. My father bought me ______________________ computer he could afford. (expensive)
13. She’d like to have a ______________________ computer. The one she has is very slow. (good)
14. “Couldn’t you drive ______________________? I’m late for work,” (fast)
15. Your watch is 4 minutes ______________________ mine. (slow)
16. Today there were a lot of people on the train. It was ______________________ yesterday.
(crowded)
17. The buses run ______________________ the trains. (often)

3 Complete these sentences so that they show a gradual increase. Use the words in
brackets.

1. Travelling by car is becoming ___________________________________ (expensive).

2. Cities are getting ___________________________________ (polluted).
3. The _______________ you eat, the _________________ you get (much, full).
4. People are getting ___________________________________ with public transport (dissatisfied).
5. Life is getting ___________________________________ every day (hard).
 6. Prices are getting ___________________________________ each year (high).
7. ____________________________ people travel to work by car in big towns (much).

1 Fill in the blanks with the comparative or superlative of the adjectives within brackets:
1. Is January longer than (long) March? No, it isn’t.
2. Which is the most interesting (interesting) book in the library?
3. They have their raincoats on, but they are wetter than (wet) we are.
4. My ring wasn’t so/as valious (valious) as yours.
5. He eats very much but he is not fatter than (fat) the others.
6. It was the most fascinating (fascinating) experience of her life.
7. Wednesday is the worst (bad) day of the week for me.
8. These words are more common than (common) the others.
9. Which is better (good)? Staying at home or going out?
10. Who is the most charming (charming) teacher in your school?
11. She normally feels dizzier (dizzy) in high places than in low places.
12. Peter’s room isn’t so tidy and neat (tidy and neat) as his brother’s room.
13. Is your car better than mine? No, it isn’t. It is less good than yours.
14. The movie isn’t good. It’s worse than (bad) the book.
15. This is the thinnest exercise-book I have. (thin)
16. My book is small, but yours is still smaller than mine. (small)
17. A dog is more faithful than a cat. (faithful)
18. Jenny wants to get a better job than her parents did. (good)
19. I know a more peaceful place than this for camping. (peaceful)
20. Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. (large)
21. Who’s older? John or Peggy? (old)
22. The city is noisier because there are more cars now. (noisy)
23. Which is the sunniest (the most sunny) bedroom in the house? (sunny)
24. I don’t think that is the best solution to your stress. (good)
25. Who is the saddest? Betty, Paul or Mary? (sad)
26. These shoes don’t fit me. I need a bigger size. (big)
27. The worst thing is having to get up at 7.30. (bad)
28. It is more frequent nowadays to travel by plane than by ship. (frequent)
29. It is windy today but yesterday it was still windier (more windy). (windy)
30. What was the most frightening thing that has ever happened to you? (frightening)

2 Put the adjective or adverb in brackets into the form, which best suit the meaning of the sentence.
1. What is the most stressful (stressful) aspect of being a teacher?
2. Of the people in the class, who is the most interesting (interesting)?
3. She has only been doing the job for a month. Of all the staff she has the least (little) experience.
4. Sometimes I think he comes later than (late) everyone else does just to annoy me.
5. Please talk a bit more quietly (quietly). You are disturbing everyone in class.
6. Mary is much friendlier than (friendly) she was when she was young.
7. I have to start work earlier than (early) you do. You don’t start until nine.
8. Who is the most useful (useful) to society, a farmer or a doctor?
9. I think women drive more carefully than (carefully) men.
10. He’s so noisy. It’s a lot quieter (quiet) when he isn’t here.
11. Your robot keeps breaking down. You should buy a more reliable one. (reliable)
12. My father bought me the most expensive computer he could afford. (expensive)
13. She’d like to have a better computer. The one she has is very slow. (good)
14. “Couldn’t you drive faster? I’m late for work,” (fast)
15. Your watch is 4 minutes slower than mine. (slow)
16. Today there were a lot of people on the train. It was more crowded than yesterday. (crowded)
17. The buses run more often than the trains. (often)

3 Complete these sentences so that they show a gradual increase. Use the words in brackets.
1. Travelling by car is becoming more and more expensive (expensive).
2. Cities are getting more and more polluted (polluted).
3. The more you eat, the fuller you get (much, full).
4. People are getting more and more dissatisfied with public transport (dissatisfied).
5. Life is getting harder and harder every day (hard).
6. Prices are getting higher and higher each year (high).
7. More and more people travel to work by car in big towns (much).