Teacher: María Pozo
Comparative and superlative adjectives
To make the comparative form of adjectives (like 'bigger' or 'more
expensive') and the superlative form (like 'biggest' or 'most expensive'),
first we need to know how many syllables are in the adjective.
Adjectives with one syllable
Usually if an adjective has only one syllable, we add 'er' to make the
comparative form. We add 'est' to make the superlative form.
clean → cleaner / cleanest
cold → colder / coldest
small → smaller / smallest
young → younger / youngest
tall → taller / tallest
There are some spelling changes. If there is one vowel followed by one
consonant at the end of the adjective, we often double the consonant.
wet → wetter / wettest
big → bigger / biggest
hot → hotter / hottest
thin → thinner / thinnest
If the adjective ends in 'y', this often changes to 'i'.
dry → drier / driest
If the adjective ends in 'e', we don't add another 'e', just 'r'.
nice → nicer / nicest
large → larger / largest
Even when the adjective has only one syllable, it's still not wrong to use
'more' or 'most'. It's possible to say 'more wet' or 'most tall'. This isn't
incorrect.
There are a few adjectives that we have to use 'more' or 'most' with, even
though they only have one syllable. We CAN'T add 'er' or 'est'.
fun → more fun / most fun (NOT funner / funnest)
real → more real / most real (NOT realer / realest)
right → more right / most right (NOT righter / rightest)
wrong → more wrong / most wrong (NOT wronger / wrongest)
Adjectives with two syllables
