Table of Contents

Further information

Introduction

Image     The white egg is the biggest and the red egg is the smallest. 


Definition and uses

We use superlative adjectives of superiority and inferiority to compare more than two things or people. 

Construction

The construction usually depends on the number of syllables. 

 

Superiority

 

 

One-syllable                         

 

'the' + adjective + 'est'

 

the coldest

 

 

 

 

Antarctica is the coldest place in the world.

 

 

Two-syllables and ending in a consonant and 'y'

 

 

'the' + adjective + 'est'

 

the busiest

 

 

 

 

September is the busiest month for us.

 

 

Others with two syllables

 

'the most' + adjective

 

the most honest

 

 

 

She's the most honest person in the department.

 

 

More than two syllables

 

'the most' + adjective

 

the most expensive

 

 

 

 

This is the most expensive car in the world.

 


 Inferiority 

 

All adjectives

 

'the least' + adjective

 

May is the least busy month for us.

 

She's the least honest person in the department.

 

This is the least expensive car in the world.

 

 

Note that we rarely use this construction with one-syllable adjectives. It is better to use the opposite superlative of superiority.

 

This is the least big house in the street. Image

 

 

This is the smallest house in the street. Image

She has the least cheap car. Image

She has the most expensive car. Image

 

It's the least good car.Image

 

It's the worst car.Image


Two-syllable adjectives

The comparatives and superlatives of most two-syllable adjectives are formed with 'more...than' and 'the most' but here is a list of some common ones that can also add 'er' and 'est'.  

Adjective

Comparative

Superlative

clever

cleverer

more clever

 

the cleverest

the most clever

gentle

gentler

more gentle

 

the gentlest

the most gentle

simple

simpler

more simple

 

the simplest

the most simple

friendly

friendlier

more friendly

the friendliest

the most friendly

 

quiet

quieter

more quiet

the quietest

the most quiet

 

narrow

narrower

more narrow

 

the narrowest

the most narrow



Irregular adjectives

 

Comparative

Superlative

good

better

the best

bad

worse

the worst

far

farther/further*

the farthest/furthest*


*'Farther' and farthest' refer to physical distance whilst 'further' and 'furthest' indicate a greater level or more advanced stage of something.  However, many people use 'further' and 'furthest' in both situations. For example:

We wanted to go to Toulouse but we didn't get farther/further south than Bordeaux. 

The farthest/furthest I can see clearly without glasses is about 3 metres. 

I've been trying to write this report all morning but I can't get further than the introduction.

I applied for a job with our main competitor but the furthest I got was the first interview.



Past participles


If the adjective is also the past participle of a verb, we do not add 'er' or 'est' even to short, one syllable adjectives. Instead we use the rule for long adjectives.

 

Examples

 

 Adjective

Comparative

Superlative

Example

lost

more lost

the most lost

The closer I got to the town centre the more lost I became.

burnt

more burnt

the most burnt

This piece of toast is more burnt than the first piece.

bored

more bored

the most bored

She was the most bored she had ever been, there was nothing for her to do.


Intensifiers

Comparative -

a small difference

 

Comparative -

a big difference

Examples

 

a little

a bit

a little bit

slightly

 

 

much

a lot

a great deal

far

not nearly as...as...

nowhere near as...as...

nothing like as..as [informal]

quite a bit

 

My new car is a lot faster but far less economical than my old one.

 

I chose this hotel because it's slightly less expensive.

 

I go to the gym much more often than I used to.

 

I can't run nearly as quickly as I could when I was young.

 


With superlative adjectives, we use 'by far' and 'easily' as intensifiers. For example: 

Our company sells by far the most cars in Europe.

She's easily the tallest person in her family.  

 

Examples


Image

 

They have four daughters. The oldest is nine and the youngest is one.

Image

 

April is usually the wettest month in England.

 

 Image

The pink flower is the prettiest

 

 Image

Our company is the most successful in Europe.

 

 Image

We often have the best weather in September.

 

 Image

I have the worst office in the department!

 

 Image

The train is the least stressful way to travel.

 

 Image

This is the least interesting part of my job!


Further information

One-syllable adjectives

 

Most of these take 'er' and 'est' for superiority but there are a few, particularly some ending in 'l', that are better with 'more...than...' For example:

 

I'm more apt to forget things when I'm tired.

Some dreams seem more real than others.

 

And there are a few others which can use both forms. For example:

 

            She's frailer/more frail than her sister.            

That's clearer/more clear now - thank you for explaining.

It would be fairer/more fair to divide it equally.

 

For inferiority, most take 'not as...as...' but a few use both forms. For example:

 

It isn't as cold as it was.

It's less cold than it was.

 

            Riding a bike isn't as safe at night.

Riding a bike is less safe at night.

 

 

 

'All the more'

 

This expression means 'even more than previously or otherwise'. We can use it with adjectives or adverbs or with neither. We can also use 'all the less' in a similar way as well as 'all the' + comparative adjective or adverb. For example:

 

I really can't wait for my holiday and it's all the more exciting for being outside Europe - it will be my first time.

 

We were already doing well and we worked all the faster when we heard there'd be a bonus for finishing before the deadline.

 

We've never had much faith in him and his arguments are all the less convincing when you consider his lack of experience.

 

I'm starting to recover now and I feel all the better for your visit - thanks for coming.

 

Note that 'even more/less' or 'even + er' are generally more common in conversation.

 

 

 

Comparing two qualities

 

We don't use 'er' to compare two qualities of the same person or thing. For example: 

 

Pierre is more sad than angry. Image

[His sadness is greater than his anger.]

 

The film was more funny than tragic.

I think it's more red than orange.

She's more of an artist than a poet.

 

 

Pierre is sadder than angry. Image

 

 

 

 

Similes

 

We use 'as...as...' in similes - standard expressions which use a comparison of two things that are alike. It's an alternative to using 'very' or 'really'.  

 

Her hair is as white as snow.

I love cycling here - it's as flat as a pancake

It's impossible to make him change his mind - he's as stubborn as a mule.

 

There are many of these in use in informal English and they are often used in a fun or joking manner.

 

Note that we cannot use 'so' in similes.

 

 

  

Superlative adjectives with 'the least'

 

With one-syllable adjectives, we usually prefer to use the opposite adjective of superiority:

           

This is the least dark colour. Image          This is the lightest colour.   Image

 

With other adjectives, both are often possible:

           

This is the least expensive car. Image     This is the cheapest car. Image

 


However, we need to be careful because these kinds of sentence don't always have the same meaning. For example:

           

'February was the least cold month of last winter' isn't the same as 'February was the hottest month of last winter.' [because none of the winter months were hot.]

 

 

 

'So'

 

For comparatives of inferiority using 'not...as...', we can substitute 'so' for the first 'as':

He isn't as/so tall as his brothers.

 

'not as...as...' is more common. 'not so...as...' is more likely to be used with ellipses than in full sentences:

It isn't  so cold today. [as yesterday]

People aren't so poor nowadays. [as they used to be]

 

Note that we cannot use 'so' in comparatives of equality:

           It's as cold today as yesterday.            It's so cold today as yesterday. Image

 

or in the following similar kinds of expression: 

I drove as fast as I could. Image               I drove so fast as I could. Image

I'll call him as soon as possible. Image   I'll call him so soon as possible. Image

 

However, 'so' is possible in some expressions which are not comparatives. For example:

 

'as/so far as' = to the degree or extent that

'as/so long as' = on condition that or since

           

As/so far as I'm aware, there's no meeting this week.

            As/so long as I get paid extra, I'll work on Saturday.

            As/so long as you're dealing with this, I'll go to lunch now.

 

 

 

'Most' as an intensifier

 

The word 'most' can be used in a way that is not a superlative. It has the same meaning as words like 'very', 'really' and 'extremely'.

 

Note that this structure is rarely used and sounds old-fashioned so do not use it. The following examples are for information only :

 

Intensifier

Superlative

 

I read a most interesting article in this magazine.* [I read a very interesting article - there is no suggestion of a comparison with other articles.]

 

This soup is most delicious.*

 

 

This is the most interesting article in the magazine.

 

 

 

This is the most delicious soup I've ever had.

 

 

* It is much more natural in conversation to say:

 

I read a really interesting article.

This soup is absolutely delicious.

 

 

 

Other comparative and superlative structures

 

Here are some examples of different ways to express comparatives and superlatives:

 

It was as successful a venture as he could have hoped.

Their request deserved as quick a response as we were able to give.

It's isn't as much fun working here as it used to be.

I have a much faster journey to work now.

A male-dominated company is less likely to offer flexible working hours.

The most likely outcome is that sales will start slowly and take off later in the year.

It isn't as high quality as the previous model.

What's most important to me is job satisfaction.

What I like best about him is his ability to explain things clearly.

He lived the longest of all his family.

I like most kinds of cheese but my favourite is Camembert.