Checkpoint 6 · Grammar in Use

Comparatives and Superlatives

How to form and spell comparatives and superlatives, as...as, irregular forms, fewer or less, and why writers use them in persuasive texts, adverts and reviews.

British & IGCSE › Checkpoint 6 › Checkpoint 6 English (Cambridge Primary 0058)

1. Comparing things

A comparative compares two things (taller than). A superlative compares three or more and shows the top or bottom (the tallest).

Comparative: The Nile is longer than the Thames.
Superlative: The Nile is the longest river in Africa.

2. How to make them

Adjective	Rule	Comparative	Superlative
short (one syllable): tall, fast	add -er / -est	taller, faster	the tallest, the fastest
ends in -e: large, safe	add -r / -st	larger, safer	the largest, the safest
one vowel + one consonant: big, hot, thin	double the last letter	bigger, hotter, thinner	the biggest, the hottest, the thinnest
ends in -y: happy, busy, easy	change y to i	happier, busier, easier	the happiest, the busiest, the easiest
long (most two syllables, all three or more): careful, beautiful, dangerous	more / most	more careful, more dangerous	the most careful, the most dangerous
irregular: good, bad, far	learn them	better, worse, further/farther	the best, the worst, the furthest/farthest
little / much / many	learn them	less, more	the least, the most

Remember the little words

Comparatives usually need than: bigger than a bus. Superlatives usually need the: the biggest animal.

3. Other ways to compare

With as ... as (the same): My bag is as heavy as yours.
With not as ... as (less): The film was not as exciting as the book.
Going down: This puzzle is less difficult than the last one. / the least expensive ticket
Adverbs too: She ran faster than me. / He spoke more quietly than before.
Getting stronger: The storm grew stronger and stronger. / It became more and more frightening.

4. Fewer or less? Many or much?

Countable (you can count them)	Uncountable (you cannot count them)
fewer cars, fewer mistakes	less water, less time
many books, many people	much noise, much money
the fewest points	the least sugar

5. Common mistakes

Never double them

more better ✗ → better ✓
the most fastest ✗ → the fastest ✓
more easier ✗ → easier ✓
badder ✗ → worse ✓
gooder / the goodest ✗ → better / the best ✓
bigger then ✗ → bigger than ✓
biger / hotest / happyer ✗ → bigger / hottest / happier ✓ (spelling rules)

6. How Checkpoint asks about it

Reading questions in this style

Find and copy a comparative adjective from the text. (for example bigger, more dangerous)
Find a superlative that the writer uses to persuade the reader.
Why does the writer use the superlative “the most exciting”? → to make the place or product sound better than all the others and persuade the reader.

Why do writers use comparatives and superlatives? To compare things clearly, to show which is best or worst, to make something sound better than anything else in persuasive texts and adverts (the most exciting ride in Egypt), and to give a clear judgement in reviews.

In your writing:

Text type	Example
Leaflet or advert	Visit the biggest water park in Hurghada, with longer slides than ever before!
Review	The second half of the book is more gripping than the first.
Balanced argument	Walking to school is cheaper and healthier than going by car, but it is slower.
Information text	The cheetah is the fastest land animal in the world.
Story	It was the darkest night of the year.

نصيحة سريعة

الكلمة القصيرة تاخد er أو est، والطويلة تاخد more أو most. ما تجمعش الاتنين: more better غلط.
المقارنة بين حاجتين = er + than. الأفضل من الكل = the + est.
fewer مع الحاجات اللي بتتعد (fewer cars)، و less مع اللي ما بتتعدش (less water).

7. Practice

Correct: This is the most best day of my life.
Show answer
This is the best day of my life.
Write the comparative of busy and the superlative of thin.
Show answer
busier and the thinnest.
Correct: There is less people here than yesterday.
Show answer
There are fewer people here than yesterday. (people are countable and plural)
Complete: A plane is ______ (fast) than a train.
Show answer
faster
Complete: That was ______ (bad) film I have ever seen.
Show answer
the worst
Complete: Science is ______ (interesting) than history for me.
Show answer
more interesting
Correct: My brother is more taller then me.
Show answer
My brother is taller than me.
Rewrite with not as ... as: Alex is faster than Tarek.
Show answer
Tarek is not as fast as Alex.
Why might a leaflet say the friendliest hotel on the coast?
Show answer
The superlative makes the hotel sound better than every other hotel, which persuades the reader to choose it.
Choose: There is (fewer / less) traffic on Fridays.
Show answer
less: traffic is uncountable.

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Grammar in Use

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