Mastering comparatives and superlatives: Level up your English adjectives

Adjectives are fantastic for describing things, but what if you want to compare two or more things? That’s where comparative and superlative adjectives come in handy! In this post, we’ll break down these adjective types, show you how to form them, and give you plenty of examples to practice.

What are Comparative and Superlative Adjectives?

Comparative Adjectives: Used to compare two things or people.
Superlative Adjectives: Used to compare three or more things or people, highlighting the one that has the most or least of a particular quality.

How to Form Comparative Adjectives

The way you form a comparative adjective depends on the original adjective’s length:

One-Syllable Adjectives: Add “-er” to the end.
- tall -> taller
- old -> older
- If the adjective ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant, double the final consonant before adding “-er”: big -> bigger
Two-Syllable Adjectives Ending in -y: Change “-y” to “-i” and add “-er.”
- happy -> happier
- easy -> easier
Two-Syllable Adjectives (not ending in -y) or Longer Adjectives: Add “more” before the adjective.
- beautiful -> more beautiful
- interesting -> more interesting

Example Sentences - Comparatives

This cat is friendlier than that dog.
My sister is taller than me.
The blue car is faster than the red car.
The new apartment is bigger than our old one.
This movie is more exciting than the book.
The weather today is more pleasant than yesterday.
This cake is more delicious than the pie.
The mountains are more majestic than the hills.
Living in the city is more expensive than living in the countryside.
Traveling by train is more comfortable than traveling by bus.

How to Form Superlative Adjectives

Similar to comparatives, the formation depends on the adjective’s length:

One-Syllable Adjectives: Add “-est” to the end and add “the” before the adjective.
- tall -> the tallest
- old -> the oldest
- Again, double the final consonant if it’s a single vowel + consonant ending: big -> the biggest
Two-Syllable Adjectives Ending in -y: Change “-y” to “-i” and add “-est.” Add “the” before the adjective.
- happy -> the happiest
- easy -> the easiest
Two-Syllable Adjectives (not ending in -y) or Longer Adjectives: Add “the most” before the adjective.
- beautiful -> the most beautiful
- interesting -> the most interesting

Example Sentences - Superlatives

Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
She is the smartest student in her class.
This is the best pizza I’ve ever eaten.
He is the funniest person I know.
This is the most interesting book I’ve read all year.
That was the most difficult exam I’ve ever taken.
She is the most talented singer in the competition.
This is the most expensive restaurant in town.
That roller coaster was the scariest ride in the park.
He gave the most inspiring speech at the conference.

Exceptions: Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives

Some adjectives don’t follow the regular rules. These are irregular, and you’ll need to memorize them:

good -> better -> the best
bad -> worse -> the worst
far -> farther/further -> the farthest/furthest
little -> less -> the least

Let’s Practice!

Think of your favorite animal and write two sentences:

One comparing it to another animal using a comparative adjective.
One describing why it’s your favorite using a superlative adjective.

Example with “the taller”

Understanding the TOEFL Grammar Item: Comparative vs. Superlative Forms

The given sentence is:

“Jane is _____ of the two sisters.”

Answer choices:

the taller
taller
the tallest
most tall

To determine the correct answer, we need to analyze comparative vs. superlative adjectives, understand how to compare two people, and address common misunderstandings.

1. Identifying the Grammar Rule: Comparatives vs. Superlatives

This sentence is comparing two sisters—Jane and her sibling. In English, the correct adjective form depends on how many things or people are being compared.

Comparative adjectives (-er / more) are used when comparing two people or things.
Superlative adjectives (-est / most) are used when comparing three or more people or things.

Since the sentence is only comparing two sisters, we need to use a comparative adjective (taller). However, there is one more rule to consider:

When using a comparative adjective in cases where a choice is implied (Jane is the taller of the two sisters), we include “the” before the comparative form.

Correct Answer:

✅ (A) the taller

2. Explanation of Why Each Answer Choice Is (In)Correct

(A) the taller ✅ (Correct Answer)

The phrase “the taller of the two” is a standard structure in English when comparing exactly two people.
✅ Jane is the taller of the two sisters. (correct)

(B) taller ❌

While “taller” is the correct comparative form, we need “the” before it because we are making a direct comparison between two specific people.
❌ Jane is taller of the two sisters. (incorrect)
✅ Jane is the taller of the two sisters. (correct)

(C) the tallest ❌

“Tallest” is a superlative, which is only used when comparing three or more people. Since we are only comparing two sisters, using “the tallest” is incorrect.
❌ Jane is the tallest of the two sisters. (incorrect because “tallest” is used for three or more people)
✅ Jane is the taller of the two sisters. (correct)

(D) most tall ❌

“Most tall” is incorrect because:
1. “Tall” is a one-syllable adjective, and for one-syllable adjectives, we do not use “more” or “most” to form comparatives or superlatives. Instead, we add “-er” or “-est” (tall → taller, tallest).
2. Even if “most tall” were correct (which it isn’t), we are comparing two people, so we need a comparative, not a superlative.
❌ Jane is most tall of the two sisters. (incorrect)
✅ Jane is the taller of the two sisters. (correct)

3. Common Misunderstandings and Errors

Many English learners struggle with comparatives and superlatives, especially when comparing two people or things. Here are some common mistakes:

A. Forgetting “the” Before the Comparative

Many learners assume that “the” is only used with superlatives. However, when comparing exactly two people, we use “the” + comparative.
- ❌ Jane is taller of the two sisters. (incorrect)
- ✅ Jane is the taller of the two sisters. (correct)

B. Using the Superlative Instead of the Comparative

Some learners assume that since we are using “of”, we need a superlative (the tallest). However, superlatives are only used when comparing three or more things.
- ❌ Jane is the tallest of the two sisters. (incorrect)
- ✅ Jane is the taller of the two sisters. (correct)

C. Using “More” or “Most” with One-Syllable Adjectives

Many learners incorrectly use “more tall” or “most tall” because they are used to forming comparatives of longer adjectives (more beautiful, most expensive). However, for one-syllable adjectives like tall, big, small, fast, we add -er or -est instead.
- ❌ Jane is more tall than her sister. (incorrect)
- ✅ Jane is taller than her sister. (correct)

4. Summary and Final Takeaway

Rule: When comparing two people or things, use the + comparative form (the taller of the two).
Correct Answer: the taller (Answer A).
Common Mistakes:
1. Forgetting “the” before the comparative.
2. Using the superlative (-est) instead of the comparative (-er) when comparing two things.
3. Using “more/most tall”, which is incorrect because “tall” is a one-syllable adjective that takes “-er” and “-est.”

To master this structure, learners should practice similar sentences:

John is the smarter of the two brothers.
This book is the cheaper of the two options.
Sarah is the faster of the two runners.

By understanding comparative and superlative rules, TOEFL test takers can improve their grammar accuracy and avoid common errors.

Different parts of speech for “the taller”

Here are examples demonstrating the phrase “the taller” used with different parts of speech clearly indicated:

1. Article (the) + Comparative Adjective (taller)

Example:
- “Of the two brothers, the taller one plays basketball.”

2. Pronoun Usage (taller as a nominal adjective functioning as pronoun)

Example:
- “There were two buildings; we decided to climb the taller.”

3. Noun phrase modified by comparative adjective

Example:
- “The taller trees provided more shade.”

4. Adjective functioning attributively

Example:
- “The taller fence keeps the dog from escaping.”

5. Adjective functioning predicatively (usually without ‘the’)

Example: (For comparison purposes)
- “She is taller than her sister.” (here ‘the’ is not used, but included for clarity of comparison)

In standard English usage, “the taller” most commonly functions as a combination of the definite article (the) with a comparative adjective (taller), either modifying a noun explicitly or implicitly functioning as a nominal adjective (pronoun-like).

50 of the most common adjectives used to compare nouns

Good
Bad
Big
Small
Fast
Slow
Strong
Weak
Tall
Short
Old
Young
Heavy
Light
Beautiful
Ugly
Hot
Cold
Bright
Dark
Expensive
Cheap
Rich
Poor
Fat
Thin
Intelligent
Stupid
Happy
Sad
Comfortable
Uncomfortable
Interesting
Boring
Important
Unimportant
Quiet
Loud
Hard
Soft
Wide
Narrow
Safe
Dangerous
Healthy
Sick
Clean
Dirty
Strange
Common

Benjamin L. Stewart

Explorer