Comparative and superlative

adjectives
Function: When do we use comparative
adjectives? My sister’s dog is bigger than my dog. My
dog is more intelligent. Its hair is shorter
and curlier, and it is friendlier than her dog.
In my opinion, my dog is better than my
sister’s!

Which picture is correct?

A.

Comparing A.
My dog My sister’s dog
them.
Is she describing the B.
dogs or comparing
them?
Two dogs: her
dog and her My dog My sister’s dog
sister’s dog.
Look at what the woman says: Six.
How many examples of
‘My dog is better than my sister’s
comparing can you find in
dog.’ Is she talking about one or
the conversation?
two dogs?
Function: When do we use comparative
and superlative adjectives?
1. Comparative adjectives: to compare two people, things or places.

My sister’s dog is bigger than my Here are the My dog is better than my sister’s!
dog. two objects

My dog is more intelligent. In these two Its hair is shorter and curlier.
examples, we don’t
need to mention both
My dog is more intelligent (than my sister’s objects because we Its hair is shorter and curlier (than
dog). know we are talking my sister’s dog’s hair).
about the two dogs.
Function: When do we use superlative
adjectives? My family has a lot of animals, but my cat is the best! He is
the smallest animal in the house, but he is the happiest! He
has the biggest personality and is the most intelligent.

Look! Comparatives and superlatives are different.

Comparative: compares two objects.
My dog is more intelligent than her dog.
Superlative: compares one object to a group of
Look at what the man says: ‘My cat objects.
is the smallest animal in the house.’ My cat is the best (animal in the house).
Is he comparing his cat to one
other animal or all the animals in
the house?
How many examples of
All the animals superlative adjectives can you find
(a group of in what the man says?
animals).
Five.
Let’s see where they are…
 Function: When do we use comparative
and superlative adjectives?
1. Comparative adjectives: to compare two people, things or places.

My sister’s dog is bigger than my Here are the My dog is better than my sister’s!
dog. two objects

My dog is more intelligent. In these two Its hair is shorter and curlier.
examples, we don’t
need to mention both
My dog is more intelligent (than my sister’s objects because we Its hair is shorter and curlier (than
dog). know we are talking my sister’s dog’s hair).
about the two dogs.
2. Superlative adjectives: to compare one person, thing, etc. to a group.

My cat is the best! Here, the man is He is the happiest!

comparing one animal to
all the animals in the How do we make
He is the smallest He has the He is the most
house (a group of comparative
animal in the house. biggest intelligent.
animals). adjectives?
personality.
Form: How do we make comparative
adjectives? My sister’s dog is bigger than my dog. My
dog is more intelligent. Its hair is shorter
and curlier, and it is friendlier than her dog.
In my opinion, my dog is better than my
sister’s! Look at what the woman
says again and use the
examples to complete the
types of adjectives comparative adjectives table below. The first one is
short adjectives (one syllable) done for you.
shorter (short)

one syllable adjectives ending bigger (big) Now look at the rules and
in a vowel and then a add them to the table. The
consonant first one is done for you.
friendlier (friendly)
two syllable adjectives ending
double
in more intelligent consonant + -er
-y
long adjectives (more than two better (good) no rule + -er more + adjective
syllables)
irregular adjectives delete -y + -ier
Form: How do we make comparative
and superlative adjectives?
types of adjectives comparative adjectives
short adjectives (one syllable) shorter (short) + -er
We use the comparative
adjectives + than to compare two
one syllable adjectives ending bigger (big) double consonant objects, people or places. Look…
in a vowel and then a + -er
consonant My sister’s dog is bigger than my
dog.
two syllable adjectives ending in friendlier (friendly) delete -y + -ier
-y My dog is more intelligent than
long adjectives (more than two more intelligent more + adjective my sister’s dog.
syllables) (intelligent)
irregular adjectives better (good) no rule
worse (bad)
further (far) Here are some other
examples of irregular
comparative adjective + than… comparative adjectives. How do we make
superlative
e.g. My sister’s dog is bigger than my dog. adjectives?
Form: How do we make superlative
adjectives? My family has a lot of animals, but my cat is the best!
He is the smallest animal in the house, but he is the
happiest! He has the biggest personality and is the
most intelligent. Look at the conversation
again and use the
examples to complete the
types of adjectives superlative adjectives table below. One example
short adjectives (one syllable) the smallest is done for you.
(small)

the biggest (big) Now look at the rules and add them to
one syllable adjectives ending the table. The first one is done for you.
in a vowel and then a
consonant
two syllable adjectives ending the happiest (happy) the + double
in the most intelligent consonant + -
-y est
the best (good) no rule the + -est the most + adjective
long adjectives (more than two
syllables)
irregular adjectives the + delete -y + -iest
Form: How do we make comparative
and superlative adjectives? Don’t forget
the!

types of adjectives comparative adjectives superlative adjectives

short adjectives (one syllable) shorter (short) + -er the smallest (small) the + -est

one syllable adjectives ending bigger (big) double consonant the biggest (big) the + double
in a vowel and then a + -er consonant + -est
consonant
two syllable adjectives ending friendlier (friendly) delete -y + -ier the happiest the + delete -y +
in (happy) -est
-y
long adjectives (more than two more intelligent more + adjective the most intelligent the most +
syllables) (intelligent) (intelligent) adjective
irregular adjectives better (good) no rule the best (good) no rule
worse (bad) We often use
the worst (bad) expressions
The rules are very similar like in the world, in the
for both. comparative
further (far) adjective + the furthest (far)
school, in the class, in the
than… shop with superlative
e.g. My sister’s dog is bigger than my Let’s
structures. practise!
dog.
Practice activities
Complete the gaps using comparative adjectives. Use the adjectives in brackets.

more beautiful
1. My house is………………………..(beautiful) than my best friend’s house.
curlier
2. Emily’s hair is…………………………(curly) than her brother’s hair.
thinner
3. His dog is………………………………..(thin) than your dog.
more interesting
4. Trevor and George are……………………………..(interesting) than our other neighbours.

Complete the gaps using superlative adjectives. Use the adjectives in brackets.
the best
1. Berlin is………………………………….(good) city in the world.
the worst
2. That film was………………………………(bad) – so boring!
the funniest
3. My friends are……………………………….(funny) people in the world.
the most expensive
4. This is……………………………………………(expensive) coat in the shop.