Comparative Superlative Worksheets with Answers

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives: Understanding the Basics

Comparative and superlative adjectives are used to compare and contrast the characteristics of two or more things. Mastering these concepts can help you express yourself more effectively in English. In this blog post, we will delve into the world of comparative and superlative adjectives, exploring their rules, examples, and exercises to help you reinforce your understanding.

What are Comparative Adjectives?

Comparative adjectives are used to compare two things. They indicate that one thing has more or less of a particular quality than another. For example:

• She is taller than her brother.
• He is more careful than his sister.

To form comparative adjectives, you usually add -er to the end of the adjective:

• big → bigger
• happy → happier
• quiet → quieter

However, there are some irregular comparative forms:

• good → better
• far → farther/further
• many → more

What are Superlative Adjectives?

Superlative adjectives are used to compare three or more things. They indicate that one thing has the most or the least of a particular quality. For example:

• She is the tallest girl in the class.
• He is the most careful person I know.

To form superlative adjectives, you usually add -est to the end of the adjective:

• big → biggest
• happy → happiest
• quiet → quietest

Again, there are some irregular superlative forms:

• good → best
• far → farthest/furthest
• many → most

Exercises: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the adjective in brackets:

1. This cake is ____________________ (delicious) than the one we had yesterday.
2. She is the ____________________ (intelligent) student in the class.
3. He is ____________________ (careless) than his brother.
4. This is the ____________________ (difficult) puzzle I’ve ever tried to solve.
5. They are the ____________________ ( friendly) people I’ve ever met.

Answers:

1. more delicious
2. most intelligent
3. more careless
4. most difficult
5. most friendly

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives: Rules and Exceptions

Here are some important rules and exceptions to keep in mind when using comparative and superlative adjectives:

• One-syllable adjectives: Add -er to form comparative and -est to form superlative.
  • big → bigger → biggest
• Two-syllable adjectives: Add -er to form comparative and -est to form superlative, but only if the adjective ends in -y or -ow.
  • happy → happier → happiest
  • narrow → narrower → narrowest
• Adjectives ending in -e: Add -r to form comparative and -st to form superlative.
  • large → larger → largest
• Irregular adjectives: Use the irregular forms listed above.
  • good → better → best
  • far → farther/further → farthest/furthest

📝 Note: Some adjectives have the same form for both comparative and superlative, such as "far". In these cases, use "more" and "most" to form comparative and superlative, respectively.

More Exercises: Multiple Choice

Choose the correct form of the adjective to complete each sentence:

1. This book is ____________________ than the one I read last week. a) more interesting b) most interesting c) interesting d) more interestingly

2. She is the ____________________ singer in the competition. a) best b) better c) good d) well

3. He is ____________________ than his sister. a) more careful b) careful c) careless d) more careless

4. This is the ____________________ city I’ve ever visited. a) most beautiful b) more beautiful c) beautiful d) beautifuller

5. They are the ____________________ people I’ve ever met. a) friendlier b) friendly c) most friendly d) friendliest

Answers:

1. a) more interesting
2. a) best
3. a) more careful
4. a) most beautiful
5. c) most friendly

Conclusion

Comparative and superlative adjectives can be a bit tricky, but with practice and patience, you can master their usage. Remember to follow the rules and exceptions outlined above, and don’t be afraid to try new exercises and quizzes to reinforce your understanding.

Related Terms:

• Comparative and superlative worksheet pdf
• Positive, comparative, superlative degree exercises
• Irregular positive comparative superlative