Superlatives in English

This page covers the formation of superlative structures in English, which are used to express the highest degree of a quality.

Formation of Superlatives

The structure for superlatives depends on the adjective's length:

Short Adjectives

Use "the + adjective + -est"

Example: the smallest

Special cases:

• For adjectives ending in a consonant preceded by a short vowel, double the final consonant:

  Example: big → the biggest, fat → the fattest

• For adjectives ending in "e", just add "st":

  Example: nice → the nicest

Two-syllable Adjectives

• Adjectives ending in "-ow": add "-est"

  Example: narrow → the narrowest

• Adjectives ending in "-y": change "y" to "i" and add "-est"

  Example: happy → the happiest

• Adjectives ending in "-er": add "-est"

  Example: clever → the cleverest

Long Adjectives (2 syllables or more)

Use "the most + adjective"

Example: the most expensive

Irregular Superlatives

Some adjectives have irregular superlative forms:

Vocabulary:

• good → the best
• bad → the worst
• far → the furthest

Comparative of Inferiority

To express inferiority, use "less + adjective + than"

Example: John is less tall than Peter.

Highlight: Understanding these rules for comparatif en anglais exemple and superlatif en anglais exemple is crucial for mastering English comparisons. Practice with exercices comparatif anglais PDF to reinforce your learning.

Comparatives in English

This page explains the formation of comparative structures in English, covering equality comparisons and superiority comparisons.

Comparative of Equality

The comparative of equality is formed using "as + adjective + as":

Example: Solon is as tall as Peter.

Comparative of Superiority

For superiority comparisons, the structure depends on the adjective's length:

Short Adjectives (1 syllable)

• Add "-er + than"

Example: smaller than

Special cases:

• For adjectives ending in a consonant preceded by a short vowel, double the final consonant:

  Example: big → bigger than, fat → fatter than

• For adjectives ending in "e", just add "r":

  Example: nice → nicer than

Two-syllable Adjectives

• Adjectives ending in "-ow": add "-er + than"

  Example: narrow → narrower than

• Adjectives ending in "-y": change "y" to "i" and add "-er + than"

  Example: happy → happier than

• Adjectives ending in "-er": add "-er + than"

  Example: clever → cleverer than

Long Adjectives (2 syllables or more)

Use "more + adjective + than"

Example: more expensive than

Irregular Comparatives

Some adjectives have irregular comparative forms:

Vocabulary:

• good → better than
• bad → worse than
• far → further than

Highlight: It's crucial to memorize these irregular forms as they are frequently used in English.