Grammar Handbook: Comparatives and Superlatives

The Center for Writing Studies, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Comparative and Superlative
Irregular Adjectives
Irregular Adverbs

:: Comparative and Superlative
Comparative: the second or middle degree of comparison in adjectives or adverbs
Superlative: the third or highest degree of comparison in adjectives or adverbs

The comparative and superlative degrees are formed by adding the -er and -est suffix to adjectives and adverbs with a single consonant for an ending.

Word	Comparative	Superlative
big	bigger	biggest
soon	sooner	soonest

Adjectives and adverbs ending in -y drop the -y and add an -ier in the comparative degree and an -iest in the superlative degree:

Word	Comparative	Superlative
dry	drier	driest
early	earlier	earliest

Adjectives and adverbs ending in the silent or mute -e drop the ending -e and add the -er for the comparative and the -est for the superlative:

Word	Comparative	Superlative
pale	paler	palest
free	freer	freest

Degrees of comparison can also be distinguished with the use of "more" and "most": more clever; most clever.
(back to top)

:: Irregular Adjectives

Word	Comparative	Superlative
good	better	best
bad	worse	worst
much	more	most
little	less	least
far	farther farthest	further furthest
old	older elder	oldest eldest

(back to top)

:: Irregular Adverbs

Word	Comparative	Superlative
badly	worse	worst
much	more	most
little	less	least
far	farther farthest	further furthest
much	more	most
well	better	best

(back to top)