Comparative and superlative of adjectives (and adverbs)

It is extremely easy to use either the comparative or the superlative structure. Do you know the EQUATIONS?

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COMPARATIVE

EQUAL               AS + ADJ / ADV + AS  

John is as intelligent as Mary.

John eats as impulsively as Mary.

INFERIOR                 LESS + ADJ / ADV + THAN

John is less intelligent than Mary.

John eats less impulsively than Mary.

SUPERIOR            MORE + ADJ / ADV + THAN (more than 2 syllables)

John is more intelligent than Mary.

John eats more impulsively than Mary.

                                    (ADJ / ADV + ER) + THAN (only one syllable)

John is taller than Mary.
John works harder than Mary.

                  bigger

SUPERLATIVE        THE MOST + ADJ / ADV(more than 2 syllables)

John is the most intelligent boy. 
John works the most impulsively of all.

                                    THE (ADJ / ADV + EST) (only one syllable) 

John is the tallest boy. 
John works the hardest of all.

                     
                     biggest 

* TWO SYLLABLES: 

  a) -- --y          ier / iest

     pretty: prettier than / the prettiest girl

  b) -- --other   more than / the most 

     rapid: more rapid than / the most rapid car

  c) -- --ly

   ADJ (as 1 syllable)  ugly: uglier than / the ugliest cat
   ADV (as 3 syllables)  quickly: more quickly than / the most quicky

IRREGULARS:

ADJ / ADV            SUPERIOR        SUPERLATIVE

good / well                      better                      the best

bad / badly                     worse                        the worst

many / much                   more                          the most

few /little                       less                            the least

old (adjective)                older                          the oldest (things)
                                       elder                          the eldest (people)
far (adverb)                   farther                      the farthest (distance)
                                       further                      the furthest (general)

Click the picture below to get some practice on comparatives and superlatives.