Adjectives make our sentences more interesting by describing people, places, and things. When we want to compare two things, we use comparative adjectives, and when we talk about the highest or extreme quality, we use superlative adjectives. For example, taller compares two people, while tallest shows the highest level. Understanding the difference between these two forms helps in speaking and writing English more clearly. In this post, you will learn comparative vs superlative adjectives in English with pictures, making it easy and fun to remember.
What are Comparative Adjectives?
Comparative adjectives are words that compare the differences between two people, places, things, or ideas.
They usually show more or less of a quality.
How to Form Comparative Adjectives
Comparative adjectives are formed in different ways depending on the number of syllables in the adjective.
| Type of Adjective | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| One-syllable | Add -er | tall → taller |
| One-syllable ending in -e | Add -r | large → larger |
| One-syllable ending with consonant + vowel + consonant | Double the final consonant and add -er | big → bigger |
| Two-syllable ending in -y | Change -y to -i and add -er | happy → happier |
| Two or more syllables (except above) | Use more or less before the adjective | beautiful → more beautiful |
Examples of Comparative Adjectives in Sentences
- My house is bigger than yours.
- This road is narrower than that one.
- He is more careful than his cousin.
- Today is hotter than yesterday.
What are Superlative Adjectives?
Superlative adjectives are words that show the highest or lowest degree of a quality among three or more people, places, things, or ideas.
How to Form Superlative Adjectives
Superlative adjectives also follow certain rules.
| Type of Adjective | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| One-syllable | Add -est | tall → tallest |
| One-syllable ending in -e | Add -st | large → largest |
| One-syllable ending with consonant + vowel + consonant | Double the final consonant and add -est | big → biggest |
| Two-syllable ending in -y | Change -y to -i and add -est | happy → happiest |
| Two or more syllables (except above) | Use most or least before the adjective | beautiful → most beautiful |
Examples of Superlative Adjectives in Sentences
- Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
- This is the most comfortable chair in the room.
- She is the kindest person I know.
- That was the least interesting book I have ever read.
Comparative vs Superlative Adjectives – Key Differences
| Aspect | Comparative Adjectives | Superlative Adjectives |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Compare two things | Compare three or more things |
| Form | Usually -er or more/less | Usually -est or most/least |
| Examples | bigger, more expensive | biggest, most expensive |
| Sentence Example | This bike is faster than that one. | This is the fastest bike in the shop. |
Important Points to Remember
-
Always use “than” with comparative adjectives:
✅ She is taller than me.
❌ She is taller me. -
Always use “the” before superlative adjectives:
✅ This is the best cake.
❌ This is best cake. -
Some adjectives have irregular forms:
- good → better (comparative) → best (superlative)
- bad → worse (comparative) → worst (superlative)
- far → farther/further (comparative) → farthest/furthest (superlative)
Comparative vs Superlative Adjectives in English
List of Comparative Adjectives
- taller
- shorter
- bigger
- smaller
- faster
- slower
- happier
- sadder
- longer
- hotter
- colder
- newer
- older
- higher
- lower
- stronger
- weaker
- brighter
- darker
- cheaper
- dearer
- busier
- quieter
- kinder
- harsher
- softer
- tougher
- smoother
- rougher
- cleaner
List of Superlative Adjectives
- tallest
- shortest
- biggest
- smallest
- fastest
- slowest
- happiest
- saddest
- longest
- hottest
- coldest
- newest
- oldest
- highest
- lowest
- strongest
- weakest
- brightest
- darkest
- cheapest
- dearest
- busiest
- quietest
- kindest
- harshest
- softest
- toughest
- smoothest
- roughest
- cleanest
Comparative vs Superlative list
Examples of Comparative vs Superlative Adjectives
| Comparative Adjectives | Superlative Adjectives |
|---|---|
| My bag is bigger than yours. | This is the biggest bag in the shop. |
| She is taller than her brother. | He is the tallest boy in the class. |
| This road is shorter than that one. | This is the shortest road in the city. |
| Today is hotter than yesterday. | June is the hottest month here. |
| My phone is newer than yours. | This is the newest phone in the store. |
| The train is faster than the bus. | That is the fastest train in the country. |
| Her house is smaller than mine. | This is the smallest house on the street. |
| He is stronger than his friend. | She is the strongest girl in the team. |
| The chair is softer than the bed. | This sofa is the softest one here. |
| This shop is cheaper than that one. | This is the cheapest shop in the market. |
| The box is heavier than the bag. | That rock is the heaviest one here. |
| My book is thicker than yours. | This is the thickest book in the library. |
| This path is narrower than the main road. | This is the narrowest street in town. |
| The movie is longer than the show. | This is the longest movie I have seen. |
| His handwriting is better than mine. | She is the best student in the class. |
| My room is cleaner than the kitchen. | This is the cleanest room in the house. |
| The box is lighter than the chair. | This is the lightest bag in the set. |
| My dog is quieter than my cat. | This is the quietest dog in the park. |
| The hill is higher than that tree. | Mount Everest is the highest mountain. |
| This puzzle is easier than that one. | This is the easiest puzzle in the book. |
Examples of Comparative vs Superlative Adjectives
