Comparative and Superlative

COMPARATIVE

Para comparar dos cosas, animales o personas se utilizan los adjetivos en grado comparativo.

• El comparativo de SUPERIORIDAD (más… que) se usa para comparar dos cosas, animales o personas cuando una supera a la otra en algún aspecto. Para formarlo hay que fijarse en la longitud del adjetivo:

• Si tiene una sílaba o dos y termina en y, el adjetivo se considera corto y se le añade la terminación –er. Detrás se pone la partícula than. The crocodile is bigger than a lizard.
• En los siguientes casos el adjetivo cambia al añadirle –er:
• Si tiene una sílaba y acaba en vocal + 1 consonante, se dobla la consonante: thinner than.
• Si acaba en consonante + y, se cambia la y por i: crazier than.
• Si acaba en l, se duplica esa letra: smaller than.
• Si acaba en e muda, solo se le añade r: nicer than.
• Si tiene 2 sílabas o más, el adjetivo se considera largo y la comparativa se forma con more + adjetivo + than. Wolfes are more dangerous than zebras.

• El comparativo de INFERIORIDAD se forma con less + adjetivo + than (menos…que). Chimpanzees are less frightening than gorilas.

1. Complete the sentences with the affirmative form of to be and the comparative form of the adjectives in brackets.

a)      Spiders _________________(frightening) snakes.

b)      Bread __________________ (tasty) cake.

c)      The food in Spain ________________ (good) the food in England.

d)      Dogs __________________(nice) cats.

e)      Today, the weather ______________ (bad) yesterday.

f)        It’s too noisy here. Can we go to a ___________________(quiet) place?

g)      The hotel was ___________________(big) than that in which we stayed last year.

h)      Your work is _______________(good) than mine.

i)        The accident could have been ____________________(bad) than it was.

j)        I was _________________________(nervous) in my exam yesterday than Mark.

k)      I’d like to have a ______________(fast) car. The one I have now is really old.

l)        Last week it was really hot. Today is _________________(cold) than then.

SUPERLATIVE

Se usa para comparar más de dos cosas, animales o personas y decir que una destaca sobre las demás. También hay que tener en cuenta la longitud del adjetivo:

• Si es corto, se pone delante the y se le añade la terminación –est según las mismas reglas que para formar el comparativo con –er. This is the cheapest ring in the shop.
• Si es largo, se pone delante the most. The rainforest is the most pleasant place in the zone.
• El superlativo puede ir seguido de las preposiciones in, of y on. Spring is the most colourful season of the year.
• Para indicar que alguien o lago es inferior que el resto en algún aspecto se utiliza la estructura the least + adjetivo. Desert is the least noisy places in the World.

2. Complete the questions with the superlative form of the adjetives in brackets. Then answer the question with the places below.

Russia – The Pacific – Vatican City – Cape York Peninsula – The Nile

a)      What is _____________________(small) country in the world?

b)      What is _____________________(big) country in the world?

c)      What is _____________________ (long) river in the world?

d)      What is _____________________(large) ocean in the world?

e)      What is _____________________(isolated) place in Australia?

3. Write the superiority comparative form of the following adjectives:

Beautiful -  __________________than

Wide - ______________________than

Handsome - __________________than

Lazy - _______________________than

Ugly - _______________________than

Serious - _____________________than

Clever - ______________________than

Funny - ______________________than

Soft - ________________________than

Good - ______________________than 

Hard - ______________________than

Heavy - _____________________than

Loud - _______________________than

Nasty - ______________________than

Expensive - ___________________than

Dirty - _______________________than

4. Complete the sentences using the superiority comparative from of the adjectives in brackets.

a)      Cindy’s hat is _______________ (dark) than mine.

b)      Snakes are __________________(dangerous) than rats.

c)      My old trousers are ________________ (long) than those black ones.

d)      Mark is __________________ (clever) than his brother.

e)      German is ____________________(difficult) than English.

f)        I am ___________________ (strong) than my friend.

g)      The teacher is _________________(tall) than me.

h)      My friend’s eyes are _________________(big) than mine.

i)        He sings ____________________(good) than Betty.

j)        Lucy’s hair is ________________(curly) than yours.

5. Complete the sentences using the superlative form of the adjectives.

a)      It’s very nice house. It’s ________________house in the street.

b)      This is a cheap restaurant. It’s _________________I’ve ever been.

c)      It was a very valuable painting. I’m sure it was __________________painting in the gallery.

d)      She’s a very good player. Her trainer says she is _________________.

e)      He’s very dangerous criminal. The police says he is __________________ in the country.

f)        We should buy him a beautiful present. Last year we gave him _______________gift of all in his birthday.

IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES

Al no seguir ninguna regla, hay que aprender sus formas comparativa y superlativa de memoria.

Adjetives	Comparative	Superlative
Good (Bueno/a) Bad (Malo/a) Far (lejano/a) Little (poco/a)	Better Worse Farther / Further Less	Best Worst Farthest / Furthest Least

6. Complete the chart below.

ADJETIVE	COMPARATIVE	SUPERLATIVE
Calm	Calmer than
		The safest
	Happier than
Isolated
Hot
		The best
	Worse than
Pleasant

7. Write sentences with the words below. Use the comparative or superlative form.

a)      Mount Everest / high / mountain in the world. ___________________________

b)      Gymnastics / safe / judo _______________________________________

c)      Mercury / close / planet to the sun ______________________________

d)      Spain / sunny / Norway _____________________________________

8. Complete the sentences with less … than or the least and the adjectives in brackets.

a)      Walking is one of ______________________ types of sport. (difficult)

b)      An adventure holiday is ______________________ a beach holiday. (relaxing)

c)      Female birds are ___________________________ male birds. (colourful)

d)      I think history is ___________________________ subject in school. (interesting).

9. Write sentences to compare the countries below. Use the comparative or superlative form of the adjectives in the box. Make affirmative or negative comparisons.

England – Spain – Russia – big – small – cold – interesting – hot – pleasant

a)      _________________________________________________

b)      _________________________________________________

c)      _________________________________________________

d)      ________________________________________________

e)      ________________________________________________

10. .Write comparative and superlative sentences with the words below. Use the affirmative form of to be:

a)      Bikes / slow / cars _________________________________

b)      The cheetah / fast / animal in the world ___________________________

c)      Dolphins / frightening / sharks __________________________________

d)      An orange / round / a lemon ________________________________________

e)      The Mona Lisa / famous / painting in history ____________________________

11. Write the comparative or superlative form of the adjectives in these sentences

a)      She was a very intelligent student. She was ___________________ girl in her class.

b)      It’s very old castle. Experts argued it is _________________ in Britain.

c)      I’m going to sleep on the sofa. The floor is ___________________(uncomfortable) than it.

d)      This new job is ________________(important) for me than the last I had.

e)      Living in the countryside is __________________(healthy) than leaving in town.

f)        These instructions were _________________(difficult) ones I have ever read.

(NOT) AS… AS /TOO … / (NOT) … ENOUGH

El comparativo de igualdad se forma con (not) as + adjetivo + as (no tan … como). This table is as heavy as elephant. Mount Aveto is not as high as Mount Everest.

Too va delante del adjetivo e indica que la cualidad expresada por este es excesiva. Significa “demasiado”. These earrings are too expensive for me. En cambio, enough se pone detrás del adjetivo y significa “lo bastante” o “ lo suficientemente”. This bar lively enough for us. Y not + adjetivo + enough significa “ no lo bastante” o “no lo suficientemente”. This place is not peaceful enough to study.

12. Complete the sentences to compare three hotels. Use (not) as … as and the adjectives in brackets.

HOPE HOTEL Opened : 2003 Size : 250 rooms Price: 200€ a night Rating : *****

BLUE SKY HOTEL Opened: 2012 Price: 150€ a night Size: 250€ room Rating: ****

JAY’S HOTEL Opened: 2003 Size: 75 rooms Price: 70€ a night Rating: ***

a)      The price at Jay’s Hotel is __________________(high) at Hope Hotel.

b)      Blue Sky Hotel is __________________ (good) Hope Hotel.

c)      Jay’s Hotel is ______________________(old) Hope Hotel.

d)      Hope Hotel is _________________(new) Blue sky Hotel.

e)      Blue Sky Hotel is ____________________________(big) Hope Hotel.

f)        The price at Hope Hotel is ________________________(low) at Blue Sky Hotel.

13. Complete the sentences with too… or (not) … enough and the adjectives in brackets.

-         Are the trousers long enough for John? No, they are _____________(short).

-         I live near my school. It is  ____________________ (close) to walk.

-         I’m sorry, but I’m _________________(busy) to meet you today.

-         Clare is 18 years old. She is ___________________(old)  to drive a car.

-         We can’t go to the USA on a short holiday because it’s ________________(far).

-         Don’t walk around Central Park at night. It’s __________________(safe).

14. Complete the sentences with the adjectives below and too … or (not) … enough.

Rough    brave     hot    lively   big

• These sandals are _________________. I need a larger size.
• Are you _______________ to go scuba diving?     
• We can’t swim in the sea today because it’s ___________________.
• Let’s sit under that tree. It’s ________________ in the sun.
• There wasn’t any music or dancing at the party. It was ___________________.

15. Rewrite the sentences with the words in brackets.

• Jim and Peter are the same height. (as tall as) ________________________________
• It is too dangerous to dive off this cliff. (safe enough) ________________________________
• The sea isn’t calm enough to go sailing. (too rough) _________________________________
• The field is too small to play football. (big enough) _________________________________
• A calculator is smaller than a laptop. (as large as) _________________________________

16. Translate the sentences in to English.

• Es demasiado aterrador andar por este acantilado _______________________________________
• La costa este está más aislada que la costa oeste.___________________________________
• No es suficientemente seguro entrar en el cañón. _______________________________________
• Estos son los arrecifes de coral más extraordinarios del mundo. ___________________________________________________
• El puerto no es tan bullicioso como la playa. ____________________________________

SOLUCIONES