Comparative and Superlative Adjectives in English

The basic rule

Comparative compares two things: This book is bigger than that one.
Superlative picks the top of a group: This is the biggest book in the library.

Short adjectives (one syllable)

Add -er / -est:

• tall → taller → the tallest
• fast → faster → the fastest

If the adjective ends in a single vowel + consonant, double the last letter:

• big → bigger → the biggest

Long adjectives (two or more syllables)

Use more / the most:

• interesting → more interesting → the most interesting
• expensive → more expensive → the most expensive

Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y

Change y to i and add -er/-est:

• happy → happier → the happiest
• easy → easier → the easiest

Irregular adjectives — no rule, just memorize

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
good	better	the best
bad	worse	the worst
far	further/farther	the furthest/farthest
little	less	the least
much/many	more	the most

Common structures

• as...as for equal comparison: She is as tall as her brother.
• less...than for the opposite of "more": This is less expensive than that.
• the same as for identical things: This price is the same as last year's.

Practice idea

Compare five objects around you right now — your phone, your desk, your chair — using comparative and superlative forms out loud. Physical, visible comparisons are far easier to remember than abstract textbook examples.