COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES


- Since we have seen, the adjectives describe qualities of nouns. Some of these qualities can change in the degree or intensity. As in Spanish, when we want to do comparisons we confirm qualities or attributes by means of adjectives in his diverse degrees

 Grades of Adjectives :
Los adjetivos que pueden variar en el grado o intensidad tienen formas comparativas y superlativas. En la siguiente sección, están las reglas sobre cómo formar estas formas comparativas y superlativas.

 The positive degree:
 The positive degree of the adjectives, which we have seen previously, is the quality in the simplest degree. 
            
 fast (rápido),  hard (duro),  smart (listo),  pretty (bonito),
 clean (limpio),  large (grande),  small (pequeño),  old (viejo),
 easy (fácil)…

Examples: 


Juan runs fast.(Juan corre rápido.)

Angela’s room is clean.(La habitación de Angela está limpia.)

I am tall.(Soy alto.)



New York is big.(Nueva York es grande.)
The comparative degree 
On having done comparisons, we can distinguish the superiority, inferiority or qualit equality from one to other one. The structure of each one from these degrees of comparison is different.

  1. Comparatives of superiority:
 In the comparisons of superiority, the adjective, which is in the comparative form (see hereinafter), is followed for "than".

Examples:


  • Juan runs faster than Mark.(Juan corre más rápido que Mark.)
  • Angela’s room is cleaner than Sue’s.(La habitación de Angela está más limpia que la de Sue.)
  • I am taller than Beth.(Soy más alto que Beth.)
  • New York is bigger than Los Angeles.(Nueva York es más grande que Los Angeles.)

2. Comparatives of inferiority:
To form this type of comparison we can use the conjunctions "not as ... as" or "less ... than". In both cases, the adjective is in the positive degree.

Examples:
  • Mark is not as fast as Juan.(Mark no corre tan rápido como Juan.)
  • Sue’s room is less clean than Angela’s.(La habitación de Sue no es tan limpia como la de Angela.)
  • Beth is not as tall as me.(Beth no es tan alta como yo.)
  • Los Angeles is not as big as New York.(Los Angeles no es tan grande como Nueva York.)
3. Comparative equality:
With the adjective in the positive degree, we use the conjunction "as ... as" to form equality comparisons.


 Examples:


  • Mark is as fast as Juan.(Mark corre tan rápido como Juan.)
  • Sue’s room is as clean as Angela’s.(La habitación de Sue es tan limpia como la de Angela.)
  • Beth is as tall as I am.(Beth es tan alta como yo.)
  • Los Angeles is as big as New York.(Los Angeles es tan grande como Nueva York.)

The superlative:
The superlative degree denotes quality in the highest degree and as in Spanish, "the" is used in front of the adjective in the superlative form 

 Example:



  • Juan is the fastest .(Juan es el más rápido.)

There are some rules to form the comparative and superlative.


1. For one-syllable adjectives:
    Comparative    Superlative
añade: “-er”
     faster		añade: “-est”
    fastest
2. For one-syllable adjectives ending in "e":
  Comparative   Superlative
añade: “-r” 
    nicer		añade: “-st” 
     nicest
3. For one-syllable adjectives that end in consonant + vowel + consonant:

       Comparative             Superlative
añade: consonante + “-er”
             hotter		añade: consonante + “-est”
                hottest
4. For two-syllabic adjectives that end in "and":

           Comparative                        Superlative
sustituye “y” por: “-ier” 
       funnier		sustituye “y” por: “-iest” 
            funniest
5. For adjectives of two or more syllables:

         Comparative               Superlative
añade: “more”/“less”
    more beautiful
    less beautiful		añade: “the most”/“the least”
       the most beautiful
       the least beautiful
6. Irregular adjectives

    AdjetiveComparativeSuperlative
  good better best
   bad worse worst
   far further furthest
EXERCISES:

Choose the correct answer.

1. My mother is ____ than my father. 
  
  
  
  



2. What is ____ movie you have ever seen? 
  
  
  
  






3. That movie was bad, but it wasn't ____ I have ever seen. 
  
  
  
  


4. Rachel's hair is not as ____ as Sarah's. 
  
  
  
  



5. Yesterday's exam was ____ than the one last month. 
  
  
  
  




6. Peter is as ____ as Alex. 
  
  
  
  


7. I think Mary is ____ woman I have ever seen. 
  
  
  
  

8. Her room is only a little bit ____ than mine. 
  
  
  
  

9. He is ____ when he is playing football. 
  
  
  
 





10. Michael's house is ____ from the train than Betty's. 
  
  
  
  

Write the words in the correct order.

Example
than / father / is / mother / is / my / younger / my 


or


1. cheapest / store / table / is / the / in / this / the 

2. as / cookies / good / mine / as / are / Sue's / not 


3. football / more / than / basketball / is / popular 

4. more / is / dress / a lot / this / than / black / expensive / the / dress 
5. sister / faster / Sue / than / her / speaks 

Write the adjectives that are in parentheses with the correct ending ("-ed" or "-ing").


Example
Peter thought the marathon was ____ (challenge). 




1.
I was ____ (annoy) by his attitude. 
2.
Are you ____ (confuse)? Don't worry, I'll explain. 
3.
That movie was really ____ (depress). 
4.
It was an ____ (exhaust) day. 
5.
The children were ____ (frighten) by the storm. 
6.
You must be ____ (relieve) now that your exams are finished. 
7.
The news was ____ (discourage). 
8.
She is ____ (overwhelm) with work. 
9.
Could this situation be any more ____ (frustrate). 
10.
I was ____ (interest) in his lecture. 

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