Main Difference – Comparative vs Superlative
Comparative and superlative forms are two of the most commonly used grammatical structures in the English language. They are used to compare and contrast different entities. Comparative form is used to compare two people, objects or ideas. Superlative form is used to compare three or more things. This is the main difference between comparative and superlative forms. Both, superlatives and comparatives, can be used with adjectives and adverbs in the English language. In this article, we’ll look at,
What is Comparative?
How to Form Comparatives?
Examples of Comparatives
What is Superlative?
How to Form Superlatives?
Examples of Superlatives, and
Difference Between Comparative and Superlative Forms.
What is Comparative Form
The comparative form can be used to compare the difference between two people, objects or ideas. In other words, they are used in sentences where two nouns are compared.
How to Form Comparatives
You need to know the number of syllables in a word before you form a comparative.
If the word has only one syllable, you can add ‘er’ to form the comparative.
Ex: nice – nicer, cheap – cheaper, big – bigger
If the word has two syllables and ends with a ‘y’, you can form the comparative by adding ‘ier’
Ex: pretty – prettier, happy – happier
If the word has two or more syllables, the comparative is formed by placing ‘more’ before the adjective or adverb.
Ex: expensive – more expensive, beautiful – more beautiful
Examples of Comparatives
Comparatives can be used with adjectives or adverbs.
Comparatives with Adjectives:
Emily is shorter than Adeline.
My house is bigger than yours.
Gold is more expensive than silver.
Comparatives with Adverbs:
Can you talk more quietly please?
They are working harder than ever.
She arrived a bit sooner than I expected.
Burj Khalifa is taller than the Empire State Building.
What is Superlative Form
The superlative form can be used when the comparison is between three or more things. It is used to discuss an object which is at the upper or lower limit of a quality (richest, bravest, poorest, etc.)
How to Form Superlatives
The formation of superlatives also depends on the number of syllables in a word.
If the word has only one syllable, you can add ‘est’ to form the superlative.
Ex: fat – fattest , cheap – cheapest, big – biggest
If the word has two syllables and ends with a ‘y’, you can form the superlative by adding ‘iest’
Ex: pretty – prettiest, happy – happiest
If the word has two or more syllables, the superlative is formed by placing ‘most’ before the adjective or adverb.
Ex: expensive – most expensive, beautiful – most beautiful
Examples of Superlatives
This is the most modern building I’ve ever seen.
He is the wisest man I’ve ever met.
Our school is the best of all.
Iron is the most useful metal on Earth.
She is the tallest girl in the class.
What’s the shortest route?
Burj Khalifa is the tallest skyscraper in the world.
Difference Between Comparative and Superlative
Function
Comparative is a comparison between two things.
Superlative is a comparison between three or more things.
Preceded by
Comparative adjective is preceded by than.
Superlative adjective is preceded by the.
Formation
Comparative is formed by adding ‘er’, ‘ier’ or ‘more’.
Superlative is formed by adding ‘est’, ‘iest’ or ‘most’.
Image Courtesy:
“Skyscraper compare” By w:User:Greyengine5: Original Diagram, Antilived vectorised, SWFC added by Jklamoi. This vector image was created with Inkscape. – Copied from the English Wikipedia (CC-BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
“Burj Khalifa under sunrise” Nicolas Lannuzel (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Flickr
