Circle the comparative or superlative adjective to complete each sentence:
1. Leather handbags are the ( more / most ) expensive than cloth ones.
2. The new hat was ( worse / worst ) than the old ones.
3. The woman bought the ( more / most ) beautiful dress in the store.
4. Kim bought the white belt because it was the ( cheaper / cheapest ) one.
5. It’s hot out. You should wear the ( lighter / lightest ) clothes that you have.
Explantation:
Comparative adjectives are used to compare differences between the two objects they modify. (eg bigger, smaller, faster, taller). They are used in sentences where two nouns are compared:
Noun + verb + comparative adjective + than + noun.
Example: The cat ran faster than the dog.
The way we form comparative adjectives depends on the adjective!
For one-syllable adjectives, we add "-er" to the end to make the comparative form. With short vowels, we double the final consonant before adding the "-er" (example: big – large, hot – hotter). With adjectives that end in "-y", we add an "i" before the "-er" (example: dry – dryer, happy – happier).
For adjectives with two syllables (or more), we keep the adjective the same but add "más" at the beginning (example: boring – more boring). Most of these adjectives end in "-ly", for example: carefully, efficiently, recently, etc.
There are also some irregular forms that do not follow these rules. You will have to learn them separately! For example, the comparative form of far is further, the comparative form of bad is worse, and good is better.
Superlative:
Superlative adjectives are used to describe an object that is at the upper or lower limit of a quality. (example: the tallest, the smallest, the fastest, the highest).
Noun + verb + the + superlative adjective + noun.
Example: Parrots are the noisiest birds in the jungle.
To form superlatives, you must follow similar rules to the ones above for making comparative adjectives.
For one-syllable adjectives and two-syllable adjectives ending in "-y", we add –est to the end of the adjective. (Example: old – oldest). With short vowels, we double the final consonant before adding the –est (example: big – biggest), and with adjectives ending in "-y" we add an "i" before the – er (Example: friendly – friendliest).
For adjectives with two syllables (or more), we keep the adjective the same but add "the most" at the beginning (Example: boring – the most boring).
The irregular forms of comparative adjectives are the same as those of superlatives. So, the superlative form of far is (the) furthest, bad becomes the worst, and good is the best.