Comparative and Superlative Adjectives: What's The Difference?

Adjectives, or words used to describe nouns, have many forms. 

Two of those forms are comparative and superlative adjectives, which are often confused with each other. While both are used to draw comparisons between two or more things, they have different forms and different meanings. 

This guide will cover how and when to use superlative and comparative adjectives. 

Then, conveniently review grammar, spelling, and proper adjective use with the Originality.ai Grammar Checker.

Comparative Adjectives

Comparative adjectives compare two people or things and describe which one has more (or less) of a specific attribute. 

For example, “The mountains are snowier than the city.” In this sentence, the two nouns compared are the mountains and the city and the quality assessed is how much snow each place has.

Comparative adjectives can also be used to compare the state of a single noun through different points in time. For example, “The town is bigger than I remembered.”

When forming comparative adjectives:

• Add -er to the end of single-syllable and two-syllable adjectives that end in ‘y’. 
• For adjectives greater than two syllables that don’t end in y, add the word “more” before the adjective.

Examples:

• Adam is taller than Timothy.
• Ellen hopes she’ll be smarter after completing her reading list.
• The sculptures were more interesting than the paintings at the art show.

Superlative Adjectives

Superlative adjectives describe a person, place, or thing that has more of an attribute or quality than everyone or everything else in the group being described. 

For example, “That puppy is the smallest dog I’ve ever seen!” In this sentence, the noun “puppy” is compared to all other dogs that the speaker has encountered. 

When forming superlative adjectives, follow the same pattern as when forming comparative adjectives. 

• Add -est to the end of single-syllable and two-syllable adjectives that end in ‘y’. 
• For adjectives greater than two syllables that don’t end in y, add the word “most” before the adjective.

Examples:

• This is the longest movie the cinema has ever screened.
• The most expensive house on the block is for sale.
• The cutest cafe is just around the corner.

What is the difference between comparative and superlative adjectives?

While both comparative and superlative adjectives are used to make comparisons between various nouns, they are used in different ways. 

• Comparative adjectives show the difference between two or more nouns.
• Superlative adjectives show the difference between one noun and the rest of the group.

For example, if you wanted to compare Jane’s height to her family members, you would use a comparative adjective to say that Jane is taller than her brother, but you would use a superlative adjective to say that Jane is the tallest person in her family.

Examples:

• History class is more interesting than math class.
• History class is the most interesting subject.
• The neighbor has a greener garden than I do.
• The neighbor has the greenest garden on the block.

Using Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Sentences with Comparative Adjectives

When constructing a sentence with a comparative adjective, the easiest form is:

Noun 1 + be + comparative adjective + than + noun 2.

Examples:

• The elementary school is closer than the high school.
• The cat is sleepier than the dog.

When using this sentence format, noun 1 has more of the quality described than noun 2. 
In some cases, the comparison is clear and the second noun is not specifically mentioned. If only one noun is used in the sentence, the word “than” is not needed.

Examples:

• These shoes are more comfortable.
• This pool is warmer. 
• I prefer brighter colors when painting. 

Sentences with Superlative Adjectives

When constructing a sentence with a superlative adjective, the adjective is placed before the noun and usually paired with the definite article “the”.

The + superlative adjective + noun …

Examples:

• I climbed to the highest point in the mountain range.
• The fluffiest dog passed me on my walk to work today.
• She is the busiest person on the team.

 If the noun is used with a possessive adjective (my, your, her) or a possessive noun (student’s, sister’s), this replaces the definite article. As well, the word “the” is not necessary if the comparison is being with itself.

Examples:

• Your coziest slippers are in the hall.
• The peaches are sweetest this time of year.

Final Thoughts

Now that you understand when and how to use comparative and superlative adjectives, you’re ready to construct the most descriptive sentences in your next piece!

Next, review your content with the Originality.ai Grammar Checker to catch common spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

Then, learn more grammar best practices in our top resources:

• Plural Nouns: A Complete Guide + Examples
• What Is a Determiner in English Grammar?
• Auxiliary Verbs: A Complete Guide + Examples