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Adjectives
Adjectives List of Adjectives Comparative and Superlative Adjectives Adjective Worksheets

A comparative adjective is used to compare two things. A superlative adjective is used when you compare three or more things. For example, looking at apples you can compare their size, determining which is big, which is bigger, and which is biggest. The comparative ending (suffix) for short, common adjectives is generally "-er"; the superlative suffix is generally "-est." For most longer adjectives, the comparative is made by adding the word "more" (for example, more comfortable) and the superlative is made by adding the word "most" (for example, most comfortable).

If a 1-syllable adjective ends in "e", the endings are "-r" and "-st", for example: wise, wiser, wisest.

If a 1-syllable adjective ends in "y", the endings are "-er" and "-est", but the y is sometimes changed to an "i". For example: dry, drier, driest.

If a 1-syllable adjective ends in a consonant (with a single vowel preceding it), then the consonant is doubled and the endings "-er" and "-est" are used, for example: big, bigger, biggest.

If a 2-syllable adjective ends in "e", the endings are "-r" and "-st", for example: gentle, gentler, gentlest.

If a 2-syllable adjective ends in "y", the endings are "-ier" and "-iest", for example: happy, happier, happiest.

Some 2-syllable adjectives use the standard "-er" and "-est suffixes", including adjectives that end in "er", "le", or "ow". For example: narrow, narrower, narrowest.

For most adjectives with two or more syllables, the comparative is formed by adding the word "more," and you form the superlative by adding the word "most", for example: colorful, more colorful, most colorful.

Some comparative and superlative adjectives are irregular, including some very common ones such as good/better/best and bad/worse/worst.

Case Adjective Comparative Form Superlative Form
1-syllable adjectives

ending in "e"

close closer closest
huge huger hugest
large larger largest
strange stranger strangest
wise wiser wisest
1-syllable adjectives

ending in a consonant with a single vowel preceding it

big bigger biggest
fat fatter fattest
red redder reddest
sad sadder saddest
thin thinner thinnest
1-syllable adjectives

ending in "y"

dry drier driest
spry sprier/spryer spriest/spryest
wry wrier/wryer wriest/wryest
1-syllable adjectives,

other cases

fast faster fastest
great greater greatest
quick quicker quickest
short shorter shortest
tall taller tallest
2-syllable adjectives

ending in "e"

fickle fickler ficklest
handsome handsomer handsomest
polite politer politest
2-syllable adjectives

ending in "y"

bumpy bumpier bumpiest
heavy heavier heaviest
icy icier iciest
shiny shinier shiniest
tiny tinier tiniest
2-syllable adjectives

ending in "le", or "ow"

able abler ablest
gentle gentler gentlest
hollow hollower hollowest
narrow narrower narrowest
shallow shallower shallowest
simple simpler simplest
2 or more syllable adjectives,

other cases

beautiful more beautiful most beautiful
colorful more colorful most colorful
complete more complete most complete
delicious more delicious most delicious
generous more generous most generous
important more important most important
Irregular and confusing adjectives bad worse worst
far (place) farther farthest
far (place or time) further furthest
good better best
late (time) later latest
late (order) latter last
little (size) littler littlest
little (amount) less least
many/much/some more most
old (people or things) older oldest
old (people) elder eldest


Related Activities and Worksheets:

Biggest Things: Draw and Write 3 Things
Draw three of the biggest things you've ever seen and write about each of them. Or go to a pdf of the worksheet.

Smallest Things: Draw and Write 3 Things
Draw three of the smallest things you've ever seen and write about each of them. Or go to a pdf of the worksheet.

Comparatives #1
Each adjective has a comparative and a superlative form. In each row, write the two missing words. Adjectives: big, tall, fast, light. Or go to the answers.

Comparatives #2
Each adjective has a comparative and a superlative form. In each row, write the two missing words. Adjectives: few, short, wide, high. Or go to the answers.

Comparatives #3
Each adjective has a comparative and a superlative form. In each row, write the two missing words. Adjectives: young, slow, small, long. Or go to the answers.

Comparatives #4
Each adjective has a comparative and a superlative form. In each row, write the two missing words. Adjectives: narrow, large, soft, sweet. Or go to the answers.

Comparatives Chart #1
Each of the following adjectives has a comparative and a superlative form. In each row, write the missing adjectives. Adjectives: red, far, icy, bad, easy, friendly, funny, busy, smelly, pretty. Or go to the answers.

Comparatives Chart #2
Each of the following adjectives has a comparative and a superlative form. In each row, write the missing adjectives. Adjectives: blue, old, sweet, happy, shiny, clean, fine, high, nasty, rich. Or go to the answers.

Comparatives Chart #3
Each of the following adjectives has a comparative and a superlative form. In each row, write the missing adjectives. Adjectives: red, far, icy, bad, easy, friendly, funny, busy, smelly, pretty. Or go to the answers.


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