Mary is 25 years old. When we use adjectives (e.g.

, OM, important) to
John is 20 years old. compare two people or two things, the adjectives
( a ) Mary is older than John. have special forms:
In (a): we add -er to an adjective, OR
(b) Health is more important than money. In (b): we use more in front of an adjective.
The use of -er or mmo is called the COMPARATl
( c ) INCORRECT:M a y i s more old than John. FORM.
Health
(d) I N C O R R E ~ : is importantm than
money. Notice in the examples: than follows the compar-
ative form: oMer than, more important than.

ADJECTIVE COMPARATIVE Add -er to one-syllable adjectives.

ADJECTIVES WITH old older
ONE -S cheap cheaper Spelling note: if an adjective ends in
big bigger one vowel and one consonant, dou-
ble the consonant: birbrgger,
fat-fattm, thiwthinnm, hot-hotter.

I ADJECTIVES
THAT
END IN -Y
P"ettU prettier
funnior
If an adjective ends in y , change
the -y to i and add -er.

ADJECTIVES WlTH famom more famous Use more in front of adjectives rhat
TWO OR MORE importmat more important have two or more syllables (except
SYLLABLES
interssting more intorastinp adjectives that end in -y).

IRRBGuLAR good better The comparative forms ofgood,

COMPARATIVE bad WOrW bad, and far are irregular.
FORMS
far fartherlfirther

EXERCISE 8: Write the comparative forms for the following ADJECTIVES.

1. old older than 9. sweet

2. small 10. expensive

3. big 11. hot

4. important 12. cheap

5. easy 13. good

6. difficult 14. bad

7. long 15, far

8. heavy 16. lazy

MAKING COMPARISONS W 383

 EXERCISE 9: Complete the sentences. Use the COMPARATIVEform of the words in italics.

1 . comfortable This chair is more comfortable than that chair.

2 . large Your apartment is mine.

3. warm It's today yesterday.

4. dark Tom's mustache is Don's.

,.* .
5 . imponant Love is money.

6 . lazy I'm my roommate.

r.1

7. tall My brother is I am.*

8 . heavy Iron is wood.

9. d~ficult My physics course is my math course.

10. good Nadia's English is her husband's.

11. lrmg The Nile River is the Mississippi.

12. intelligent A dog is a chicken.

13. good '.-(:.i:: -My wife's cooking is mine.

, / ,'

14. bad ,:; ;,-.:. . M y cooking is my wife's.

15. short , My little finger is my middle finger.

, , ', !

16. pretty This dress is that one.

17. far Your apartment is from school

mine. ,. 2

18. stmng A horse is a person.

19. curb Ken's hair is mine.

20. beautiful A rose is a weed.

*Formal written English: My brother is caller than I (am).

Informal spoken English: My brother u taller than me.

381 W CHAPTER 9
H EXERCISE 10: Complete the sentences. Use the COMPARAT~VEform of the words in italics.

1 . good The weather today is it was yesterday.

2. bad The weather yesterday was it is today.

3. funny This story is that story.

4. interesting This book is that book.

5. smart Joe is his brother.

6. famous A movie star is I am.

7. wide A highway is an alley.

8. desp The Pacific Ocean is the Mediterranean Sea.

9. confising This story is that story.

10. hot Thailand is Korea.

11. thin A giraffe's neck is an elephant's neck.

12, far My house is from downtown

your house is.

13. good Reading a good book is watching television.

14. easy My English class is my history class.

15. newous
 EXERCISE 28-WRITTEN: Write about one or more of the following topics.

1. Write about this city. Compare it to your hometown.

2. Write about your present residence. Compare it to a past residence. For example,
compare your new apartment to your old apartment.
3. Write about two members of your family. Compare them.
4. Write about two animals. Compare them.
5. Write about two counmes. Compare them.

CHECKLIST OF WORDS USED IN COMPARISONS

the same (as) like -erlmore
similar (w) alike less
different from) as...as
but

(a) COMPARATIVE: The comparative (-erlmore) compares two things

My thumb is shorter than my index finger. or people.
(b) SUPERLATIVE: The superlative (-erlmost) compares three or
My hand has five fingers. My thumb is more things or people.
the shortest (finger) of all.

ADJECcnVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

ADJECTIVESWITH old older (than) the oldeat (ofallj

ONE SYLLABLE
brig aiaa8).( t W the &gat (ofall)

ADJEcnveS THAT
END IN -Y
p r e t t h than^
ecuior ( h n )

more expemiwe (than)

the prettiest (ofd&
the easiest (ofall)

the mart erporrst'w (of dj

I
ADWXNES WITH Wh=l=w
TWO OR MORE more hpOrratlt (than) the most important (ofdlj
SYLLABLES
kpOr&UZt

IRREGULAR 8 4 bet* (than) the bast (ofall)

FORMS bad the worst (ofall)
(than)
far farthorljurthor ithan) thefarthestfirthsst (ofall)
EXERCISE 29: Write the comparative and superlafive
,
. forms of the following ADJECTIVES.

COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

1. long lonaer (than) the loy e s t (of all)

2. small

3. heavy

4. comfortable

5. hard

6 . difficult

7. easy

8. hot*

9. cheap

10. interesting

11. pretty

12. strong

13. good

14. bad

15. far

EXERCISE 30: Complete the sentences. Use the correct form of the ADJECTIVESin italics.

The /urgest city in Canada is Toronto.

The Nile is river in the world.

3. interesting I'm taking four classes. My history class is

of all.

4. high Mt. McKinley in Alaska is

mountain in North America.

The Sears Tower is building in

Chicago.

*Spelling note: If an adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant to form the
superlative: big-biggest, jat-fanest, thin-thinnest, hot-hottest.

MAKING COMPARISONS 399

 6. big Lake Superior is lake in North
America.
7. short February is month of the year.

8, far Pluto is planet from the sun.

9. beautiful In my opinion, Seattle is
city in the United States.
10. bad In my opinion, Harry's Steak House is
restaurant in the city.
11. good In my opinion, the Doghouse Cafe has
food in the city.
12, comfortable Ken is sitting in chair in the
room.
13. fast way to travel is by airplane.
14. good When you feel depressed, laughter is
medicine.
15, karge Asia is continent in the world.
16. small Australia is continent in the world.
17. expensive Sally ordered food on the
menu for dinner last night.
18. easy Taking a taxi is way to get to the
airport.
19. important I think good health is
thing in life.
20, famous The Gateway Arch is
landmark in St. Louis, Missouri.