Comparatives & Superlatives

Many people spend their days working different types of jobs. Some may even say that their jobs are enjoyable, but I think mine is the most enjoyable. I spend my work days teaching a class of first grade students. One of the other teachers says that her students are nice, but I believe that mine are nicer. Yesterday, we had to complete a project, where all students had to get into height order. One of my students, named Jamie, asked me where she should reside. I told her that she needed to stand in front of Callie. Jamie is tall, but Callie is taller. When Callie asked where she should stand, I told her to stand in front of Harper. Callie may be taller than Jamie, but Harper is the tallest. When we had to figure out who should stand at the front of the line, we all agreed that it would be Daniel, Ethan, and then Ashley. While Ashley is short, Ethan is shorter. However, Daniel is shortest, which is why he belongs at the front of the line.

** Real student names were not used in the paragraph above.

Grammar Point

In the paragraph above, I used comparative and superlative adjectives to describe my students. We all remember what adjectives are, right? Incase anyone forgot, adjectives are words that are used to describe nouns.

Comparatives are used to compare one noun to another. For example, if we were comparing Bill to Roger, we could say that Bill is a friendly boy, but Roger is friendlier. We could also say that the sun was bright yesterday, but today it is brighter.

* Sometimes, different endings are used to make an adjective a comparative adjective. View the following chart:

When we use superlatives, we are comparing three or more nouns. For example, if we wanted to compare different flavors of ice cream, we could say that vanilla is sweet, chocolate is sweeter, and strawberry is sweetest. In doing so, we are using a superlative adjective to say that strawberry ice cream is the sweetest out of the three choices.

* Sometimes, different endings are used to make an adjective into a superlative adjective. View the following chart:

Activity Time!

Part 1

Read the following sentences and circle the correct form of the comparative or superlative adjective.

1. Isabella has a (biggest/big/bigger) bike than Gianna.

2. The pot with boiling water in it feels (hot/hotter/hottest) than the pot with cool water.

3. The sidewalk on Bryan's street is (wide/wider/widest) than the sidewalk on Jennifer's street.

4. Jake is (funny/funnier/funniest) than Sophia.

5. Lidia is (beautiful/more beautiful/the most beautiful) than Celina.

6. Jason is the (old/older/oldest) sibling in his family, whereas Stacy is the (young/younger/youngest).
7. Alison is the (happy/happier/happiest) girl in the entire school.
8. Between Nora, Cindy, and Linda, Nora lives (far/farther/the farthest) from the school.

Part 2

Answer the following questions by referring to the sentences in part 1. Circle whether the answers you chose were comparative or superlative adjectives.

Example: 1. Comparative/Superlative (bigger)
2. Comparative/Superlative
3. Comparative/Superlative
4. Comparative/Superlative
5. Comparative/Superlative
6. Comparative/Superlative
7. Comparative/Superlative
8. Comparative/Superlative

Part 3

Words to Know...

Complete - to finish

Boiling - very hot

Enjoyable - to take pleasure in

Reside - to stand, to be located, or to live in one place/area

Referring (refer) - to mention or speak about something

Comparing (compare) - to point out the similarities/dissimilarities between two things

Substitute the words in parenthesis in the following sentences for the correct word in the Word Bank.

1. My mom said that I can watch TV once my homework is ______ (finished).

2. The sun was so strong today that I felt like my skin was ______ (very hot).

3. I attended a concert last night and had a very _______ (pleasurable) time.

4. When my students had to arrange themselves in height order, Jamie was unsure of where she should _____ (stand) in the line.

5. After Kylie bought new sneakers, she started ____ (pointing out similarities/dissimilarities) them to Sara's new sneakers.

6. After Peter described the kind of watch that he wanted, his mother asked if he was ______ (to mention/speak about) to the same watch that Dylan had.

Word Bank

Complete

Comparing

Reside

Referring

Boiling

Enjoyable

Answer Keys

Part 1
1. Bigger 
2. Hotter 
3. Wider
4. Funnier
5. More beautiful
6. Oldest
7. Happiest
8. The farthest

Part 2
1. Comparative
2. Comparative
3. Comparative
4. Comparative
5. Comparative
6. Superlative
7. Superlative
8. Superlative

Part 3
1. Complete
2. Boiling
3. Enjoyable
4. Reside
5. Comparing
6. Referring