Adjectives: Positive, Comparative, and Superlative
There are three degrees of comparison adjectives: positive, comparative, and superlative. The positive form is the base form of the adjective. The comparative form expresses a higher degree of some quality and can only be used when comparing two things. The superlative form expresses the highest degree and is only used when comparing three or more things. You can identify which degree an adjective is by following these rules:
The positive degree (or regular adjective):
- The positive degree is the adjective itself. (Note: this does not mean that the adjective’s meaning is positive. Creepy is the positive adjective, however creepy does not have a positive meaning.).
- For example: Sunny is creepy.
Creepier is the comparative adjective (creepy $\rightarrow$ creepier) and is comparing the creepiness of two people. When comparing Sunny and Kaitlin, Sunny is more creepy than Kaitlin.
- The comparative degree is formed by adding –er or –ier to the end of one-syllable adjectives, two-syllable adjectives that end in "y," "ow" or "le."
- For example: Sunny is creepier than Kaitlin. Michael Jordan is taller than Taylor Swift.
- The comparative degree is formed by starting three-syllable or more adjectives, or two-syllable adjectives that end in a letter other than "y" with the word "more."
- For example: Sunny is also more humorous than Kaitlin.
Creepiest is the superlative adjective (creepy $\rightarrow$ creepier $\rightarrow$ creepiest) and is showing that Sunny is the most creepy compared to the members of the group that contains more than two people (important note, when comparing just two people, never use the superlative. If Sunny is the MOST creepy of a group of two, you would say he's the creepier or the more creepy, even though "most" sounds more normal). If Sunny causes the most creeps out of Tiffani, Kaitlin and Sunny, we would say that he is the creepiest.
- The superlative degree is formed by adding –est or –iest to the end of one-syllable adjectives, two-syllable adjectives that end in "y," "ow" or "le."
- For example: Sunny is the creepiest out of the group. Shrews are some of the smallest animals.
- The superlative degree is formed by prefacing three-syllable or more adjectives and two-syllable adjectives that do not end in "y," "ow" or "le" with the word "most."
- For example: Sunny is also the most intelligent of all of us.
More Examples:
Positive Adjective
| small | tiny
| infinitesimal | |
Comparative Adjective
| smaller | tinier
| More infinitesimal | $$\large\heartsuit$$ |
Superlative Adjective
| smallest | tiniest
| Most infinitesimal | $$\scriptsize\heartsuit$$ |
There are some irregular comparatives and superlatives, where you cannot just add -er or -est.
| Positive Adjective | Comparative Adjective | Superlative Adjective |
| Good | Better | Best |
| Bad | Worse | Worst |
| Far | Farther | Farthest |
| Little | Less | Least |
| Many | More | Most |