COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES AND
QUANTIFIERS
COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES
USE
We can change old to older or to oldest.
Old is an adjective. Older is the comparative. Oldest is the superlative.
FORM
Here we make a difference between big and small words:
SMALL ADJECTIVES (1 SYLLABLE):
The comparative is made using -er on the end of the adjective – old >older
The superlative is made using -est on the end of the adjective – old >older
BIG ADJECTIVES (2 OR MORE SYLLABLES)
The comparative is made using more + adjective – more expensive
The superlative is made using most + adjective – most expensive
Some words change in an irregular manner:
good – > better – > best
bad – > worse – > worst
OLDER THAN, BIGGER THAN...
The comparative is used with the word than (in German you use the word “als”):
London is bigger than Paris.
The weather is worse today than yesterday
QUANTIFIERS (MORE THAN, LESS THAN, FEWER ETC)
COUNTABLE
more than – mehr als – e.g. John has more work than Peter.
fewer than – weniger als – e.g. John gets fewer emails than me.
the most – am meisten – e.g. John gets more emails than Peter but Dave has the most.
the fewest – am wenigsten – e.g. John gets fewer emails than Dave but Peter gets the
fewest.
UNCOUNTABLE
more than – mehr als – e.g. John has more time than Peter.
less than – weniger als – e.g. BD Computers made less profit than Dell last year.
the most – am meisten – e.g. Dell made the most profit last year.
the least – am wenigsten – e.g. BD Computers made the least profit last year.