Comparative or Superlative?

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives — Comparatives: 2 things. Superlatives: 3+ things.

Comparative: To compare 2 things.

The boy is taller than the girl.
The girl is shorter than the boy.
The boy is older than the girl.
The girl has longer hair than the boy.

Click here to review comparative adjectives.

Superlative: To compare 3 or more things.

The brush on the left is the biggest.
The brush on the right is the smallest.

Click here to review superlative adjectives.

Now take the quiz to test your understanding of comparative and superlative adjectives:

Quiz: Comparative or Superlative?

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Choose the correct adjective to complete the sentence - comparative or superlative.

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Question 1

Running a marathon is ____________ than doing a triathlon.

A	not as difficult
B	less difficult
C	least difficult
D	the most difficult

Question 2

That book wasn't ____________ I thought it'd be.

A	more interesting
B	the most interesting
C	much interesting
D	as interesting as

Question 2 Explanation:

We are comparing two things - my idea about the book, and the reality of the book - so we use the comparative. Because it's a negative sentence ("wasn't") - we use "as interesting as"

Question 3

The problems weren't ____________ I'd imagined.

A	more bad
B	as bad as
C	the worst
D	as worse as

Question 4

This is ___________ book I've ever read. It doesn't help at all.

A	the less useful
B	the least useful
C	the more useful
D	the most useful

Question 4 Explanation:

We are comparing this book with all the other books I have read in my life - so "the least useful" (superlative) is correct.

Question 5

This job is pretty bad, but my last job was even __________.

A	more bad
B	badder
C	worst
D	worse

Question 5 Explanation:

"More bad" and "badder" do not exist

Question 6

The scandal involving the President is ______________ issue in the news today.

A	very controversial
B	the most controversial
C	as controversial as
D	more controversial

Question 6 Explanation:

We are comparing this issue with all the other issues in the news today - so we use the superlative.

Question 7

After he finished the test, he felt ____________.

A	least relaxed
B	more relaxed
C	relaxeder
D	most relaxed

Question 7 Explanation:

We are comparing two things - his feelings before the test and his feelings after the test. So "more relaxed" is correct. ("Relaxeder" does not exist)

Question 8

Let's go to the restaurant across the street. It looks ______________ than this one.

A	less crowded
B	not crowded
C	uncrowded
D	least crowded

Question 8 Explanation:

We are comparing two things: this restaurant, and the restaurant across the street - so we use the comparative "less crowded"

Question 9

I'm ___________ man on the planet!

A	the most luckiest
B	the luckiest
C	the more lucky
D	luckier

Question 10

My son is getting __________ every year.

A	the most tall
B	taller
C	tallest
D	more tall

Question 10 Explanation:

We are comparing two things - how tall he was before and how tall he is after a year - so we use the comparative.

Question 11

I canceled my cell phone contract. I'm looking for a provider with __________ customer service.

A	more good
B	best
C	better
D	as good as

Question 11 Explanation:

We are comparing two things - my previous cell phone provider with my future cell phone provider - so we use the comparative, "better"

Question 12

February is ____________ month of the year.

A	the least short
B	less short
C	the shortest
D	shorter

Question 13

Yesterday was a slow day at my company, but today was ______________.

A	most busy
B	more busy
C	busiest
D	busier

Question 13 Explanation:

We are comparing two things - yesterday and today - so we use the comparative.

Question 14

What's __________ you've ever traveled?

A	as far as
B	the most far
C	the farthest
D	farther than

Question 15

This is the city's ______________ bar.

A	less popular
B	popularest
C	more popular
D	most popular

Question 15 Explanation:

We are comparing this bar with all the other bars in the city - so we use the superlative. ("Popularest" does not exist)

Question 16

______________ thing I've ever had to do was to tell my daughter that her puppy had died.

A	The worst hard
B	The most hard
C	The hardest
D	The more hard

Question 16 Explanation:

We are comparing this situation with all other situations in life, so we use the superlative.

Question 17

My wife is ________ than I am.

A	patientest
B	patienter
C	most patient
D	more patient

Question 17 Explanation:

Note: "patienter" and "patientest" do not exist.

Question 18

Which is _____________: gold or silver?

A	expensivest
B	as expensive
C	more expensive
D	expensiver

Question 18 Explanation:

Note: "expensiver" and "expensivest" don't exist.

Question 19

Playing games on Facebook is not __________ use of your time.

A	as good
B	the better
C	the good
D	the best

Question 19 Explanation:

We are comparing one thing (playing games) with all the other possible ways to spend time, so we use the superlative, "the best"

Question 20

What's _________ mountain in the world?

A	the highest
B	as high as
C	higher
D	the most high

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Comparative or Superlative?

Click here to review comparative adjectives.

Superlative: To compare 3 or more things.

Click here to review superlative adjectives.

Quiz: Comparative or Superlative?

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