How to write more better: A look at comparative and superlative adjectives
More eloquent or most eloquent? Smarter or smartest? Here’s a guide to remind you of the difference.
I am smarter than my sister.
Superlative adjectives are used to compare one person or thing with every other member of the group. Superlatives are marked by the suffix -est or preceded by the word most or least.
I am the smartest person in my family.
Comparative and superlatives adjectives are formed in different ways, depending on the base adjective. • If an adjective has one or two syllables, the letters –er and –est are added.
warm, warmer, warmest narrow, narrower, narrowest
• If the adjective already ends in –e, –r and –st are added.
nice, nicer, nicest nimble, nimbler, nimblest
• Some adjectives with two syllables vary, using more for the comparative and most for the superlative:
dashing, more dashing, most dashing
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