Comparatives and Superlatives From Comparatives and Superlatives
to HOME PAGE Comparatives and Superlatives : Grammar and
Spelling Tips The usual way to form comparatives and
superlatives of adjectives is to add -er and -est: great,
greater, greatest. There are four groups of exceptions: • For
words ending in a consonant followed by a -y, change the -y to
an -i before adding the ending (e.g. happier, happiest). • For
one-syllable words containing a long vowel sound and ending in
-e, e.g. late, remove the -e before adding the ending: later,
latest. • For one-syllable words containing a short vowel sound
and ending in a single consonant (e.g. sad), double the final
consonant before adding the ending: sadder, saddest. • Words
ending in -l normally just add the ending, but there is one
exception, cruel. The comparative and superlative are crueller
and cruellest.