［坡仔跟你一起学英语·第九期］英语语法（四）比较级和最高级 Comparatives and Superlatives

Hello and welcome to 6 Minute Grammar with me, Rob. 

And me, Sophie. Hello. 

Today we're talking about comparatives and superlatives – what they are and how to use them. 

Yes, we use comparatives and superlatives to compare people and things. 

Listen carefully because, as usual, there is a quiz at the end of the show. 

OK, we'll start with some examples of the comparative. 

So, Sophie, can you stand up, please. 

OK... 

Right, look, back to back here. 

I'm taller than you. 

But I'm thinner than you! 

Good point. 

The sentences I'm taller than you and I'm thinner than you both use the comparative form. 

We use comparatives to compare two people or things that are different in some way. 

Listen again to the examples we've just used: where does the word than come? 

I'm taller than you. 

I'm thinner than you. 

Than comes after the comparative adjective. 

We usually use 'than' in comparative sentences. 

But not always, for example, I can ask: Who is taller, you or me? 

Now, there are different ways to make the comparative form: For short words, just add 'er'. 

That's spelled E – R. So tall becomes taller. 

Thin becomes thinner. 

Adjectives like happy, funny, easy...that end in the sound /i/ , spelled with a 'y', add 'ier', spelled: I – E – R. 

So happy becomes happier. 

Easy becomes easier. 

An example, please Neil. 

English is easier than Chinese. 

Not if you're Chinese, though! 

Now, adjectives that have two or more syllables but don't end in /i/, spelled 'y', use 'more'. 

Neil has some examples. 

A tablet is more useful than a laptop. 

The film of 'The Hobbit' is more exciting than the book. 

'Useful' has two syllables and 'exciting' has three, so we say more useful and more exciting.

And we're talking about comparatives and superlatives. 

We've seen how to use and make comparatives. 

Now we're going to tell you what superlatives are and how to use them. 

Sophie, are you good at geography? 

I'll have a go. 

OK. Here's a question for you: What's the longest river in the world? 

Well, the Nile is a very long river, but I think that the longest river in the world is the Amazon. 

And...you're right! It is the Amazon. 

'The longest river' is a superlative. 

We use superlative forms to compare one person or thing with several others in a group. 

We often use them to say which thing or person is the greatest, the biggest. 

The most beautiful, the best...in some way. 

To make the superlative of short words like high, deep, tall, add 'est'. That's spelled E-S-T. 

So, the highest mountain, the deepest ocean, the tallest person. 

And remember to put 'the' before the adjective. 

So it's: I'm the tallest person in my family. 

Now for longer adjectives, with two or more syllables, we use 'most'. 

Rob, who is the most famous actor in the world? 

Well, there are many, aren't there, but I think Brad Pitt is the most famous actor in the world. 

'The most famous actor'. So it's the + most + adjective. 

For adjectives that end in /i/ – spelled 'y' – like funny, and happy, we add 'iest', that's I-E-S-T. 

Here's an example. 

The funniest show on TV is 'The Simpsons'. 

Now, finally, look out for the irregular comparatives and superlatives. 

My iPhone 5 was better than my iPhone 4, but the iPhone 6 is the best phone on the market now, in my opinion. 

The comparative form of good is better and the superlative form is best. 

The comparative of bad is worse. 

And the superlative is worst. 

Listen to these examples: 

Winters have been bad the last few years. 

2012 was worse than 2011, but 2013 was the worst winter since records began. 

Now for the quiz. 

I'll give you an adjective and a sentence and you have to complete the gap with a comparative or superlative. 

OK. Number 1: the word is OLD. 

Jenny is ten and Simon is fifteen, so Simon is...than Jenny. 

And the answer is: older. Simon is older than Jenny. 

Next word: beautiful. The Taj Mahal is the...building I've ever seen. 

And the answer is: most beautiful. 

The Taj Mahal is the most beautiful building I've ever seen. 

Final word: good. Using BBC Learning English is the...way to improve your English. 

Best. Using BBC Learning English is the best way to improve your English. 

There's lots more about this on our website at bbclearningenglish.com. 

Join us again for more 6 Minute Grammar soon. 

Bye.