Comparatives and superlatives: ‫المقارنة و التفضيل‬

A) comparatives: ‫المقارنة‬
When we make comparisons we add "er" to short adjectives and adverbs (one
syllable or two syllables ending in “y”).
y" " ‫ " للصفات و الظروف القصيرة ) مقطع واحد أو مقطعين تنتهي بالحرف‬er "‫عندما نجري مقارنة نضيف الحرفين‬

A-1) One syllable or two syllables ending in “y”

A B C D

faster newer bigger heavy→ heavier late→ later

longer shorter fatter noisy→ noisier safe→ safer
taller harder sadder wide→ wider
darker higher hotter
brighter colder thinner
younger

*The rule of comparison (y ) ‫قاعدة مقارنة مقطع واحد أو مقطعين تنتهي بالحرف‬

Adjective + er + than
Examples :
1- Nadia is fatter than Laila .
2- Iron is heavier than wood .
3- The sun is brighter than the moon .
4- You have darker hair than I have .
5- A rocket is much faster than a plane .
some irregular adjectives* ‫بعض المقارنات الشاذة‬
good / well → better than many → more than
bad → worse than much → more than
far → farther than little → less than

Examples:
1- Mars is much farther than the moon.
2- The weather today is better than it was yesterday
3- Her handwriting is worse than her husband’s.
4- Aqaba is farther from Amman than Irbid is.

A-2) when we make comparisons we must use “more + adjective + than” with
long adjectives (two syllables or more).
‫ بعد الصفة مع الصفات عديدة المقاطع‬than ) ) ‫ ( قبل الصفة و كلمة‬more ) ‫عندما نجري مقارنة نستخدم كلمة‬
[popular, beautiful, comfortable, exciting, interesting, expensive, quickly,
dangerous, wonderful, efficient…. etc.]
The rule : ‫القاعدة‬
more + adjective + than
Examples:
1-Reading a book is more interesting than watching a film.
2-Good health is more important than money.
3-Hani is more intelligent than Naser.
4-The lion is more dangerous than the cat.
5-Gold is more expensive than silver.
*The opposite of more is less.
(less ) ‫( هي كلمة‬more) ‫عكس كلمة‬
Examples:
1-Gold is more expensive than silver.
2-Silver is less expensive than gold.
3-Good health is more important than money.
4-Money is less important than good health.
Using comparatives
a-positive comparison:
1-Football is faster than rugby .
2-Football is better than rugby .
3-Football is more exciting than rugby .
b- equal comparisons ‫ المقارنة المتساوية‬:
Examples :
1-Hassan is as strong as Ahmad. [as + adjective + as]
2-Football is similar to rugby. [similar to]
3-Football is like rugby. [like]
4-Football and rugby are similar/the same. [similar / the same]
c-unequal comparisons:‫المقارنة الغير المتساوية‬
Examples :
1-Football is not as good as rugby. [ not as + adjective+ as ]
2-Football is different from rugby. [ Different from ]
3-Football is not like rugby. [not like ]
4-Football and rugby are not similar / the not same. [not similar/ not the same]
d-negative comparison :
1-Football is slower than rugby .
2-Football is worse than rugby .
3-Football is less exciting than rugby .
…………………………………………………………………………………………
B )Superlatives : ‫) التفضيل ) نجري التفضيل بين أكثر من اثنين‬
B –1) one syllable or two syllables ending with “ y”
(y)‫الصفات ذات المقطع الواحد أو اثنين التي تنتهي بالحرف‬

A B C D
fastest biggest heavy→ heaviest late→ latest
longest hottest noisy→ noisiest safe→ safest
coldest fattest
The rule : ‫القاعدة‬
The + adjective + est
Example
1-Mexico city is the largest city in the world.
2-Amman is the biggest city in Jordan.
January is the coldest month of the year and July is the hottest.
The Nile is the longest rives in world.

*Some irregular adjectives :‫بعض الصفات الشادة‬

1-good / well → better than → the best
2- bad → worse than → the worst
3-far → farther than → the farthest
4-many → more than → the most
5-much → more than → the most
6-little → less than → the least
B-2) Two syllable ore more : ‫رررررر رر رررر‬
[expensive, wonderful, intelligent, famous, beautiful,… etc.]
The rule : ‫) القاعدة ) صفات عديدة المقاطع‬

the + most + adjective

Examples :
1-This is the most comfortable of the six chairs.
2-Pollution is the most serious problems in the world today

*The opposite of “most” is the “least” .

( the least) ‫ ( هي كلمة‬most) ‫عكس كلمة‬