Two rooms can be compared for temperature. Three boxes can be ranked by size. The adjective form tells the reader which comparison you mean. Start with the context, choose the form, and reveal the explanation only after making your choice.
01 / READ THE COMPARISON
A reference, or a place in a set?
A comparative compares something with a reference point: one room can be colder than another. A superlative identifies the highest or lowest degree within a stated set. These exercises make each pair or group explicit; counting objects alone is not a universal grammar test.
This room is colder than the kitchen.
Of the three rooms on our plan, the kitchen is the largest.
The first sentence names a reference. The second selects one room from a stated group.
Build these familiar forms
Use the familiar forms in the table. Cold takes -er and -est. Large already ends in e, so add -r or -st. In heavy, change consonant + y to -ier or -iest. In big, double g before -er or -est. These are bounded models, not a promise that every final letter follows the same pattern.
| Base adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| cold | colder | coldest |
| large | larger | largest |
| heavy | heavier | heaviest |
| big | bigger | biggest |
| expensive | more expensive | most expensive |
| dangerous | more dangerous | most dangerous |
| good | better | best |
| bad | worse | worst |
Expensive and dangerous use more or most in the forms practised here. Do not turn syllable count into an inflexible grading rule: other adjectives can have accepted alternatives. Check a learner dictionary for unfamiliar words; multi-variant words are excluded from these choices.
One comparison marker
Good becomes better or best; bad becomes worse or worst. Keep one comparison marker: better, not more better; biggest, not most biggest. The displayed options target standard edited English.
In the superlative patterns shown here, the sentence supplies the before the blank. Enter only largest, biggest, most dangerous or worst. This does not mean every English superlative construction must contain the; a phrase such as my best idea has another determiner.
My best idea is to check the map first.
Another determiner can introduce a superlative. Follow the sentence actually shown.
02 / YOUR TURN
Try the first four
Choose one of the four displayed forms for each sentence. Read the relation, then say or write your answer before opening its explanation. Capitalisation, outer spaces and final punctuation do not change the answer; repeated spaces inside a two-word form count as one space. Do not add the when the sentence already supplies it. This is a self-check, with no automatic grading.
Base adjective: cold
Room A is 10°C and Room B is 20°C. Room A is ___ than Room B.
Options: cold / colder / coldest / more colder.
Answer and explanation
colder — The sentence compares the two named rooms. Cold takes -er here: colder. Do not add more to an -er form.
Base adjective: large
Of these three storerooms, the south room has the most floor space. It is the ___.
Options: large / larger / largest / most large.
Answer and explanation
largest — The south room is selected from the stated group. Large already ends in e, so add -st: largest. The is already supplied.
Base adjective: heavy
The red bag weighs 2 kg; the blue bag weighs 6 kg. The blue bag is ___ than the red bag.
Options: heavy / heavier / heaviest / more heavier.
Answer and explanation
heavier — The two bags are compared by weight. For heavy, change consonant + y to -ier: heavier.
Base adjective: big
Of these three boxes, the black box has the greatest volume. It is the ___ box.
Options: big / bigger / biggest / most biggest.
Answer and explanation
biggest — The black box is selected from the three-box set. In big, double g before -est: biggest. The is already supplied.
WHEN YOU’RE READY
Explore
Crystal Gallery.
Want to continue in the game? Open GrammarRift, choose Try a guest descent, then Grammar dungeons → Enter Crystal Gallery. Every new school run starts at stage 1 with adjective foundations. Comparison topics belong to stage 2 as you progress, alongside other school practice. This link opens the game; it does not select a topic or skip a stage. Guest progress stays on this device.
Explore Crystal GalleryTry a guest descent → Grammar dungeons → Enter Crystal Gallery.
Starts at stage 1; comparison practice is a stage 2 target.
KEEP PRACTISING
Four more to try
Base adjective: expensive
The wool coat costs 45 coins; the cotton coat costs 30 coins. The wool coat is ___ than the cotton coat.
Options: expensiver / more expensive / most expensive / more expensiver.
Answer and explanation
more expensive — The coats are compared by price. Expensive uses more for this comparative, not -er.
Base adjective: dangerous
All three paths have been assessed for danger. The cliff path has the highest risk. It is the ___ of the three.
Options: dangerouser / more dangerous / most dangerous / most dangerousest.
Answer and explanation
most dangerous — The cliff path is selected from a stated group of three. Dangerous uses most for this superlative. The is already supplied.
Base adjective: good
I am comparing only these two plans. I prefer Plan B because it is ___ than Plan A for our trip.
Options: good / gooder / better / best.
Answer and explanation
better — This is an adjective comparison between the two plans. Good has the irregular comparative better, not gooder or more better.
Base adjective: bad
Of the three lanterns, the red one gets the lowest quality rating. It is the ___ of the three.
Options: bad / worse / worst / baddest.
Answer and explanation
worst — The red lantern has the lowest quality in the named group. Bad has the irregular superlative worst. Worse is comparative; the is already supplied.
Check the relation, then the form
Which thing is the reference? Or which named group contains the highest or lowest degree? Use the context first. For an unfamiliar adjective, check a learner dictionary rather than extending a spelling shortcut to every word.
Read more about the forms
This reference explains adjective comparisons. The eight exercise contexts on this page are original.
British Council: comparative and superlative adjectives ↗