Comparing With Adjectives

English (Mridang) — comparing animals and objects (bigger, smaller, tallest) appears in nature and family read-alouds.

• Adding -er to an adjective compares two things (bigger, taller).
• Adding -est to an adjective compares more than two things (biggest, tallest).
• Simple spelling rules: happy → happier/happiest, big → bigger/biggest.

Verbal: Use -er for two things, use -est for three or more things.

Symbolic: Adjective + -er = compares 2; Adjective + -est = compares 3+.

Level 1 — Comparing two things

Level 1 — Comparing more than two

Biggest, tallest, coldest — used when comparing three or more things.

Level 2 — Spelling changes

When a short word ends in one vowel + one consonant, we double the last letter: big → bigger, big → biggest.

Level 2 — Words ending in 'y'

Change y to i before adding -er/-est: happy → happier, happy → happiest.

Complete: 'An elephant is ___ than a cat.' (big)

Step 1 — We are comparing TWO animals.
Step 2 — Use -er: big → bigger (double the g)
Answer: bigger

• Complete: 'This box is ___ than that one.' (small)
• Complete: 'Of all the roads, this is the ___.' (long)
• Which do we use for three or more things: -er or -est?

Stretch: Write one sentence comparing three objects using an -est word.

Revision tip: Compare three things around you out loud using -er and -est words.

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Comparing With Adjectives.