10.2 Spelling of comparatives and superlatives

**Most are regular; they add –er and -est**
		Adjective		Comparative		Superlative
		clean		cleaner		cleanest
		clever		cleverer		cleverest
		fast		faster		fastest
		high		higher		highest
		long		longer		longest
		low		lower		lowest
		short		shorter		shortest
		tall		taller		tallest

**Words ending in –e add –r and -st**
		Adjective		Comparative		Superlative
		late		later		latest
		ripe		riper		ripest
		safe		safer		safest

**Words ending in a single vowel and a single consonant, double the consonant and add –er and –est**
		Adjective		Comparative		Superlative
		big		bigger		biggest
		hot		hotter		hottest

**Words ending in –y change the -y to -i and add -er and -est**
		Adjective		Comparative		Superlative
		dirty		dirtier		dirtiest
		heavy		heavier		heaviest
		lucky		luckier		luckiest

**A few are irregular**
		Adjective		Comparative		Superlative
		good		better		best
		bad		worse		worst
		ill		worse		worst
		far		farther, further		farthest, furthest
		little¹		-		-
		little¹		less		least

1 When ‘‘little’’ means petit, we normally use ‘‘smaller’’ and ‘‘smallest’’, e.g.:

Our flat is smaller than theirs.
(Nuestro piso es más pequeño que el suyo.)

When ‘‘little’’ means poc, the forms are ‘‘less’’ and ‘‘least’’, e.g.:

We have less money than they have.
(Tenemos menos dinero que ellos.)