Superlatives and Irregular Comparison — English Grammar Exercises
Once -er and -est are automatic, the difficulty moves to prepositions, irregular forms and the words that strengthen a comparison.
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Superlative + in or of
| use | when the group is… | example |
|---|---|---|
| in | a place or organisation | the cleverest student in the class |
| of | a set of items | the best of all the students |
| of | a period of time | the best day of my life |
Making a comparison stronger or weaker
| words | example | |
|---|---|---|
| stronger | much, far, a lot | This puzzle is much harder. |
| weaker | a bit, a little, slightly | Could you speak a bit louder? |
| superlative | by far | It's by far the most interesting museum. |
Very never goes with a comparative — ✗ very colder, ✓ much colder.
as ... as / not as ... as
Between as and as comes the base form, never the comparative.
She runs as fast as a professional. I'm not as fast as I used to be. He doesn't dance as well as he used to.
After as … as the second word is as, not than: ✗ not as tall than me.
Irregular pairs that carry a meaning
| pair | rule | example |
|---|---|---|
| farther / further | both for distance | She lives further from school. |
| further only | abstract senses | I need further information. |
| less | uncountable nouns | I eat less meat now. |
| fewer | countable nouns | There are fewer cars today. |
| less + adjective | downward comparison | This phone is less expensive. |
Comparative adverbs and two-item comparison
Adverbs in -ly take more / the most, and the modifier goes before more: He drives much more carefully than he used to.
With exactly two things, use the + comparative: Of the two sisters, Sarah is the taller.
Common mistakes
| ✗ | ✓ |
|---|---|
| the tallest of the class | the tallest in the class |
| It's very colder today. | It's much colder today. |
| as faster as her brother | as fast as her brother |
| not as tall than me | not as tall as me |
| She lives more far away. | She lives further away. |
| I need farther information. | I need further information. |
| I eat fewer meat. | I eat less meat. |
| Of the two, Sarah is the tallest. | Of the two, Sarah is the taller. |
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He works ___ than anyone in the office.
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harder
The adverb 'hard' takes -er — 'harder', not 'more hard'. And 'hardly' is a different word meaning 'almost not'.
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He is the cleverest student ___ the class.
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in
After a superlative, use 'in' before a place or group — 'in the class'.
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She lives ___ from school than I do.
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farther
'Far' is irregular: the comparative is 'farther' (or 'further'), never 'more far'.
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She is the best ___ all the students.
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of
After a superlative, use 'of' before a list or group seen as a whole — 'of all the students'.
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She runs as ___ as a professional athlete.
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fast
Between 'as ... as' use the base form of the adverb — 'as fast as'.
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I drive ___ more carefully than I used to.
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much
Use 'much / far / a lot' with a comparative — never 'very more carefully'.
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Could you speak ___ louder, please? I can't hear you well.
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a bit
Use 'a bit / a little / slightly' with a comparative to weaken it.
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The film was just as ___ as the book.
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exciting
Between 'as ... as' use the base form of the adjective — 'as exciting as'.
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Could you speak ___ more slowly? I can't quite catch the words.
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a bit
Use 'a bit / a little / slightly' with a comparative to weaken it.
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London is ___ from here than Paris.
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farther
'Far' is irregular: 'farther' (or 'further'), never 'more far'.
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I'm not ___ I used to be.
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as fast as
'Not as ... as' is the structure for saying two things are not equal.
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This puzzle is ___ harder than the last one.
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much
Use 'much / far / a lot' with a comparative — not 'very'.
Superlatives and Irregular Comparison
Most learners master the mechanics of comparison early: short adjectives take -er and -est, longer ones take more and the most. What survives much longer is a small group of choices the basic rule does not settle — which preposition follows a superlative, which word strengthens a comparative, how to say that two things are equal, and the handful of irregular forms where the choice carries a meaning difference. These 45 exercises deal only with that second layer; the formation rules themselves are practised in Comparison of Adjectives and Comparison of Adverbs.
Prepositions After a Superlative: In or Of
English uses in when the group is a place or an organisation, and of when it is a set of items or a span of time. This is not a free choice, and the wrong preposition is one of the most audible errors at B1.
He is the tallest player in the team.
She is the best of all the students. (a set)
It was the most exciting day of my life. (a span of time)
Strengthening and Weakening a Comparative
A comparative takes its own set of modifiers. Much, far, a lot make the difference bigger; a bit, slightly, a little make it smaller; by far goes with the superlative. Very is impossible before a comparative — a persistent transfer error from languages where one word covers both jobs.
The second interview went far better than the first.
Could you speak a bit louder, please?
It's by far the most interesting museum I have visited. (by far + superlative)
✗ It's very colder today. (use 'much')
As...As and Not As...As
To say two things are equal, put the base form — never the comparative — between as and as. The negative not as … as is the ordinary way to say that something is less, and it is far more common in speech than less + adjective.
The film was just as exciting as the book. (not 'as more exciting as')
I'm not as fast as I used to be.
He doesn't dance as well as he used to. (adverb: 'well', not 'good')
Irregular Comparison: Farther/Further, Less/Fewer
Two irregular pairs carry a real distinction. Farther and further are interchangeable for physical distance, but only further works in abstract senses ('further information', 'further discussion'). Less goes with uncountable nouns, fewer with countable ones — and less is also the regular way to make a downward comparison with a long adjective.
I need further information before I decide. (abstract — not 'farther')
I eat less meat now than last year. (uncountable)
This phone is less expensive than that one. (downward comparison)
Comparative Adverbs and the Two-Item Rule
Adverbs ending in -ly compare with more and the most, and the modifier goes before more: 'much more carefully'. Separately, when exactly two things are compared, English uses the + comparative, not the superlative.
She finished her exam the most quickly of all the candidates.
I exercise more often now than I did last year.
Of the two sisters, Sarah is the taller. (two items → comparative)
Common Mistakes
✗ It's very colder today. → ✓ It's much colder today.
✗ She runs as faster as her brother. → ✓ She runs as fast as her brother.
✗ I'm not as tall than my brother. → ✓ I'm not as tall as my brother.
✗ She lives more far from school. → ✓ She lives further from school.
✗ I need farther information. → ✓ I need further information.
✗ I eat fewer meat now. → ✓ I eat less meat now.
✗ Of the two sisters, Sarah is the tallest. → ✓ Sarah is the taller.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it 'the best in the class' or 'the best of the class'?
Use 'in' with a place or a group seen as a place — 'the best student in the class', 'the tallest building in the city'. Use 'of' with a quantity or a set — 'the best of all the students', 'the most exciting day of my life'.
What is the difference between 'farther' and 'further'?
For physical distance both are correct, and 'further' is more common in British English: 'She lives farther/further from school than I do.' For abstract meanings only 'further' works — 'further information', 'further discussion'.
Why can't I say 'very bigger'?
'Very' modifies a plain adjective, not a comparative. Comparatives take 'much', 'a lot', 'far' or 'a bit': 'much bigger', 'a bit colder', 'far better'.
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