Comparatives and Superlative Adjectives / Сравнительная и превосходная степени сравнения прилагательных

When we use adjectives, we can make comparisons. We can say: 

That flower is big, but this one is bigger. (By adding 'er' we are comparing.)

При помощи прилагательных мы можем сравнивать предметы. Например:
Тот цветок большой (big), но этот больше (bigger). (При помощи суффикса 'er' мы образуем сравнительную степень прилагательного).
 

Do you know how to make COMPARATIVE adjectives?
The key is counting the syllables in the word. Every word is made up of units of speech, usually containing vowel sounds.

For one-syllable words

For one-syllable words we add -er to the adjective. The following are all one syllable adjectives:
Small becomes smaller
Cheap becomes cheaper
Quick becomes quicker

For two-syllable words

Adjectives with two or more syllables take more / less:
Beautiful becomes more beautiful
Sensitive becomes more sensitive
Dangerous becomes more dangerous
 

Some adjectives take both forms

Some two-syllable adjectives can take either -er or more:
Simple becomes simpler or more simple
Narrow becomes narrower or more narrow
Quiet becomes quieter or more quiet

Irregular forms

Some adjectives don't follow any of the above rules. Here are some of the most common irregular forms:
good becomes better
bad becomes worse
far becomes farther

Do you know how to make SUPERLATIVE adjectives?  A superlative adjective expresses the extreme or highest degree of a quality.

There are two ways to form a superlative adjective: 

short adjectives: add "-est"   old - oldest; nice - nicest

long adjectives: use "most"

We also usually add 'the' at the beginning.  

Here are several sentences using these adjectives in their superlative form:

• He is the oldest one at the country club.
• That is the thinnest dog in the kennel.
• You have the curliest hair I have ever seen.
• She was the nicest person there.
• Those are the simplest instructions.
  

Spelling rules

If the adjective ends in a consonant, double the final consonant before adding –er:

Big becomes bigger
Hot becomes hotter
Wet becomes wetter

When adjectives ending with y

For most adjectives that end with a y we change the y to i and add er:
Dirty becomes dirtier
Smelly becomes smellier
Ugly becomes uglier