Test it, Fix it. English grammar - Kenna Bourke 2003

Comparative and superlative adverbs

Test it

1 Complete the sentences. Use the comparative or superlative form of the adverbs in brackets.

a Richard's clever, but Bob works ... of all the students. (hard)

b They all danced well, but Ellen danced ... . (elegantly)

c Mary drives ... than Andrea. (badly)

d You get high marks ... than I do. (often)

e Could you come ... than ten? It's rather late. (early)

2 Find and correct ten mistakes on the webpage.

a Can tortoises walk faster turtles?

b Of all the birds in the world, which bird sings the best?

c Do other animals wake up more early than birds or are birds the first to wake up?

d Which animal eats more greedily - a lion, a tiger or a leopard?

e Do worker bees really work harder than other bees?

f Can chimpanzees climb trees easily than orang-utans?

g Do camels live longer elephants?

h Can bats see clearly than humans?

i Which flies highest - an eagle or a hawk?

j Why don't zookeepers get bitten oftener?

к Do alligators move more slowly than crocodiles?

I Can dogs see further than cats?

m Can an elephant remember things more well than other animals?

n Why have apes developed quicklier than other animals?

о Can rabbits hear better than hares?

Test it again

1 Write the missing forms.

2 Choose the best option, A or B.

a I’d like to move ... to my family.

A nearer

В more near

b Nine o'clock? You get up ... than I do. I get up at five-thirty.

A late

В later

c Matthew works harder ... his supervisor does.

A than

В -

d We would all like to see you ... .

A oftener

В more often

e Can cats catch rats ... than they can catch mice?

A more easily

В most easily

f Aim ...! You always aim too low.

A higher

В more high

g Joanne writes badly, but Sue writes ... .

A worse

В more badly

h Laura speaks Spanish ... than her brother does.

A more well

В better

i Tom swims ... of all the boys in his class.

A the fastest

В fastest

j I drive ... you do. You're a terrible driver!

A more carefully

В more carefully than

Fix it

Answers to Test it

Check your answers. Wrong answer?

Read the right Fix it note to find out why.F

Answers to Test it again

1 a more slowly, the most slowly

b clearly, more clearly

c far, the furthest

d worse, the worst

e politely, more politely

f more generously, the most generously

g much, the most

h well, better

i carefully, the most carefully

j more neatly, the most neatly

2 a A b B c A d B e A f A g A h B i A j B

Fix it notes

A

Make the comparative form of most adverbs by adding more before the adverb. Мake the superlative form by adding the most.

В

Make the comparative form of the adverbs early, fast, hard and high by adding er to the adverb. Make the superlative form by adding the and est. (Change the у at the end of early to an i before adding er/est.)

C

Some adverbs, e.g. badly, far, well, have irregular comparative and superlative forms.

D

Use than after a comparative adverb.

Review

Comparative and superlative adverbs

• You make the comparative form of most adverbs by adding more before the adverb. You make the superlative form by adding the most.

quickly

morе quickly

the most quickly

• You make the comparative form of the adverbs early, fast, hard, high, late, low, near and soon by adding er. You make the superlative form of these adverbs by adding the and est. You change the у at the end of early to an i before you add er/est and just add r and st to late.

early earlier the earliest fast faster the fastest

high higher the highest late latest the latest

• Some adverbs have an irregular comparative and superlative form. You need to learn these.

far further the furthest

well better the best

badly worse the worst

• You use than after a comparative adverb.

You finished it more quickly than I did.

She sings better than he does.

Note: Sentences with superlative adverbs aren't as common as sentences with comparative adverbs.