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Using comparatives and superlatives

than​

After comparatives we use than, not that or as.

  • Today’s hotter than yesterday. (not … hotter that … or … hotter as …)

The difference between comparatives and superlatives​

We use a comparative to compare one person, thing, action, event or group with another person, thing, etc. We use a superlative to compare somebody/something with the whole group that he/she/it belongs to.

Compare:

  • Emily’s taller than her three sisters.
    Emily’s the tallest of the four girls. (not … the taller …)
  • Your accent is worse than mine.
    Your accent is the worst in the class. (not … the worse …)
  • He plays better than everybody else in the team.
    He’s the best in the team.

Groups with two members​

When a group only has two members, we sometimes use a comparative instead of a superlative.

  • I like Lily and Mia, but I think Mia’s the nicer/nicest of the two.
  • I’ll give you the bigger/biggest steak: I’m not very hungry.

Some people feel that a superlative is incorrect in this case.

Double comparatives: fatter and fatter; more and more slowly​

We can use double comparatives to say that something is changing.

  • I’m getting fatter and fatter.
  • We’re going more and more slowly. (not … more slowly and more slowly.)

the … the …​

We can use comparatives with the … the … to say that things change or vary together.

Word order (in both clauses):

Grammar

the + comparative expression + subject + verb

  • The older I get, the happier I am. (not Older I get, more I am happy.)
  • The more dangerous it is, the more I like it. (not The more it is dangerous, …)
  • The more I study, the less I learn.

Noun phrases with more can be used in this structure.

  • The more money he makes, the more useless things he buys.

In longer structures, that is sometimes used before the first verb.

  • The more information that comes in, the more confused the picture is.

A short form of this structure is used in the expression The more the merrier, and in sentences ending the better.

  • ‘How do you like your coffee?’ ‘The stronger the better.’

Note that in this structure, the word the is not really the definite article – it was originally a form of the demonstrative pronoun, meaning ‘by that much’.

than me; than I (am)​

In an informal style, object pronouns (me, etc) are used after than. In a more formal style, subject pronouns (I, etc) are used (usually with verbs).

  • She’s older than me. (informal)
  • She is older than I (am). (formal)

the happiest man in the world​

After superlatives, we do not usually use of with a singular word referring to a place or group.

  • I’m the happiest man in the world. (not … of the world.)
  • She’s the fastest runner in the class. (not … of the class.)

But of can be used before plurals, and before lot.

  • She’s the fastest runner of them all.
  • He’s the best of the lot.

Note also the structure with possessive ’s.

  • He thinks he’s the world’s strongest man.

than anybody; the best … ever​

‘Non-affirmative’ words like ever, yet and any (see here) often follow comparatives and superlatives.

  • It’s the best book I’ve ever read.
  • This is my hardest job yet.
  • You’re more stubborn than anybody I know.
note

For tenses after than, (see here).

For the first/second/best, etc + present/past perfect, (see here).