Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

To make the comparative form of adjectives (like 'bigger' or 'more expensive') and the superlative form (like 'biggest' or 'most expensive'), first we need to know how many syllables are in the adjective.

Adjectives with one syllable

Usually if an adjective has only one syllable, we add 'er' to make the comparative form. We add 'est' to make the superlative form.

• clean → cleaner / cleanest
• cold → colder / coldest
• small → smaller / smallest
• young → younger / youngest
• tall → taller / tallest

There are some spelling changes. If there is one vowel followed by one consonant at the end of the adjective, we often double the consonant.

• wet → wetter / wettest
• big → bigger / biggest
• hot → hotter / hottest
• thin → thinner / thinnest

If the adjective ends in 'y', this often changes to 'i'.

• dry → drier / driest

If the adjective ends in 'e', we don't add another 'e', just 'r'.

• nice → nicer / nicest
• large → larger / largest

Even when the adjective has only one syllable, it's still not wrong to use 'more' or 'most'. It's possible to say 'more wet' or 'most tall'. This isn't incorrect.

There are a few adjectives that we have to use 'more' or 'most' with, even though they only have one syllable. We CAN'T add 'er' or 'est'.

• fun → more fun / most fun (NOT funner / funnest)
• real → more real / most real (NOT realer / realest)
• right → more right / most right (NOT righter / rightest)
• wrong → more wrong / most wrong (NOT wronger / wrongest)

Adjectives with two syllables

For adjectives with two syllables we generally use 'more' or 'most'.

• careful → more careful / most careful
• bored → more bored / most bored

But some two syllable adjectives can take 'er' or 'est'. It's also fine to use 'more' (for the comparative) or 'most' (for the superlative).

• clever → cleverer / cleverest
• simple → simpler / simplest
• narrow → narrower / narrowest
• quiet → quieter / quietest

Adjectives with two syllables that end in 'y' usually can add 'er' or 'est' (y generally changes to i). It's also fine to use 'more' or 'most'.

• dirty → dirtier / dirtiest
• pretty → prettier / prettiest
• happy → happier / happiest
• ugly → uglier / ugliest

Adjectives with more than two syllables

Adjectives with more than two syllables can only make their comparative by using 'more' and their superlative by using 'most'.

• beautiful → more beautiful / most beautiful
• intelligent → more intelligent / most intelligent
• interesting → more interesting / most interesting
• expensive → more expensive / most expensive

Irregular adjectives

There are also some irregular adjectives. We just need to learn these forms.

• good → better → best
• bad → worse → worst
• far → further → furthest
• little → less → least
• much → more → most

The Present Simple Tense

(also called the simple present tense)

We need to use the Present Simple a lot in English, so it's really important to understand it well. Many students have problems with the form (or how to make it).

• If you'd prefer to learn about how to USE the Present Simple jump to this page.
• Or, click here for all the practice exercises about this tense.

Simple present tense with 'be'

The verb 'be' is different from the other verbs in this tense. Let's look at 'be' first:

Here's the positive form (positive means a normal sentence, not a negative or a question. This is sometimes called 'affirmative')

Positive

Positive Short Form

I am

I'm

you are

you're

he is

he's

she is

she's

it is

it's

we are

we're

they are

they're

Next, here's the negative. It's very easy. You only add 'not'.

Negative

Negative short form

I am not

I'm not

you are not

you aren't

he is not

he isn't

she is not

she isn't

it is not

it isn't

we are not

we aren't

they are not

they aren't

And finally let's talk about the question form of the present simple with 'be'.

Firstly, here's the 'yes / no' question form:

Yes / No Questions

am I ?

are you ?

is he ?

is she ?

is it ?

are we ?

are they ?

If you'd like to make a 'wh' question, you just put the question word at the front:

Wh Questions

where am I ?

what are you ?

why is he ?

who is she ?

when are we ?

how are they ?

Present simple tense with other verbs

With all other verbs, we make the present simple in the same way.

The positive is really easy. It's just the verb with an extra 's' if the subject is 'he', 'she', or 'it'. Let's take the verb 'play' as an example:

Positive (of 'play')

I play

you play

he plays

she plays

it plays

we play

they play

• Don't forget the 's'! Even really advanced students do this!
• For a few verbs, there is a spelling change before the 's'. For example, 'study' becomes 'studies'.
• There are also few verbs which are irregular in the present simple:
1. 'have' becomes 'has'
2. 'do' becomes 'does'
3. 'go' becomes 'goes'

To make the negative form, you need to use 'do not' (don't) or ' does not' (doesn't).

Negative (of 'play')

I do not play

I don't play

you do not play

you don't play

he does not play

he doesn't play

she does not play

she doesn't play

it does not play

it doesn't play

we do not play

we don't play

they do not play

they don't play

How about the question form of the present simple tense?

We use 'do' or 'does' before the subject to make the 'yes / no' question:

Yes / No questions

do I play ?

do you play ?

does he play ?

does she play ?

does it play ?

do we play ?

do they play ?

Just like with 'be', if you'd like to make a 'wh' question, you just put the question word at the front:

Wh Questions

where do I play ?

what do you play ?

why does he play ?

who does she play ?

when do we play ?

how do they play ?

The Past Simple Tense

(also called the simple past tense)

It's similar to the present simple because it has different rules for the verb 'be', which becomes 'was' or 'were':

The Past Simple with 'be'

Here's how to make the positive:

Positive with 'be'

I was cold

you were tired

he was in the garden

she was late

it was sunny

we were on holiday

they were hungry

To make the negative with 'be', just add 'not':

Negative with 'be'

Negative Short Form

I was not sleepy

I wasn't sleepy

you were not on the bus

you weren't on the bus

he was not at school

he wasn't at school

she was not beautiful

she wasn't beautiful

it was not cold

it wasn't cold

we were not at work

we weren't at work

they were not tired

they weren't tired

To make a question, just like the present simple, we change the position of 'was / were' and the subject.

Here are the past simple 'yes / no' questions with 'be':

'Yes / No' Questions with 'Be'

was I sleepy?

were you late?

was he at the cinema?

was she kind?

was it hot?

were we hungry?

were they at work?

And the 'wh' questions with 'be' (the question word just goes at the beginning, everything else is the same):

'Wh' Questions with 'Be'

why was I sleepy?

where were you?

when was he at the cinema?

how was she?

how was it?

why were we hungry?

when were they at work?

We make the past simple just like the present simple except we use 'did' instead of 'do / does'. It's really easy because 'did' doesn't change, even with 'he / she / it'.

The positive:

We usually make the positive by adding '-ed' to the infinitive. For example, 'play' becomes 'played'. However, there are some irregular verbs, for example 'go' becomes 'went' and 'run' becomes 'ran'.

Positive with Other Verbs

I walked (regular)

you played (regular)

he cooked (regular)

she listened (regular)

it rained (regular)

we ate (irregular)

they drank (irregular)

In the negative there aren't any irregular verbs. All verbs use 'did not (didn't) + infinitive':

Negative

Negative Short Form

I did not walk

I didn't walk

you did not play

you didn't play

he did not cook

he didn't cook

she did not listen

she didn't listen

it did not rain

it didn't rain

we did not eat

we didn't eat

they did not drink

they didn't drink

Questions are also very easy. Just put 'did' before the subject, and the infinitive after it.

Here are the 'yes / no' questions:

'Yes / No' Questions

did I walk?

did you play?

did he cook?

did she listen?

did it rain?

did we eat?

did they drink?

To make a 'wh' question, of course, put the question word at the beginning of the sentence:

'Wh' Questions

where did I go?

what did you play?

what did he cook?

why did she listen?

when did it rain?

where did we eat?

how did they travel?