Comparatives Superlatives

Respuesta correcta: A) taller

• A) tallerTall is a short adjective, so the comparative adds the suffix er and the word than.
• B) more tallMore tall is wrong because short adjectives take the er suffix, not the word more.
• C) tallestTallest is the superlative form, which compares three or more things, not two.
• D) most tallMost tall mixes the two patterns: short adjectives form the superlative with est.

Respuesta correcta: B) the busiest

• A) the more busyMore busy is not a superlative: two-syllable adjectives like busy take the est form here.
• B) the busiestBusy ends in a consonant plus y, so the y changes to i and the superlative suffix est is added.
• C) the busierThe busier is comparative, used to compare exactly two things, not to name the top one.
• D) more busy thanMore busy than is a comparative phrase and cannot express the highest degree of all.

Respuesta correcta: C) more interesting

• A) interestingerInterestinger is wrong because long adjectives never take the er suffix directly.
• B) most interestingMost interesting is superlative and needs the, but the sentence compares only two films.
• C) more interestingInteresting has four syllables, so long adjectives form the comparative with more plus than.
• D) as interestingAs interesting is incomplete: equality needs the pattern as interesting as.

Respuesta correcta: D) better

• A) gooderGooder does not exist: good is an irregular adjective with the fixed form better.
• B) more goodMore good is wrong because irregular adjectives never combine good with more.
• C) bestBest is the superlative of good, reserved for comparing three or more teams.
• D) betterGood is irregular, so its comparative is better and no suffix or more is needed.

Respuesta correcta: A) as tall as

• A) as tall asEquality between two people uses the fixed pattern as plus adjective plus as.
• B) so tall asSo tall as only appears in negatives such as not so tall as, never in positive sentences.
• C) as tall thanAs tall than mixes the two patterns: as pairs with as, while than belongs to comparatives.
• D) taller asTaller as is wrong because the comparative taller must be followed by than, not as.

Respuesta correcta: B) as ... as

• A) so ... thanSo ... than is a mixed structure; so appears only with as in negative equality sentences.
• B) as ... asNot as plus adjective plus as is the standard pattern for saying something is equal or lower.
• C) as ... thanAs ... than is impossible because the second element of equality is always as, never than.
• D) more ... asMore ... as confuses comparison of superiority with the equality pattern as ... as.

Respuesta correcta: C) This exercise is easier than the last one.

• A) This exercise is more easier than the last one.The original error stays: more and the er suffix are two comparative markers used together.
• B) This exercise is more easy than the last one.More easy is not a form; short adjectives like easy take the er suffix instead of more.
• C) This exercise is easier than the last one.Removing more fixes the double comparative: easy already becomes easier on its own.
• D) This exercise is easiest than the last one.Easiest is the superlative and cannot be followed by than, which signals comparison of two.

Respuesta correcta: D) farther

• A) more farMore far is wrong: far is irregular and never combines with more in the comparative.
• B) farerFarer does not exist; the irregular form farther replaces any regular formation.
• C) the farthestThe farthest is a superlative, but the sentence compares only two routes with than.
• D) fartherFar has two irregular comparative forms, farther and further, and both fit here.

Respuesta correcta: A) much

• A) muchMuch strengthens a comparative, and much more exciting is the correct intensified form.
• B) veryVery cannot modify a comparative; it works with the plain adjective, as in very exciting.
• C) soSo fits patterns like so exciting that, but it cannot strengthen the form more exciting.
• D) tooToo means excess and is followed by to in result clauses, so it does not modify comparatives.

Respuesta correcta: B) This month's sales are lower than last month's.

• A) This month's sales are less lower than last month's.Less lower doubles the marking of inferiority, because less and the er suffix do the same job.
• B) This month's sales are lower than last month's.Lower than is the regular comparative of low and expresses inferiority with no extra words.
• C) This month's sales are more low than last month's.More low is impossible: short adjectives form the comparative with the er suffix alone.
• D) This month's sales are not lower as last month's.Not lower as mixes two patterns, since the negative equality form is not as low as.

Respuesta correcta: C) The more you practise, the better you speak.

• A) More you practise, better you speak.Dropping the two the words removes the fixed structure that links the two clauses.
• B) The more you practise, you speak better.The second clause must also start with the; a plain clause breaks the parallel structure.
• C) The more you practise, the better you speak.The proportional pattern needs the before both parts: the more, the better.
• D) You practise more, the better you speak.The first clause cannot stand alone; it must carry the and stay inside the pattern.

Respuesta correcta: D) It is the best film I have ever seen.

• A) It is the best film I have never seen.Never contradicts the praise, because the speaker claims to have seen the film.
• B) It is the better film I have ever seen.Better is comparative and cannot introduce a clause that names a whole life experience.
• C) It is the most best film I have ever seen.Most best doubles the superlative marking: best is already the top form of good.
• D) It is the best film I have ever seen.Ever with the present perfect is the standard partner of a superlative about experience.

Respuesta correcta: A) as quickly as

• A) as quickly asAdverbs follow the same equality pattern as adjectives: as quickly as.
• B) as quicklier asQuicklier does not exist; quickly forms its comparative with more, not with the er suffix.
• C) so quickly thanSo quickly than mixes the negative so with the comparative word than in one structure.
• D) as more quickly asAs more quickly as stacks the equality frame around a comparative, which breaks the pattern.

Respuesta correcta: B) The larger of the two cars is ours.

• A) The largest of the two cars is ours.The largest compares three or more items, so it clashes with the phrase of the two.
• B) The larger of the two cars is ours.With exactly two items, English uses the comparative plus of the two, not the superlative.
• C) The more large of the two cars is ours.More large is not a form, because large is a short adjective that takes the er suffix.
• D) Larger of the two cars is ours.Dropping the leaves the noun phrase without the definite article it needs here.

Respuesta correcta: C) by far the most original

• A) the very most originalVery cannot strengthen a superlative directly in this position before the.
• B) by far the more originalMore original is comparative and cannot complete the phrase album of the year.
• C) by far the most originalBy far sits before the full superlative and signals a clear distance from the rest.
• D) much the most originalMuch cannot precede the superlative phrase; by far or easily do that job.

Respuesta correcta: D) Region A is twice as large as region B.

• A) Region A is as twice large as region B.As twice large as puts the multiplier inside the equality frame, where it cannot stand.
• B) Region A is two times larger as region B.Larger as mixes the comparative word larger with as, which belongs to equality only.
• C) Region A is larger twice than region B.Larger twice than scrambles the order; the multiplier comes before as, not after.
• D) Region A is twice as large as region B.The multiplicative pattern is twice plus as plus adjective plus as.

Respuesta correcta: A) Nothing is more precious than time.

• A) Nothing is more precious than time.More precious than is the full comparative pattern, so the sentence is grammatical.
• B) Nothing is more precious that time.That cannot follow a comparative; the link word after more precious must be than.
• C) Nothing is so precious than time.So belongs to the equality pattern so precious as, never to the comparative with than.
• D) Nothing is much precious than time.Much cannot modify the plain adjective precious here; the comparative more is missing.

Respuesta correcta: B) the most expensive

• A) the expensivestThe expensivest does not exist, because long adjectives never take the est suffix.
• B) the most expensiveOf the whole trip sets a superlative frame, so the long adjective needs the most.
• C) more expensiveMore expensive is comparative and clashes with the frame that covers every meal.
• D) much expensiveMuch expensive lacks a comparative or superlative marker, so the degree is not formed.

Respuesta correcta: C) Her new novel is not as gripping as her first one.

• A) Her new novel is not as gripping than her first one.The equality frame ends in as, so the comparative word than breaks the structure.
• B) Her new novel is less gripping as her first one.Less gripping must pair with than, because less builds a comparative, not an equality.
• C) Her new novel is not as gripping as her first one.Not as gripping as is the standard negative equality pattern, so the editor accepts it.
• D) Her new novel is not more gripping as her first one.Not more gripping as mixes the comparative more gripping with the equality word as.

Respuesta correcta: D) The traffic gets worse and worse every winter.

• A) The traffic gets more worse and worse every winter.More worse doubles the comparative marking, since worse is already the form of comparison.
• B) The traffic gets worse and more worse every winter.The pattern repeats one form twice, so more cannot replace the second worse.
• C) The traffic gets more and worse every winter.Dropping the second worse leaves the frame incomplete, because and must join two forms.
• D) The traffic gets worse and worse every winter.The progressive pattern repeats the comparative: worse and worse, with no extra words.