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The rules for forming comparatives (e.g., better, more quickly, less efficiently) and

superlatives (e.g., best, most quickly, least efficiently) from adverbs are explained below. As

they are quite complicated, some people form double comparatives (e.g., more better, morequicklier) or double superlatives (e.g., bestest, most quickliest). These double forms are

serious grammar errors.

Forming Comparatives and Superlatives from

dverbs

The rules for forming comparatives and superlatives from adverbs

are varied.

Comparatives of dverbs

Here are some examples of comparatives of adverbs:

The goat can see better than you think.

(bettercomparative of well)

Try to paint the edges more carefully; it will save time later.

(more carefullycomparative of carefully)

He tries harder than most, but he has no aptitude for

languages.

(hardercomparative of hard)

The engine operates less efficiently with alcohol.

(less efficientlycomparative of efficiently)

Superlatives of dverbs

Here are some examples of superlatives of adverbs:

I have found that the office runs best with the radio on and the

heating down.

(bestsuperlative of well)

The gift is most gratefully received.

(most gratefully: superlative of gratefully)

It was obvious that they were not used to high heels, but Karen

moved least gracefully of all.

(least gracefullysuperlative of gracefully)

She answered most abruptly .

(most abruptly: superlative of abruptly)

WHAT IS A COMPARATIVE?

An expression like moreslowly(formed from theadverb slowly) is known as a

comparative. It is used to showwho (or what) has performed anaction in a specific manner tothe greater or lesserdegree. (i.e., It is used tocompare two performances.)

Use Paul's version; hewrites morediplomatically than Erika.(In this example, morediplomaticallycompares Paul'sperformance with Erika's. Theverb is to write.)

Claire dances less elegantly.(In this example, lesselegantlyis the comparative.It compares Claire'sperformance with somebodyelse's.)

WHAT IS A SUPERLATIVE?

An expression like mostcarefully(formed from theadverb carefully) is known as asuperlative. It is used to show

who (or what) has performed anaction in a specific manner tothe greatest or least degree.

The chairman spoke mostconvincingly of all.(most convincinglysuperlative of convincingly)

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In general, comparatives and superlatives of adverbs do not cause

difficulties for native English speakers. However, the mistake of

using a double comparative or a double superlative is fairly

common in speech. This error is more common with

thecomparatives and superlatives of adjectives,but is

occasionally seen with adverbs too.

Forming Comparatives and Superlatives from

dverbs

The table below shows the rules for forming comparatives and

superlatives from adverbs:

Type of

Adverb

Example

of Type

of

Adverb

How to Form the

Comparative

How to Form the

Superlative

OneSyllable fast

hard

add erfaster

harder

add estfastest

hardest

MoreThan

One

Syllable

carefully add lessor moremore carefully

add mostor leastmost carefully

Irregular

badly

well

no rulesworse

better

no rules

worst

best

Pete acted least sociably.(least sociablysuperlativeofsociably)

ONLY DO IT ONCE

When forming a comparative orsuperlative, be careful not to usea double comparative or a

double superlative.

Of all the fish in Europe, pikeattack the most fastest.(This is a double superlative.The word fastestis thesuperlative of fast. It is amistake to use theword mostas well.)

Forming Comparative and

Superlative AdverbsLY Adverbs.

With LY adverbs (adverbs formed from adjectives by adding -ly to the end) we form the

comparative and superlative forms with moreand most.

Adjective AdverbComparative

AdverbSuperlative Adverb

http://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/comparatives_superlatives_from_adjectives.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/comparatives_superlatives_from_adjectives.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/comparatives_superlatives_from_adjectives.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/comparatives_superlatives_from_adjectives.htm

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Adjective AdverbComparative

AdverbSuperlative Adverb

quiet quietly more quietly most quietly

careful carefully more carefully most carefully

happy happily more happily most happily

Jeff works more quietlythan Steve does.

Jeff works the most quietlyof all the students.

Mary drives more carefullythan John does.

Of the three drivers, Mary drives the most carefully.

Steve works more happilythan he used to.

Mary sings the most happilyof all the girls in the group.

Other Adverbs.

For adverbs which retain the same form as the adjective form, we add -er to form thecomparative and -est to form the superlative.

Adjective AdverbComparative

AdverbSuperlative Adverb

hard hard harder hardest

fast fast faster fastest

early early earlier earliest

Please work harder.

Steve works thehardest.

Mary runs faster than John does.

Mary runs the fastestof all the runners on the team.

Steve gets to work earlierthan I do.

Steve gets to work the earliestof all.

Irregular Adverbs.

Adjective AdverbComparative

AdverbSuperlative Adverb

good well better best

bad badly worse worst

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Adjective AdverbComparative

AdverbSuperlative Adverb

far far farther/further farthest/furthest

John plays tennis better than Jack does. On our tennis team, John plays tennis the best.

I did worseon the test than Bart did.

On that test, I did the worstin the class.

My paper airplane flew farther than yours did.

My paper airplane flew thefarthestof all.

Exercise on Comparison of Adverbs

Fill in the correct adverb form (comparative or superlative) of the adjectives in brackets.

1. I speak English (fluent)more fluently

now than last year.

2. She greeted me (polite) of all.

3. She smiled (happy) than before.

4. This girl dances (graceful) of all.

5. Could you write (clear) ?

6. Planes can fly (high) than birds.

7. He had an accident last year. Now, he drives (careful) than before.

8. Jim can run (fast) than John.

9. Our team played (bad) of all.

10. He worked (hard) than ever before.

Fill in the blank with the either the comparative formor superlative form of each adverb, as required:EX: Tom sang more loudly (more loudly/the most loudly) than the other kids.

1. I visit my parents (more often/the most often)than my brothers do.

2. He thinks he always knows . (better/best)

3. Out of all my siblings, I visit my parents (more often/the most often).

4. David did (worse/the worst)than he thought he would do on his test.

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5. I did (worse/the worst)out of all the students on my test.

6. Out of all the students, Frank studied (less/the least), but got the best grade.

7. We argued (longer/the longest)than I thought we would.

8. My sisters laughed (louder/the loudest)out of the whole audience.

9. The two guys who enjoyed the game (more/most)were Tom and Robert.

10. George drives (more recklessly/the most recklessly)than his brother.