An adverb is a part of speech that modifies a verb, an adjective, and another adverb.

In English grammar, adverbs can also have comparative and superlative forms - just like adjectives. Comparative adverbs are used to compare two things and superlative adverbs are used for comparing three or more things.

Example

Explanation

Can you repeat it more slowly, please?

More slowly is the comparative form of the adverb slowly.

Rule 1: When making comparative and superlative forms of adverbs ending in -ly, we use more to form the comparative, and most to form the superlative.

Here are a few examples:

AdverbComparativeSuperlative
slowly more slowly the most slowly
quietly more quietly the most quietly
responsibly more responsibly the most responsibly
AdverbComparativeSuperlative
slowly more slowly the most slowly
quietly more quietly the most quietly
responsibly more responsibly the most responsibly

Note: With a superlative, we use the article the to indicate there is only one.

Rule 2: Comparative and superlative forms of short adverbs that do not end in -ly are identical to adjectives: use the structure adverb + -er to form the comparative and adverb + -est to form the superlative.

Like this:

AdverbComparativeSuperlative
fast faster the fastest
hard harder the hardest
late later the latest
AdverbComparativeSuperlative
fast faster the fastest
hard harder the hardest
late later the latest

Note: If the adverb ends in e, remove it before adding the ending.

Rule 3: Some adverbs have irregular comparative and superlative forms - we need to memorize them.

AdverbComparativeSuperlative
badly worse the worst
little less the least
far farther / further the farthest / the furthest
well better the best
AdverbComparativeSuperlative
badly worse the worst
little less the least
far farther / further the farthest / the furthest
well better the best

Quiz

1/4

Choose the right form of an adverb. Can you sing ___ (loudly), please?

0

correct answers.