Flo-Joe for Cambridge English Exams

Cambridge English: Preliminary

Vocabulary practice for the Cambridge PET exam

Grammar: Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives

1: Work it Out

Usually, comparative and superlative forms in English take 'er', 'est', (bigger, biggest) or 'more', 'most' (more/most interesting). However, there are some adjectives and adverbs that have different forms. Look at these sentences. Can you work out the rules for 'good', 'bad' and 'far':

Yesterday's menu was good but today's is better.
This is the best score I've ever had in an exam.

Mark: Is your sore throat still bad?
Jane: It's worse. It's the worst one I've ever had.

The police are going further than ever to fight crime.
My trip to China will be the furthest I've ever been.

Try the quiz below to check your ideas.

2: Check Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives

Complete each sentence by typing the correct comparative or superlative form::

A) You're looking (GOOD) now. Has your cold gone?

B) I think the (GOOD) holiday I ever had was the one to Brazil.

C) The unemployment figures are (BAD) than expected.

D) That is definitely the (BAD) game of football I have ever seen.

E) We climbed (FAR) up the hill to get a better view.

F) What is the (FAR) planet from the sun?

Well done! The forms are 'GOOD, BETTER and BEST', 'BAD, WORSE and WORST', 'FAR FURTHER (or FARTHER) and FURTHEST (or FARTHEST)'. The correct answers are A) BETTER, B) BEST, C) WORSE, D) WORST E) FURTHER (or FARTHER. Add a point if you typed this), F) FURTHEST (or FARTHEST. Add a point if you typed this). The forms are 'GOOD, BETTER and BEST', 'WORSE and WORST', 'FAR FURTHER/FARTHER and FURTHEST/FARTHEST'.Your answer has been saved.Check your answer

 

 

 

3: Sentence Transformation

For each question, complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first.
Use no more than three words.

A. His latest book isn't as good as his first one.
His first book ........................................ his latest one.

That's right.No. The correct answer is 'WAS BETTER THAN' or 'IS BETTER THAN'.Your answer has been saved.Check your answer

 

B. Her old school was closer than the new one.
Her new school ......................................... the old one.

That's right.No. The correct answer is 'IS FURTHER THAN' of 'IS FARTHER THAN'.Your answer has been saved.Check your answer

 

C. I've never played better than I did yesterday.
Yesterday ........................................ I have ever played.

That's right.No. The correct answer is 'WAS THE BEST'.Your answer has been saved.Check your answer

 

D. He has never made such a bad decision.
It ........................................ decision he has ever made.

That's right.No. The correct answer is 'WAS THE WORST' or 'IS THE WORST'.Your answer has been saved.Check your answer

 

E. The bank is at the very far end of the street.
The bank ........................................ shop along the street.

That's right.No. The correct answer is 'IS THE FURTHEST' or 'IS THE FARTHEST'.Your answer has been saved.Check your answer

 

F. I didn't think my results would be this bad.
My results ........................................ I had thought.

That's right.No. The correct answer is 'ARE WORSE THAN' or 'WERE WORSE THAN'.Your answer has been saved.Check your answer

 

Study Tip, Grammar

Practise comparative and superlative forms including irregular ones like these by thinking about your own experiences. For example:

I'm better at English than ...
The worst holiday I've ever had was ...
The furthest I've ever travelled is ...