12.2.1 Comparatives and Superlatives as Modifiers

1. My aunt is fat/fatter/fattest.

1. My aunt is fat. (No comparison is made here, so a simple adjective fat is used.)

2. The fierce/fiercer/fiercest of the two women was Lucy.

2. The fiercer of the two women was Lucy. (Two persons are compared, so the comparative of fiercer is used.)

3. Of the three stooges, the fat one is the funny/funnier/funniest character.

3. Of the three stooges, the fat one is the funniest character. (More than two persons are involved in comparison, so the superlative funniest is used.)

4. I am not a good/better/best chest player myself.

4. I am not a good chest player myself.

5. He thinks his brain is good/better/best than mine.

5. He thinks his brain is better than mine.

6. Of course, Susan is smart/smarter/smartest.

6. Of course, Susan is smart.

7. Sally is the smart/smarter/smartest student in the class.

7. Sally is the smartest student in the class.

8. Sue has got a goo/better/best score in mathematics than the last one.

8. Sue has got a better score in mathematics than the last one.

9. John has now run the far/farther/farthest than all the participants.

9. John has now run the farthest of all the participants.

10. Police are seeking far/further/furthest evidence before charging him.

10. Police are seeking further evidence before charging him.