Ch. 21 · Grammaire

Comparatives & Superlatives — Plus, moins, le plus

Bigger, more interesting, the best

Deux systèmes selon la longueur

Adjectif court (1 syllabe) → -er / -est. Adjectif long (2+ syllabes) → more / the most. Le français, lui, dit toujours « plus » !

tall → taller → the tallest

interesting → more interesting → the most interesting

Orthographe des courts

big → bigger (doublement), nice → nicer (e muet), happy → happier (-y → -ier). Les adjectifs en -y de 2 syllabes comptent comme courts.

hot → hotter · easy → easier · early → earlier

Than et the

« Que » de comparaison = than (pas that !). Le superlatif prend the et se complète avec in pour un lieu/groupe.

She’s taller than me.

It’s the tallest building in the city. (de la ville → in !)

Les irréguliers

good → better → the best · bad → worse → the worst · far → further → the furthest.

This film is better than the book.

It was the worst day of my life.

Égalité et écarts

as ... as (aussi... que), not as ... as (pas aussi... que), much/a bit + comparatif pour doser.

He’s as tall as his father.

The train is much faster than the bus. (bien plus rapide)

Erreurs typiques

Les pièges classiques pour les francophones

Voici les erreurs que les francophones font le plus souvent sur ce point.

more big, more easy
bigger, easier
Adjectifs courts → -er. More est réservé aux longs.
She is taller that me.
She is taller than me.
« Que » comparatif = than, jamais that.
the most tall building of the city
the tallest building in the city
Court → -est, et « de la ville » → in the city.
This film is more better.
This film is better.
Better est déjà un comparatif : jamais more devant.
He is so tall as his father. (aussi grand que)
He is as tall as his father.
Égalité = as... as (so... as seulement à la négative).

Récapitulatif : Comparatives & Superlatives

Courts
-er / the -est
taller, the tallest
Longs
more / the most
more interesting
Que
than
taller than me
Irréguliers
better/best, worse/worst
better than the book
Aussi... que
as ... as
as tall as his father
De la ville/du monde
in the city / in the world
the best in the world
Aux exercices →