Grammar Girl here, your hostess with the mostest guest rider Bonnie Tringa is back for more

on comparisons.

In a previous show, we talked about when to use more and most, or the suffixes ER and

EST, to make comparisons using adjectives and adverbs.

In this show, we'll go a little bit more in depth about comparisons.

When you're comparing items, you need to notice if you're comparing two things or more

than two things.

When you compare two items, you're using what's called a comparative, so you use more before

the adjective or the suffix ER on the end of it.

You can remember that comparatives are for two things, because compare has the sound

pair in it, and a pair is always two things.

It's not spelled like pair, but it sounds like pair.

When you compare three or more items, you're using a superlative, so you use most or the

suffix EST.

You can remember that superlatives are for more than two things, because superlative

has the word super in it, and when you want a whole bunch of something, you supersize

it.

So to think about it loosely, use a comparative when you have a pair of things, and a superlative

when you have a supersized group, at least more than two.

Now, if you listen to the other show about comparisons, you know when you're supposed

to use which one.

If not, you can always check it out, it's episode 124.

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