Comparative & Superlative – B1 Grammar Test
This B1 grammar test focuses on comparative and superlative adjectives, a core grammar topic tested in IELTS Writing, TOEFL Reading, and YDS grammar questions.
Choose the correct answer.
RESULTS
#1. This exercise is ___ than the previous one.
#2. My house is ___ from the city center than yours.
#3. She is the ___ student in the class.
#4. English is ___ than German for me.
#5. This is the ___ movie I’ve ever seen.
#6. Today is ___ than yesterday.
#7. Of all the players, he runs the ___.
#8. My job is ___ stressful than it was last year.
#9. This problem is ___ difficult than I expected.
#10. She is ___ person I know.
#11. Travelling by plane is ___ than travelling by bus.
#12. This exam is the ___ one we’ve taken this year.
#13. His explanation was ___ clear than mine.
#14. Summer is the ___ season in this country.
#15. This solution is ___ effective than the others.
✅ Answer Key with VERY DETAILED EXPLANATIONS
🧠 IELTS · TOEFL · YDS Focused
🧠 Critical Exam Rule (READ THIS FIRST)
Comparatives and superlatives are tested in exams not as vocabulary, but as form–meaning consistency.
| Structure | Form | Why exams care |
|---|---|---|
| Short adjectives | adjective + -er / -est | YDS form traps |
| Long adjectives (2+ syllables) | more / most + adjective | IELTS & TOEFL academic tone |
| Comparative marker | than | Meaning completion |
🚨 High-frequency exam trap
❌ more easier / more better
→ double comparison = automatic elimination (özellikle YDS)
1. easier
Sentence logic:
“This exercise is ___ than the previous one.”
Why this is correct:
easy is a short adjective (1–2 syllables ending in -y)
Short adjectives form the comparative with -er
“than” is already present → comparative required, not superlative
Why others are wrong:
❌ more easy → double comparison logic (more + short adjective)
❌ easiest → superlative, but only two things are compared
📌 YDS: form-based elimination
📌 IELTS: clear comparison of two items
2. farther
Sentence logic:
“My house is ___ from the city center than yours.”
Why this is correct:
The comparison is about physical distance
farther = physical distance
further = abstract/figurative distance (not used here)
Exam insight:
YDS often checks semantic nuance, not just grammar
📌 This is a classic YDS detail question
3. most intelligent
Sentence logic:
“She is the ___ student in the class.”
Why this is correct:
“the … in the class” → group comparison
intelligent is a long adjective (4 syllables)
Superlative form = most + adjective
Why not “more intelligent”?
more is comparative (used for two things)
Here, she is compared with everyone in the class
📌 IELTS Writing Task 2 often uses long adjectives like this
4. easier
Sentence logic:
“English is ___ than German for me.”
Why this is correct:
Two things compared → English vs German
easy → short adjective → -er
Key exam idea:
The presence of “than” almost always signals a comparative, not a superlative.
📌 Very common IELTS Speaking Part 1 structure
5. most interesting
Sentence logic:
“This is the ___ movie I’ve ever seen.”
Why this is correct:
“I’ve ever seen” → lifetime comparison
That automatically requires a superlative
interesting → long adjective → most
Why not “more interesting”?
more compares two items only
“ever seen” implies all movies
📌 IELTS Speaking & Writing emphasis marker
6. hotter
Sentence logic:
“Today is ___ than yesterday.”
Why this is correct:
hot is a one-syllable adjective
Ends with consonant–vowel–consonant → double last consonant
hot → hotter
Why “more hot” is wrong:
Short adjectives do not use “more”
📌 YDS loves spelling-rule questions like this
7. fastest
Sentence logic:
“Of all the players, he runs the ___.”
Why this is correct:
“Of all” = superlative signal
Short adjective → -est
Exam insight:
Words like of all, in the world, ever = superlative alarm 🚨
8. more stressful
Sentence logic:
“My job is ___ stressful than it was last year.”
Why this is correct:
stressful = long adjective
Comparative needed because of “than”
Long adjective → more + adjective
📌 IELTS Writing Task 2: job, stress, lifestyle vocabulary
9. more difficult
Sentence logic:
“This problem is ___ difficult than I expected.”
Why this is correct:
Two things compared: expectation vs reality
difficult → long adjective → more
Why “most” is wrong:
No group comparison, only contrast
📌 TOEFL Reading comparison logic
10. the kindest
Sentence logic:
“She is ___ person I know.”
Why this is correct:
“I know” implies many people
One person stands out → superlative
kind → short adjective → -est
📌 YDS often omits “of all” to test inference
11. more comfortable
Sentence logic:
“Travelling by plane is ___ than travelling by bus.”
Why this is correct:
Two transport types compared
comfortable = long adjective → more
📌 IELTS Writing Task 1 comparison sentences
12. hardest
Sentence logic:
“This exam is the ___ one we’ve taken this year.”
Why this is correct:
“this year” = time group
All exams in that period compared
Short adjective → -est
📌 Time expressions often trigger superlatives in YDS
13. more clear
Sentence logic:
“His explanation was ___ clear than mine.”
Why this is correct:
Two explanations compared
clear can take more in formal/academic style
📌 IELTS Writing prefers more clear over clearer in formal tone
14. hottest
Sentence logic:
“Summer is the ___ season in this country.”
Why this is correct:
One season compared with all others
Short adjective → -est
📌 Geography & climate questions (YDS & TOEFL)
15. more effective
Sentence logic:
“This solution is ___ effective than the others.”
Why this is correct:
Formal/academic adjective
Comparative required because of “than”
Long adjective → more
📌 IELTS Writing Task 2 academic comparison pattern
🧠 REAL EXAM SURVIVAL SUMMARY
Use comparative when:
Comparing two things
Seeing than
Contrasting expectation vs reality
Use superlative when:
Comparing three or more
Seeing signals like:
the
ever
of all
in the class / in the world
Exam focus:
YDS → form & trap elimination
IELTS → clarity + academic tone
TOEFL → structure–meaning consistency
