Correcting Comparative and Superlative Errors - GMAT Verbal

We use comparative adjectives when comparing two people or things (bigger, worse); we use superlative adjectives when comparing one person or thing with three or more people or things (the biggest, the worse).

Calories can be counted, and so we use the word "fewer." "Less" is for quantities that cannot be counted, such as water.

We use comparative adjectives when comparing two people or things (bigger, worse, etc.); we use superlative adjectives when comparing one person or thing with three or more people or things (the biggest, the worst, etc.). Thus, here we use the superlative adjective “the shortest.” In the first clause, we use “me” instead of “I” because “me” is an object pronoun, and “me” is the indirect object of the verb “look.”.

The use of the form "strongest" is a superlative that indicates the peak of an adjective; therefore, there can be only one "strongest boy," and the phrase needs a definite article, "the," instead of the indefinite article, "a."

As the question compares two people, a comparative form of the adjective in question must be used, meaning that "few," the regular form of the adjective, and "least" and "fewest," which are each superlative forms, are incorrect. While "fewer" and "less" might each look like a potentially correct answer, "fewer" is used to distinguish between countable nouns, while "less" is used to distinguish between uncountable nouns, like "water." (You can tell if a noun is countable or not if you could precede it with a number, and "seven water" doesn't make sense, given how "water" is used here.) So, "less" is the correct answer.

The use of "they're" is incorrect in the sentence. "They're" is a contraction for "they are," while the sentence needs the third person plural possessive pronoun, "their." "Fewer people threw their support" is the correct answer choice.

Whenever you are comparing only two things, use the comparative form (usually words ending in "-er"—better, smarter, faster, and so forth). If there are three or more items, use the superlative form (usually ending in "-est"—best, smartest, fastest . . .) to designate the best one.

"Intelligently" is an adverb and adverbs are not used comparatively, so we need to change "intelligently" to "intelligent," an adjective. Also, "lesser," an adjective, needs to be changed to a determiner, "less." So, "less intelligent" is the correct answer.

When comparing more than two items, you should use superlative adjectives. So, in this case, you should use the word "best."

The use of "fuller" is incorrect in this sentence, as "fuller" implies a comparison, but is not comparing anything in the sentence. The use of the simple adjective "full" is perfectly appropriate in the sentence, making the correct answer choice "about the full extent of his condition."

The use of "more" in this sentence is odd and confusing, as "more" should be used in a direct comparison between two things. As no comparison is made in this sentence, the modifier should simply indicate a great degree of difficulty. The word "most," a superlative adjective, properly conveys such a meaning, making the correct answer, "The most difficult step in the process for all of the initiates was the lengthy obstacle course."

"More well" is not a phrase—the comparative form of "well" is not "more well," but "better." Since we are only comparing two groups (the speaker versus the speaker's friends), "better" is the most appropriate here.

In the sentence as it is written, "fast," an adjective, is being used to modify "walks." This is incorrect; only adverbs can modify verbs. So, we need to pick out an answer choice which uses the adverbial form of "fast," which is "quickly." This lets us eliminate the answer choice "most fast." "Faster" cannot be correct because more than two subjects are being compared in the sentence, and "faster" is a comparative adjective that is used to compare two subjects. "More quick," "more fast," and "more quickly" can each be eliminated for this same reason, in addition to the fact that "more quick" isn't grammatically correct at all—one would say "quicker," not "more quick." This leaves us with the correct answer, "most quickly."

When a comparison is made, "better" should only be used for a comparison of two individuals, while "best" is the appropriate superlative for comparisons involving three or more individuals. This means that in this sentence, "better" should be changed to "best." The correct answer is the only answer choice that makes this change: "by far the best of the five."

The original sentence uses the superlative "tallest" when the comparative "taller" is correct. One can only be "tallest" among a group of three or more. Furthermore, the size of the group determines whether "between" or "among" is correct. "Between" is appropriate for a small group of specific objects. Compare "between New York and Pennsylvania" and "among the states of the union."

If only two things are being compared, the comparative form ("better," "bigger," "smarter," etc.) is correct. If three or more things are being compared, the superlative form ("best," "biggest," "smartest," etc.) is correct. Because there are only the two brothers here, we use the comparative form: “worse” and not “worst.” In addition, because “worse musician” is more concise than “worse of the two musicians,” it is the better answer.

If only two things are being compared, the comparative form ("better," "bigger," "smarter," etc.) is correct. If three or more things are being compared, the superlative form ("best," "biggest," "smartest," etc.) is correct. Because there are three gardens here, we use the concise superlative form: “prettiest” and not “prettier,” “most pretty,” or “most prettiest.”

In this sentence "Out of all the possible outcomes" sets up the use of the superlative by suggesting that there are more than two possible outcomes, and that bankruptcy was the single worst of these many options. The correct answer is thus, "Of all the possible outcomes, bankruptcy was certainly the worst."

Unless it is explicitly stated that there were only two possible outcomes, it is incorrect to use "worse," which is a comparative adjective and would only be used if it was specifically stated that the comparison was being made between two outcomes.

When comparing only two different people or things, as happens in this sentence between "the twins," the appropriate adjective is "better." In this sentence, both instances of "best" should be changed to "better." Therefore, the correct answer choice is "the boy was the better athlete, while the girl was the better artist."