Episode 45: Big, Bigger, Biggest

Comparatives & Superlatives — Gustave Eiffel, 1889 (A2-B1)

Grammar Box

Meaning: Comparatives compare two things. Superlatives show the extreme among three or more. One-syllable words use -er/-est. Two+ syllable words use more/most. Some are irregular.

Form: One syllable: tall-taller-tallest | Two+ syllables: beautiful-more beautiful-most beautiful | Irregular: good-better-best

Example 1: The tower is taller than the church. (comparing two)

Example 2: It’s the tallest building in Paris. (extreme among many)

Common mistake: Wrong: more taller. Better: taller. OR Wrong: beautifuler. Better: more beautiful.

The Question

Luna looked at two buildings. “This one is taller. That one is the tallest.” She paused. “Professor, when do I use ‘more’ instead of ‘-er’? ‘More tall’ or ‘taller’?” The watch glowed bright. “Let’s meet a man who built the tallest structure in the world.”

The Journey

Paris, March 31, 1889. Spring morning. Luna and Professor Wisdom stand in a crowd. People look up. Way up. A massive iron tower rises into the sky. Higher than anything in Paris. Higher than anything in the world.

This is the Eiffel Tower. And this is Gustave Eiffel. A short man with a big dream. Gray beard. Confident eyes. Tired but happy face.

For two years, he faced criticism. Artists said the tower was ugly. Scientists said it was impossible. Politicians said it was dangerous. But Eiffel believed. He worked harder. He dreamed bigger.

People called it names. “The metal monster.” “The ugliest building in Paris.” Some wanted it torn down. But Eiffel stood firm.

He speaks to the crowd: “This tower is taller than Notre Dame. It’s stronger than people think. It’s more beautiful than critics say. And it will be more useful than anyone imagines.”

The numbers are amazing. 1,083 feet high. The tallest structure in the world. It has 18,038 metal pieces. 2.5 million rivets. It weighs 10,100 tons. But it sways less than 4 inches in strong wind.

The smell of iron fills the air. The sound of flags flapping in wind echoes above. Eiffel’s proud, determined face watches his dream stand tall.

Eiffel climbs to the top. 1,665 steps. He’s 56 years old. But he’s more energetic than young men. He plants the French flag at the summit.

Before this tower, Washington Monument was the tallest. After this tower, the world changed. Architecture became bolder. Engineers became braver. Dreams became bigger.

His critics were wrong. The tower became the most visited monument in the world. More than 7 million people visit each year. It’s more iconic than any building in France. It’s the most photographed structure on Earth.

Luna looks up. This tower is more than iron. It’s more than engineering. It’s proof. When you work harder, dream bigger, and stand stronger, the impossible becomes possible.

The Insight

Professor Wisdom explained: “Luna, we form comparatives and superlatives differently based on the adjective. One-syllable words usually add ‘-er’ and ‘-est’: tall, taller, tallest. Two-syllable words often use ‘more’ and ‘most’: beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful.”

“But some two-syllable words ending in ‘-y’ use ‘-er’ and ‘-est’: happy, happier, happiest. And irregular words change completely: good, better, best.”

“Remember: comparatives compare two things. Superlatives show the extreme among three or more.”

Practice Zone

More Examples:

1. “The Eiffel Tower is taller than Notre Dame.” — comparing two
2. “It’s the tallest structure in Paris.” — the extreme among many
3. “The design was more innovative than others.” — two syllables, use ‘more’
4. “Critics became quieter after completion.” — -er ending (quiet → quieter)
5. “It became the most famous tower in the world.” — superlative, use ‘most’
6. “Engineers are better prepared today.” — irregular (good → better)

Exercises:

1. Fill in the blank: “The tower is ___ (high) than the church. It’s the ___ (high) in the city.”

2. Choose the correct:
   a) Paris is more beautiful than London.
   b) Paris is beautifuler than London.

3. Match the forms:
   – One syllable: tall → ___ / ___
   – Two syllables (-y): heavy → ___ / ___
   – Two+ syllables: difficult → ___ / ___
   – Irregular: good → ___ / ___

4. Complete: “Eiffel was ___ (confident) than his critics. He became the ___ (successful) engineer in France.”

5. Your turn: Compare two famous buildings using comparatives and superlatives.

Answer Key:

1. higher / highest
2. a) more beautiful (two syllables, use ‘more’)
3. tall → taller/tallest, heavy → heavier/heaviest, difficult → more difficult/most difficult, good → better/best
4. more confident / most successful
5. Check: Did you use -er/-est for one-syllable words? More/most for longer words? Correct irregular forms?

The Lesson

Back home, Luna smiled. Gustave Eiffel taught her more than grammar. He showed her that the biggest dreams need the strongest courage. When people say “impossible,” work harder. When they say “ugly,” stand taller. The best achievements often face the worst criticism. But persistence is stronger than doubt.