APIEGood - better - the best and bad - worse - the worst
Horses and riding
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Good - better - the best and bad - worse - the worst
Learn how to use irregular comparing words in simple everyday English.
How to use this lesson
👩🏫 For Teachers:
Use this 12-minute guide to present irregular adjectives step by step. Have students read the rules and check their practice answers together at the end.
🧑🎓 For Learners:
Read the four simple rules in the cards first. Then do the 12 practice tasks to check your understanding.
Quick Grammar Summary Table
| Rule | Standard Examples | Another Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. good and bad tell how one thing is, and they come before a noun or after is, are or was. | a good day, a bad road, The soup is good. | "The weather is bad today." |
| 2. better is the form of good and worse is the form of bad when you compare two things, and than comes after them. | Ana is better than Ben, Today is worse than Monday. | "My brother is better than me at chess." |
| 3. the best is number one out of three or more things and the worst is the one at the bottom, and the always comes before best and worst. | the best cake in the shop, the worst film this year. | "Mia is the best singer in our class." |
| 4. good and bad have their own forms, so never add -er or -est to them and never put more before them: say better, not gooder or more good, and say worst, not baddest. | Say better (not gooder), say worst (not baddest). | "His cooking is worse than mine." |
Grammar Rules & Topic Examples
One Thing: Good & Bad
Use good or bad to talk about one thing. Put it before a noun or after is, are, or was.
✅ The mare has a good saddle.
✅ That pony has a bad hoof.
❌ The mare has a saddle good.
Two Things: Better & Worse
Use better than or worse than to compare two things. When you name the second thing, write than after it.
✅ This new bridle is better than the old one.
✅ The trot was worse than the canter today.
❌ The trot was worse the canter today.
Three+ Things: The Best & The Worst
Use the best for number one and the worst for the bottom. Always write the first.
✅ Star is the best horse in the stables.
✅ That wet field gave us the worst gallop of the week.
❌ Star is best horse in the stables.
Special Words: No -er / -est
Never add -er or -est to good or bad. Never say more good or baddest.
✅ Her horse has a better mane than mine.
✅ This saddle is the worst one in the club.
❌ Her horse has a gooder mane than mine.
Interactive Practice Exercises
Complete the 12 items below to test your understanding. Look at the hints in brackets if you need help.
Part 1: Choose the correct sentence
1. Choose the correct sentence. (describe)
2. Choose the correct sentence. (rule)
3. Choose the correct sentence. (top)
Part 2: Change the sentence using the word in brackets
4. Change the sentence: "This pony is bad." (compare)
Fill in the missing word using the clue (bad):
5. Change the sentence: "Leo's gallop is good." (top)
Fill in the missing phrase using the clue (good):
6. Change the sentence: "The old saddle is not good." (opposite)
Fill in the missing word using the clue (not good):
Part 3: Fill the gap
7. Choose the correct word to complete the sentence. (describe)
"The mane of the black mare is very ___."
8. Choose the correct word to complete the sentence. (compare)
"The new saddle is ___ than the old saddle."
9. Choose the correct word to complete the sentence. (bottom)
"Rain made this path the ___ place for a gallop today."
Part 4: Correct the error in the chat message
10. Fix the mistake in bold. (rule)
"Hi Sam! My new pony is gooder at jumping than my old one."
11. Fix the mistake in bold. (top)
"Hello! This is the baddest saddle in our club."
12. Fix the mistake in bold. (compare)
"The dirty saddle was worst than the wet bridle."
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