Grammar
B1
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Palestine
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~1,200 words · 10 min read

Jericho, in Palestine, is widely recognised as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world — people have lived there for more than 10,000 years. The Dead Sea, on its eastern edge, is the lowest point on Earth’s surface, sitting more than 430 metres below sea level. And Palestinian olive trees? Some are older than any building you have ever entered.

Notice what those sentences have in common: oldest, lowest, older than. These are comparatives and superlatives — two of the most useful grammar tools you will ever learn in English. Once you understand them, you can describe, compare and rank almost anything, from the height of a mountain to the taste of a plate of musakhan.

What are comparatives and superlatives?

Comparatives show a difference between two things: “Jericho is older than Rome.”

Superlatives show the highest or lowest degree in a group: “The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth.”

Use than after a comparative: bigger than, more beautiful than.
Use the before a superlative: the biggest, the most beautiful.

How to form comparatives and superlatives

Adjective type Adjective Comparative Superlative Example
1 syllable old older than the oldest Jericho is older than Athens.
1 syllable + e large larger than the largest Add just -r / -st.
1 syllable, consonant-vowel-consonant big bigger than the biggest Double the final consonant: hot → hotter / the hottest.
Ends in -y easy easier than the easiest Change y → i: happy → happier / the happiest.
2+ syllables famous more famous than the most famous Musakhan is more famous than any other Palestinian dish.
Irregular good better than the best This olive oil is better than any I have tried.
Irregular bad worse than the worst Nothing is worse than a long drought for olive farmers.
Irregular far farther / further than the farthest / furthest Bethlehem is further than Jericho from the coast.

Quick rule: one syllable → add -er / -est. Two or more syllables → use more / the most. Adjectives ending in -y follow the one-syllable pattern (but change y → i).

🇵🇸 Palestine through comparatives and superlatives

Every fact below is real, verified, and worth knowing — and every one of them uses a comparative or superlative. Read, absorb the grammar, and learn something true about Palestine at the same time.

🏙️ Jericho is one of the oldest cities in the world. Archaeological evidence places continuous human settlement there as far back as 9,000 BCE, making it older than almost any other city on Earth. In 2023, UNESCO added “Ancient Jericho / Tell es-Sultan” to the World Heritage List.
🌊 The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth’s surface. Its shores lie approximately 430 metres (1,410 feet) below sea level — lower than any other land area on the planet. The water is also far saltier than ordinary seawater, around ten times as salty, which is why you float without effort.
🫒 Palestine has some of the world’s most ancient olive trees. Some trees in the Ramallah and Bethlehem regions are estimated to be more than 4,000 years old — older than the Roman Empire. Olive cultivation is one of the most important parts of Palestinian rural life, identity, and economy.
🍗 Musakhan is considered the most iconic Palestinian dish. Made with slow-roasted chicken, caramelised onions, sumac, and taboon flatbread, it is more fragrant than almost any other dish in the Middle East. The quality of the olive oil used is one of the most important factors in a truly great musakhan.
⛰️ Mount Nabi Yunis is the highest point in Palestine. Rising to around 1,030 metres above sea level in the southern West Bank, it sits considerably higher than the surrounding Hebron hills and offers some of the most dramatic views in the region.

❌ Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Spanish uses más for comparatives and superlatives. That makes some English errors very predictable — here are the five most common ones.

❌ “Jericho is more older than Athens.”
✅ “Jericho is older than Athens.”
Never combine more with a one-syllable comparative (-er). It is double comparative — one form, not two.

❌ “This is the most old city in the region.”
✅ “This is the oldest city in the region.”
Short adjectives use the -est, never the most + adjective.

❌ “The Dead Sea is lower the ocean.”
✅ “The Dead Sea is lower than the ocean.”
Always use than after a comparative adjective when mentioning the second item.

❌ “Musakhan is more good than pizza.”
✅ “Musakhan is better than pizza.”
Good → better / the best. Irregular forms must be memorised; more good does not exist in standard English.

❌ “Palestine has most ancient olive trees in the world.”
✅ “Palestine has some of the most ancient olive trees in the world.”
Superlatives always need the: the most ancient, not most ancient.

Example bank: Palestine in comparatives and superlatives

Study these 18 sentences. Pay attention to the form used — and why.

Jericho is older than most cities in the world.
The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth’s surface.
The water in the Dead Sea is saltier than the Atlantic Ocean.
Olive trees in Palestine are more ancient than many European civilisations.
Musakhan is more flavourful than a simple grilled chicken.
Mount Nabi Yunis is the highest peak in Palestine.
Sumac is more sour than lemon juice but less sharp.
Taboon bread is thicker than a tortilla but thinner than a naan.
The view from the Hebron hills is one of the most beautiful in the region.
The Dead Sea is far saltier than the Mediterranean.
Palestinian olive oil is considered some of the best in the world.
Ramadan nights in Bethlehem are livelier than ordinary evenings.
Walking through the Old City of Jerusalem is more impressive than any photo suggests.
The souks in Nablus are busier than those in smaller towns.
The caramelised onions in musakhan are sweeter than raw ones.
Pottery from Hebron is more colourful than pottery from most other regions.
The Dead Sea is much lower than any other lake in the world.
Jericho’s climate is warmer than Jerusalem’s, even though the two cities are close.

🧠 Quick quiz

Choose the correct form. Then reveal the answers below.

  1. The Dead Sea is ________ body of water in the world by salinity level. (a) saltier   (b) the saltiest   (c) the most salty
  2. Jericho is ________ than most European capitals. (a) more old   (b) oldest   (c) older
  3. Palestinian olive oil is ________ than many commercial oils. (a) more good   (b) better   (c) best
  4. Mount Nabi Yunis is ________ mountain in Palestine. (a) the highest   (b) higher   (c) the most high
  5. Nothing is ________ a walk through an ancient Palestinian souk. (a) more exciting than   (b) exciting than   (c) the most exciting than

  1. (b) the saltiest — superlative, short adjective: -est
  2. (c) older — comparative with than; (a) is double comparative, (b) is superlative
  3. (b) better — irregular: good → better → the best
  4. (a) the highest — superlative; (c) would need “the highest” not “the most high”
  5. (a) more exciting than — two-syllable adjective takes more; than is required

Related lessons

Sources

Jericho / Tell es-Sultan UNESCO listing: whc.unesco.org/en/list/1692/ ·
Dead Sea elevation and salinity: Wikipedia – Dead Sea ·
Palestinian olive trees: POICA Factsheet – World Olive Day ·
Musakhan: Wikipedia – Musakhan ·
Mount Nabi Yunis elevation: Wikipedia – Mount Nabi Yunis