Key words for: pitching a product

You want to tell your customer about your new and improved product.

It's not enough to just say that it is 'better', you need to tell them why.

Why is one product better than another?

You need to compare various features of your product.

To do this you can use comparative and superlative adjectives.

(An adjective is a word that describes a noun - name word.)

A comparative adjective compares one aspect to another, often by adding -er to the end of the word. The product could be:

• faster

• cleaner

• thinner

• softer

A superlative adjective puts the product at the extreme, often by adding 'the' at the start and '-est' at the end:

• the fastest

• the cleanest

• the thinnest

• the softest

This is the rule for most words, however, for some two-syllable* adjectives and all three-syllable adjectives the following rules apply:

• For comparisons add 'more.....than' either side of the adjective.

• For superlatives add 'the most' in front of the adjective.

(*A syllable is a sound that makes up a word eg beautiful has 3 syllables beau-ti-ful.)

The hotel room was the cleanest I had ever stayed in.

Let's look at some examples:

Regular comparisons

• Our response time is faster than our competitors. (comparative)

• Our latest laptop is thinner than our previous models. (comparative)

• The hotel room was the cleanest I had ever stayed in. (superlative)

• Our customers say that our pillows are the softest they have ever slept on. (superlative)

Three-syllable comparisons

• Our advice is more reliable than our closest competitors. (comparative)

• Our jackets are more stylish than last year's collection. (comparative)

• The bed was the most comfortable I had ever slept in. (superlative)

• Our insurance is the most affordable on the market at the moment. (superlative)

Our latest laptop is thinner than last year's model.

Exceptions

As tempting as it is to write 'gooder' or 'the badest' this is not correct. Check out these important exceptions:

adjective comparative superlative

good better the best

bad worse the worst

little less the least

• Sam is good at singing, but Adam is better, and Jade is the best in the class!

• Tom is bad at golf, but Ben is worse, and Ken is the worst in their group.

• Anna has little time for her hobbies, but Cathy has less time, and Mary has the least time of all.

Some common mistakes

I often hear these errors, even from native English speakers.

See if you can spot what's wrong, answers below:

1. This is the goodest car I have ever owned.

2. Our sports clothes are cheapest on the market.

3. Our laptops are much more reliabler than our competitor's.

4. This is the more beautiful jacket in our range.

5. Our new phone is the most easy to operate than our last model.

1. This is the best car I have ever owned. (superlative of good)

2. Our sports clothes are the cheapest on the market. (superlatives need to have the)

3. Our laptops are much more reliable than our competitors. (comparative of more than three syllables re-li-able means that more is used and it doesn't need to change form)

4. This is the most beautiful jacket in our range. (superlative uses most and not more)

5. Our new phone is easier to operate than our last model. (comparative of two-syllables -er)

Do you have any questions?

Talk to me about Business English coaching.

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The lessons were completely adapted to tasks I have to do at work. 

Whenever she saw that I was struggling with something, extra attention was paid to it. 

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