Degrees of Comparison A D J E C T I V E S COMPARATIVES • Used to compare two things/animals/people/buildings etc • +r / +er - For adjectives with one syllable that ends with an ‘e’ just add “r” at the end. i.e. - large = larger For one – syllable adjectives that ends with a ‘consonant’ just add “+er” at the end. i.e. - great = greater Adjectives ending in short consonants (d and g) double the last letter and add ‘er’ i.e. big = bigger sad = sadder COMPARATIVES • “y” to “i” • For adjectives that end with a “y”, remove “y” change it to “i” and add “er” at the end. i.e. happy = happier • More • For adjectives with more than 2 syllables, add “more” before the adjective i.e. dangerous = more dangerous • Sentence pattern: • Noun + comparative adjective + than + noun PRACTICE!!! PRACTICE!!! PRACTICE!!! SUPERLATIVES • Used to describe nouns that are at the highest or lowest quality • Used in sentences to compare one noun to a group. • +st / +est - For adjectives with one syllables that ends with an ‘e’ just add “st” at the end. i.e. - large = largest For one – syllable adjectives that ends with a ‘consonant’ just add “+est” at the end. i.e. - great = greatest Adjectives ending in short consonants (d and g) double the last letter and add ‘est’ i.e. big = biggest sad = saddest SUPERLATIVES • “y” to “iest” • For adjectives that end with a “y”, remove “y” change it to “i” and add “est” at the end. i.e. happy = happiest • Most • For adjectives with more than 2 syllables, add “most” before the adjective i.e. dangerous = most dangerous • Sentence pattern: • Noun + be-verb + the + superlative adjective PRACTICE!!! IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES Adjective comparative superlative Use good better best bad worse worst much more most uncountable nouns many more most countable nouns little less least little smaller smallest SPECIAL ADJECTIVES • Some adjectives have possible forms of comparison positive comparative superlative clever cleverer / more clever cleverest / most clever common commoner / more common commonest / most common likely likelier / more likely likeliest / most likely pleasant pleasanter / more pleasant pleasantest / most pleasant polite politer / more polite politest / most polite quiet quieter / more quiet quietest / most quiet simple simpler / more simple simplest / most simple stupid stupider / more stupid stupidest / most stupid subtle subtler / more subtle subtlest / most subtle sure surer / more sure surest / most sure NON-COMPARABLE ADJECTIVES • Some adjectives cannot be used in comparative or superlative form. They show no greater or lesser difference. • Adjectives like • Materials • Metal • Iron • Wood • Extreme adjectives • Freezing • Furious • Starving • Exhausted • Note: these are just examples, you can find a complete list here: https://simple.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:Non-comparable_adjectives
