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    Comparative and Superlative - Rules

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    sofia redruello
    1. This document outlines rules for forming comparative and superlative forms of adjectives in English. It discusses how one, two, and multi-syllable adjectives take different endings like -er, -est, more, or most. 2. Exceptions and irregular forms are also covered, such as good/better/best and adjectives ending in -ed, -ing, -ful, -less taking more/most. 3. Qualifiers that can be used with comparatives like much, a lot, and slightly are defined.

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    Comparative and Superlative - Rules

    Uploaded by

    sofia redruello
    18 views3 pages
    1. This document outlines rules for forming comparative and superlative forms of adjectives in English. It discusses how one, two, and multi-syllable adjectives take different endings like -er, -est, more, or most. 2. Exceptions and irregular forms are also covered, such as good/better/best and adjectives ending in -ed, -ing, -ful, -less taking more/most. 3. Qualifiers that can be used with comparatives like much, a lot, and slightly are defined.

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    Comparative and Superlative - Rules

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    1. This document outlines rules for forming comparative and superlative forms of adjectives in English. It discusses how one, two, and multi-syllable adjectives take different endings like -er, -est, more, or most. 2. Exceptions and irregular forms are also covered, such as good/better/best and adjectives ending in -ed, -ing, -ful, -less taking more/most. 3. Qualifiers that can be used with comparatives like much, a lot, and slightly are defined.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    18 views3 pages

    Comparative and Superlative - Rules

    Uploaded by

    sofia redruello
    1. This document outlines rules for forming comparative and superlative forms of adjectives in English. It discusses how one, two, and multi-syllable adjectives take different endings like -er, -est, more, or most. 2. Exceptions and irregular forms are also covered, such as good/better/best and adjectives ending in -ed, -ing, -ful, -less taking more/most. 3. Qualifiers that can be used with comparatives like much, a lot, and slightly are defined.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 3

    SOME RULES 

    ABOUT FORMING COMPARATIVES


    AND SUPERLATIVES

     1. One syllable adjectives generally form the comparative by adding -er and the


    superlative by adding -est, e.g.

    Adjective Comparative Superlative

    soft softer the softest

    cheap cheaper the cheapest

    sweet sweeter the sweetest

    thin thinner the thinnest

    NOTE:

     if a one-syllable adjective ends in a single vowel letter followed by a single consonant


    letter, the consonant letter is doubled, e.g. thin - thinner/thinnest, big -
    bigger/biggest.

     If an adjective ends in -e, this is removed when adding -er/-est, e.g. wide -


    wider/widest.

     If an adjective ends in a consonant followed by -y, -y is replaced by –I when adding -


    er/-est, e.g. dry - drier/driest.

     2. Two-syllable adjectives which end in -y usually form the comparative by adding 


    -er and the superlative by adding -est, (note the change of -y to -i in the comparative
    /superlative).
     

    Adjective Comparative Superlative

    happy happier the happiest

    funny funnier the funniest

    easy easier the easiest


     3. Two-syllable adjectives ending in -ed, -ing, -ful, or -less always form the
    comparative with more and the superlative with most.

    Adjective Comparative Superlative

    worried more worried the most worried

    boring more boring the most boring

    careful more careful the most careful

    useless more useless the most useless

     As a general rule, most other two-syllable adjectives also form comparatives and
    superlatives with more and most. However, a few two-syllable adjectives can take
    either -er/-est or more/most. Here are three examples.

    Adjectiv Comparative Superlative


      e

     
    narrow narrower/more the narrowest/most narrow
    narrow

    simple simpler/more simple the simplest/most simple


     

      quiet quieter/more quiet the quietest/most quiet

     4. Adjectives which have three or more syllables always form the comparative and
    superlative with more and most.

    Adjective Comparative Superlative

    dangerous more dangerous the most dangerous

     
    difficult more difficult the most difficult
     

      exciting more exciting the most exciting

    ridiculous more ridiculous the most ridiculous


     5. The following adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms:

    Adjective Comparative Superlative

    good better the best

     
    bad worse the worst

    far farther/further the farthest/furthest

    NOTE:
    o The adjectives ill and well, describing bad and good health, have irregular comparative
    forms. The comparative of ill is worse, and the comparative of well is better, e.g. 

    She’s feeling much better/worse today.

    o The usual comparative and superlative forms of the adjective old are older and oldest.


    However, the alternative forms elder and eldest are sometimes
    used. Elder and eldest are generally restricted to talking about the age of people,
    especially people within the same family, and are not used to talk about the age of
    things, e.g.

    Helen is the eldest of the 4 sisters.


    That is the oldest castle in Europe.

    o Comparatives are often qualified by using words and phrases such as much, a lot,
    far, a bit/little, slightly, e.g.:

    You should go by train, it is much cheaper.


    Could you be a bit quieter?
    I’m feeling a lot better today.
    Her hair is slightly shorter than mine.

    o Two comparatives can be contrasted by placing the before them, indicating that a


    change in one quality is linked to a change in another, e.g.:

    The more stressed you are, the worse it is for your health.
    The smaller the gift, the easier it is to send.
    The sooner, the better.

    o Two comparatives can also be linked with and to show a continuing increase in a


    particular quality, e.g.:

    Her illness is becoming worse and worse.


    This series is becoming more and more thrilling.

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