Long and short adjectives.

Why do we say MORE BEAUTIFUL and not BEAUTIFULER?

Comparative adjectives

Look at these examples:

We use MORE: more beautiful, more interesting , more boring,

without MORE: nicer, uglier, happier, stronger, better

Sometimes we use MORE. But WHY?

Multiple Choice

Why do we sometimes need to use MORE?

Look at these examples:

more beautiful, nicer, longer, more interesting,

• It sounds better.

• There is no rule.

• Long words need it.

• Short words need it.

Some words need "more" to form a comparative. These words are quite long, look at them:

interesting, beautiful, permament, boring, decided, hopeful...

But how long the words need to be?

We measure them like this:

beautiful (bju-ty-fl), interesting (int-re-stin), boring (bo-rin)

We count the number of their syllables.

Once again: What are these a syllables?

One syllable is one sound you can hear in the word:

For example:

- "happy" (two sounds: "he-py") = two syllybles

-"interesting" (three sounds: in-tre-stin) = three syllables

(a little hint - you can try to clap with your hands anytime you hear the sound. )

Multiple Choice

Let's try in in this example:

How many syllables can you hear in the word "OPEN"?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Multiple Choice

How many syllables can you hear in the word "DANGEROUS"?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Multiple Choice

How many syllables can you hear in the word

"LARGE"?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

So when do we use MORE?

We use MORE with words that are long:

- 3 and more syllables: ex. more interesting, more beaitiful

- sometimes with 2 syllables: more boring, more defined, more hopeful, more hopeless, more famous

MORE + Two-syllable words need to finish with:

• -ed : example: "defined" -> more defined

• -ful : example: "mindful" -> more mindful

• -less: example: "hopeless" -> more hopeless

• -ous: example: "famous" -> more famous

• -ing: example: "boring" -> more boring

Once again: 2 syllables words + MORE

need to finish with:

-ed, -ful, -less, -ous, - ing

Try to say it a couple of times to learn it.

Multiple Choice

Let's try it:

Which one is correct?

• carefuler

• more careful

Multiple Choice

Which one is correct?

• boringer

• more boring

Multiple Choice

Which one is correct?

• more old

• older

So why do we say MORE BEAUTIFUL and not BEAUTIFULER?

The word BEAUTIFUL has 3 syllables, so we use MORE BEAUTIFUL.

Isn't it beautiful?

Btw, same rules imply for THE MOST too.