Comparison of Adjectives and Adverbs

Comparison of Adjectives and Adverbs

Introdouction

The comparison of adjectives and adverbs is used to compare things, people or actions, expressing the equalities or inequalities between them.

Form

The comparison can be formed by using adjectives or adverbs.

When we want to compare one thing with another we use the word than after the adjective or adverb.

The structure of the sentence is:

Subject + verb + comparative adjective/adverb + than + object + …

The comparative adjective or adverb is obtained differently depending on its number of syllables and on its suffix.

One syllable:

• Adjective/adverb: we add -er (clean ⇒ cleaner);

• Adjective/adverb with suffix -e: we add -r (simple ⇒ simpler);

• Adjectives ending with one vowel and one consonant: we double the final consonant before adding -er (big ⇒ bigger).

• My apartment is nicer than yours.

• The rooms are taller than ours.

• Peter is going to talk to him later about the house.

Two syllables (with suffix -y):

• Adjective/adverb ending in -y: change -y to –i and add –er (friendly ⇒ friendlier).

• noisy => noiseir

• friendly => friendlier

• The estate agent is friendlier than the last one.

• This garden is prettier than ours.

• We should get up earlier tomorrow.

Two syllables (without suffix-y) or more syllables:

• Adjective/adverb not ending in -y: more + adjective/adverb (without changes) + than… (beautiful ⇒ more beautiful).

• handsome => more handsome

• This book is more exciting than the last one.

• I am more popular than you.

• This kitchen is more boring than my grandma’s.

USE

• We use the comparison of adjectives/adverbs when we want to compare two or more things, people or actions.

• There are situations in which you can omit than depending on the context:

• “I am feeling better today.” (I was not feeling well yesterday, therefore I am comparing yesterday and today.)

Superlative of Adjectives and Adverbs

The superlative adjectives/adverbs are used to make a comparison between things, people or actions, expressing the superiority of one thing, person or action which has the highest level of a particular quality.

Form:

• The superlative can be formed by using adjectives or adverbs. The determiner the comes before the adjective/adverb to show that something is superior to other things.

• The structure of the sentence is:

  Subject + verb + the + superlative adjective/adverb + noun/adjective + …

• The superlative form of an adjective/adverb is obtained differently depending on its number of syllables and on its suffix.

One syllable:

• Adjective/adverb: we add –est (clean ⇒ cleanest);

• Adjective/adverb with suffix –e: we add -st (simple ⇒ simplest);

• Adjectives ending with one vowel and one consonant: we double the final consonant before adding -est (big ⇒ biggest).

• I have the cleanest room in the house.

• She has the oldest shop along the street.

• They tried their hardest to buy an apartment.

Two syllables (with suffix -y):

• Adjective/adverb with suffix -y: change -y to –i and add –est (friendly ⇒ the friendliest).

• You are the funniest woman alive.

• She is the friendliest girl I’ve ever met.

• We wake up the earliest to take shower.

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Two syllables (without -y) or more syllables

• Adjective/adverb without suffix -y: we add the most before the adjective/adverb: the most + adjective/adverb (without changes) (beautiful ⇒ the most beautiful). 

• When we use the most, the form of adjectives/adverbs remains the same.

• I think that tennis is the most boring sport.

• ‘War and Peace’ is the most difficult Russian book to read.

Use:

• We use superlative adjectives/adverbs when we want to express the superiority of one thing, person or action over the others in a certain aspect.

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