Expressing various degrees quality inherent in the object whose name is determined by this adjective or adverb. These degrees are positive(Positive Degree), comparative(Comparative Degree), excellent(Superlative Degree).

Positive degree (interesting - interesting) adjectives are called their basic form, which does not express the degree of comparison.

Comparative degree (more interesting - more interesting)(comparative) adjectives. The comparative degree allows you to compare objects.

If the adjective consists of 1 syllable, the ending -er is added: nice -nicer; big - bigger. If there are two syllables and the ending of the verb in the base form is -y, the ending changes to -ier: heavy - heavier; early - earlier. If the adjective is long (consists of 2/3/4 syllables), the word more is used - more: expensive - more expensive.

Superlative degree (the most interesting - the most interesting)(superlative) adjectives. Superlative degree of adjectives in English language necessary to denote that quality to which the word “most” can be added.

Don't forget to add the article the! If the adjective consists of 1 syllable, the ending the...-est is added: nice - the nicest; big - the biggest. If there are two syllables and the ending of the verb in the base form is -y, the ending changes to the...-iest: heavy - the heaviest; early - the earliest. If the adjective is long (consists of 2/3/4 syllables), the word most is used - the most (most): expensive - the most expensive.

Positive degree	comparative	Superlative
cold - cold	cold er	the cold est
hot - hot	hot ter	the hott est
sunny - sunny	sun ier	the sun iest
dangerous - dangerous	more dangerous	the most dangerous
Exceptions:
good/well - good	better - better	(the) best - the best, the best
bad/badly - bad/ill - sick, unhealthy (about a person)	worse - worse/in a worse state of health (about a person)	(the) worst - the worst, worst/in the most difficult condition (about a person)
little - little, small	less - less	(the) least - least of all, smallest, smallest
many, much - a lot	more - more	(the) most - most of all. largest (by number, size, degree)
far - distant, distant	farther ["fɑːðə], further ["fɜːðə] - further: further news = any more news	(the) farthest, furthest - the farthest
old - old	older (about age)/elder (about seniority) - older: elder brother - older brother	(the) oldest/eldest - the oldest
late - late	later - later	(the) last - last

After adjectives, superlatives should be used in with cities, buildings, etc. exceptions: of my life, of the year. For example, It's one of the oldest castles in Britain. - This is one of the oldest castles in Great Britain. It was one of the worst experience of my life. - It was one of the worst experiences of my life.

Rule the... the...

Rule than... the... (the... the...) You can use the... the... with two comparative adjectives to show the dependence of one on the other. For example:

The warmer the weather, the better I feel. - The warmer the weather, the better I feel.

The harder he works, the more money he get. - The more he works, the more money he gets.

The more electricity you use, the higher your bill will be. - The more electricity you use, the higher your utility bill will be.

The bigger, the better.- The bigger, the better.

The greater your storm, the brighter your rainbow.

Rule as ... as /than

Rule so... as... (or such... as...) (as... as...). Between as and as only an adjective is used without a comparative or superlative degree. For example:

… as often as he could... - as often as he could

Many adjectives found in English, as well as in Russian, are characterized by the presence of special forms - degrees of comparison. In order to understand what this phenomenon is as a whole, let us turn to the following example:

The above forms lo ng, longer the longest for English and "long, longer, longest" for the Russian language and are degrees of comparison for these adjectives. So there are only three degreescomparisons (Degrees of comparison) adjectives:

degreecomparisons	what does it mean	English example	Russian translation of the example
The Positive Degree / Positivedegree	expresses a neutral quality/property of an object or phenomenon	new, bad, good, large, hot, easy, thin, busy, famous, happy, friendly	new, bad, good, big, hot, simple, thin, busy, famous, happy, friendly
The Comparative Degreedegree	denotes a greater degree of expression of a particular property in one object compared to another; used when comparing two objects (phenomena); often used before the conjunction than (“than”)	newer, worse, better, larger, hotter, easier, thinner, busier, more famous, happier, friendlier	newer, worse, better, bigger, hotter, simpler, thinner, busier, more famous, happier, friendlier
The Superlative Degreedegree	expresses the greatest degree of expression of a particular property in one object compared to all others; shows the superiority of one object (phenomenon) over others on one basis; requires the use of the definite article the	the newest, the worst, the best, the largest, the hottest, the easiest, the thinnest, the busiest, the most famous, the happiest, the friendliest	newest, worst, biggest, simplest, thinnest, busiest, most famous, happiest, friendliest

This is a general view of degrees of comparison of adjectives. Now let's move on to their detailed consideration. The Positive Degree, coinciding with the original form of the adjective, is not of particular interest to us. Here are the rules of education the Comparative Degree(comparative) and the Superlative Degree(superlative) degrees must be studied and memorized in detail.

Synthetic method of education

This method is only available for one-syllable adjectives and two-syllable adjectives ending in -y.

adjective example
new - new	My coat is newer than yours. – My coat newer yours.	This coat is the newest one. - This is a coat the newest.
cheap - cheap	This house ischeaper than that one. - This house cheaper, than that.	The old house on the corner is the cheapest building in this street. – an old house on the corner - the cheapest building on this street.
large - big	His flat is larger than ours. - His apartment more ours.	The apartment on the upper floor is the largest one in this block of flats.– The apartment on the top floor is the largest in this apartment building.
heavy - heavy	This stone isheavier than that one. – This stone heavier, than that.	He always tries to find the heaviest stone and takes it into his garden. What a strange hobby!– He always tries to find the heaviest stone and brings it to his garden. What a strange hobby!

Thus, if an adjective consists of one syllable, then its comparative degree is formed by adding a suffix – er, and excellent - using the suffix –est.

It is important to consider that if an adjective, represented by only one syllable, ends with a combination of letters where one vowel precedes one consonant, then the last consonant is doubled when adding a suffix:

adjective example	example sentence containing its comparative degree	example sentence containing its superlative
thin - thin	Ann is thinner than her sister. – Ann thinner than her sister.	Alice is the thinnest girl in our class. – Alice – the worst girl in our class.
big - big	The whale is bigger than the elephant. – Keith more elephant.	The blue whale is the biggest animal on the Earth. - Blue whale - the biggest animal on Earth.
hot - hot	Your coffee is hotter than mine. -Your coffee is hotter than mine.	The coffee left in the coffee-pot is the hottest– take it if you’d like to. – Coffee left in the coffee pot – the hottest, take it if you want.

Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y when adding a suffix the letter changes -y on — i:

Analytical method of education

The analytical method involves adding not suffixes, but some additional words. This method of forming comparative and superlative degrees is used for adjectives with at least two syllables.

important - important	more important - more important	the most important - the most important
serious - serious	moreserious - more serious	the mostserious - the most serious
comfortable - convenient	more comfortable - more convenient	the most comfortable - the most convenient

Thus, the word is placed before a polysyllabic adjective to form the comparative degree more(more), and excellent – the most(most).

Words are used a little less often for the same purpose less(less) and the least(least), giving the comparison the opposite direction:

peaceful – peaceful	less peaceful – less peaceful	the least peaceful - the least peaceful
patient – ​​patient	less patient - less patient	the least patient - the least patient
difficult - difficult	less difficult – less difficult	the least difficult - the least difficult

Adjectives subject to both synthetic and analytical methods

A number of two-syllable adjectives allow the formation of comparative and superlative degrees, both analytically and synthetically. Among them are, in particular:

adjective example	example sentence containing its comparative degree	example sentence containing its superlative
quiet - quiet	This hotel is quieter/more quiet than that one. – This hotel quiet than that one.	I'm trying to find the quietest / the most quiet place in this house. - I'm trying to findthe most quiet place in this house.
clever - smart	This boy is cleverer / cleverer than he seems to be. - This Boy cleverer than it seems.	This test is a stupid attempt to find the cleverest / the most clever person at school. – This test is a stupid attempt to find the smartest person at school.
polite - polite	Could you be a bit politer / more polite? - Could you please be a little more polite?	This old man is surely the politest / the most polite person in this village. - This old man is definitely the most polite people in this village.
narrow - narrow	I think Oak Lane isnarrower/more narrow than Regent Street. –I think Oak Lane is narrower than Regent Street.	This is the narrowest/the most narrow street in this town.- This the narrowest street in this town.
shallow - small	The river is shallower/more shallow here than near the bridge.- The river is here smaller than next to the bridge.	This is the shallowest / the most shallow place of the river. - This the smallest river place.
simple - simple	This task is simpler / more simple than you think.- This task easier than you think.	This is the simplest/the most simple e task in the test. - This the easiest task in the test.

Supplemental method (exceptions)

This method involves the use of special (supplemental) forms, the formation of which is not subject to any rules. Such forms are usually remembered as exceptions:

adjective	example sentence containing its comparative degree	example sentence containing its superlative
good - good	This umbrella is better than that.- This umbrella better, than that.	But the umbrella you gave me as a gift is the best one for me. - But the umbrella that you gave me - the best for me.
bad - bad	This news is even worse than the news you brought yesterday. – This news is even worse the news you brought yesterday.	This is the worst news of the day. – This the worst news of this day.

The adjective far (far), which has two variants Degree of Comparison, is also an exception. The first option, presented below, is used both in the literal meaning - “further / furthest in distance”, and in the figurative meaning - “further, more, more, additionally, further”:

The adjective old also has two forms:

old (old, having a certain age )	older (older in age)	the oldest (oldest in age)
	elder (older in the family)	the eldest (the eldest in the family)

Among the exceptional degrees of comparison one can see the following:

little - little	less – less, less	the least - least of all, least
few - few
many - a lot	more – more, more	the most – most of all, most
much - a lot

But they already belong to quantitative pronouns, some of which can act as adverbs, and here we present them in the form of a kind of reference to analytical method and the words used in it.

Degrees of comparison of compound adjectives

Compound adjectives, that is, adjectives formed from two (or more) roots, can form Degrees of Comparison using an analytical method, for example:

However, if the first part of such a complex adjective is an adjective or an adverb, then only the first part can change, for example:

Features of use

The Comparative Degree used mainly to compare two objects/phenomena and is accompanied by the conjunction than:

Sometimes comparisons can be made without the conjunction than:

The use of this degree is also possible in the traditional position for an adjective before a noun:

The use of two comparative adjectives in a sentence with the definite article the often corresponds to the Russian construction “than..., that...”:

This adjective form is often accompanied by intensifying words, e.g. much (much ), a bit (a little bit ), a little ), slightly ), a lot (much ) :

The Superlative Degree, denoting highest degree expressiveness of the attribute, is used either before the defined noun, or as part of a compound nominal predicate:

In conclusion, I would like to draw attention to the fact that not all adjectives have forms of degrees of comparison. These forms are typical only for qualitative adjectives, that is, expressing one or another degree of some quality, attribute of an object or phenomenon.

(good, yellow, interesting).

Adjectives in English do not change either by gender, or by number, or by case. Adjectives in English can only be modified by degrees of comparison.

Adjectives can be simple or derived. Simple adjectives have neither prefixes nor suffixes. Derived adjectives contain suffixes or prefixes, or both at the same time.

Adjectives form, as in Russian, two degrees of comparison: comparative and superlative. The basic form of the adjective does not express comparison and is called the positive degree.

Adjective

An adjective is a part of speech that is used to denote a characteristic of an object.

• a clever boy
• an English book (English book)
• good butter (good butter)
• a cold winter

An adjective in English has three forms of degrees of comparison:

• positive degree
• comparative degree
• superlative degree.

Adjective degrees

Formation of degrees of comparison of adjectives

The basic form of an adjective is the positive degree. The comparative and superlative forms are usually formed from the positive degree in one of two ways:

The first way to form degrees of comparison of adjectives. If the form of an adjective in the positive degree consists of one syllable, the form of its comparative degree is formed using the suffix -er, and the superlative form - using the suffix -est, which are added to the base of the form of the positive degree.

The second way to form degrees of comparison of adjectives. From adjectives whose positive form consists of three or more syllables, the comparative degree is formed using the word more, and the superlative degree - using the word most, which are placed before the positive form of the adjective.

From two-syllable adjectives, the comparative and superlative forms are also formed using the words more and most.

Sometimes there are forms of two-syllable adjectives, formed using the suffixes -er and -est. Most often these are adjectives whose positive form ends in -у, -er, -ow.

Some adjectives form special forms of degrees of comparison, and these adjectives must be immediately memorized in all forms.

The adjective old forms degrees of comparison in two ways. In most cases, the suffix -er or -est is added to the base of the positive degree form.

However, in cases where they talk about members of the same family - “elder brother”, “eldest of the brothers”, they use the form elder (senior) or eldest (eldest).

To correctly write forms of degrees of comparison of adjectives, you need to know that when adding the suffixes -er and -est, the final letters of the adjective in the form of a positive degree change as follows:

• y changes to i after a consonant and does not change after a vowel: dry dry (dry) - drier - driest But: gay (cheerful) - gayer - gayest
• e is omitted: nice (good) - nicer - nicest
• the consonant is doubled in one-syllable adjectives after a short vowel: big - bigger - biggest

Using an adjective

The adjective is usually used in a sentence as a definition of a noun and stands before the word being defined. An adjective can also be a nominal member of a compound nominal predicate (predicative) and in this case stand after the linking verb to be.
Not a clever boy. He's a smart boy. (Clever - definition.) .Not is clever. He is smart. (Clever is a nominal member of a compound nominal predicate.)

Not all adjectives are used in these two functions. Adjectives alive (alive), afraid (scared), asleep (sleeping), awake (awake), ill (sick) and some others are used only as a nominal member of a compound nominal predicate.

To denote a lower or lowest degree of quality of one item compared to another, the adjective is usually preceded by the word less (less, less) or least (least of all).

Additional material.

Degrees of comparison of adjectives and adverbs.

in English, just like in Russian, adjectives and adverbs have three degrees of comparison:

1. positive
2. comparative
3. excellent.

In English there are two ways to construct degrees of comparison.

1. For short (one syllable) words:

Notes:

The definite article is often used with a superlative adjective; When constructing degrees of comparison of adjectives in writing:

1. the final consonant with the preceding short vowel is doubled: big (bigger ((the) biggest
2. if there is a consonant before the final -y, then -y goes into -i:
   easy (easy ((the) easiest; early (earlier ((the) earliest
3. when adding -er u -est, the final -e is omitted: (see large above). Spelling features do not affect pronunciation.

2. For long (two or more syllables) words:

It doesn't make sense to lengthen the word any further, so in English we add another short word in front:

• beautiful beautiful
• more beautiful
• easily easy
• more easily easier
• most easily

To pass values least and least of all (least) the words less and least are used respectively:

• less beautiful
• least beautiful least beautiful

Note:

Sometimes monosyllabic words form degrees of comparison using more / less or most / least , and conversely, words consisting of more than one syllable have -er / -est at the end; it depends only on the sound - if some form is perceived better by ear than another, it is put into the sentence: crisp - more crisp - (the) most crisp sounds better than crisp - crisper (the) crispest.

The forms of degrees of comparison of some adjectives and adverbs in English are not formed according to the rule:

Note: The word little can be either an adjective or an adverb; in this case it is used only as an adverb little; if you need to construct degrees of comparison from the adjective small, we use the word small (see above).

Note: the forms elder / eldest are used more often when the speaker is talking about members of his family:

• My father is older than my mother. My father is older than my mother.
• This is my eldest son. This is my eldest son.

In most other cases, degrees of comparison of adjectives are formed using method 1:

old old er old est

.

The word most with the indefinite article (a most) is not a degree of comparison, but means very: a most beautiful girl is a very beautiful girl.

The word most can appear before a plural noun or pronoun (often with the preposition of) and has the meaning many/most:

Most people like this. Many people like it. Most of them will not be able to come. Most of them won't be able to come.

The definite article is preserved before the superlative form even if there is no noun: Not is the best. He is the best.

To denote the comparative degree of an adjective, the word than is used; however, in order to avoid repetition of the same noun, the word one is often used as a substitute for this noun or possessive pronoun in absolute form:

• My car is bigger than their one / theirs. My car is bigger than theirs.
• These cigars are stronger than those ones. These cigars are stronger than those.

In the second part of comparative constructions, you can use pronouns both in the objective case (colloquial version) and the accusative case (literary version, usually with an auxiliary verb):

• She reads more than him / he does. She reads more than him.
• You are taller than me / I am. You are taller than me.
• Didn't come earlier than them / they did. He arrived earlier than them but
• I know him better than her. I know him better than her.
• I know him better than she does. I know him better than she does.

When comparing the same quality, the combination as ... as (same (same) ... as (s) / as (same) ... as (s) is used: She is as beautiful as my mother(She is as beautiful as my mother.

When comparing quality in negative form the combination not so ... as is more often used (not such ... as: I am not so beautiful as her / she is.(I'm not as beautiful as her.

When comparing with a multiple effect, the combination as ... as with numerals is used; the second as may be omitted if another comparison object is not mentioned in the situation:

• My sister is twice as beautiful (as yours).(My sister is twice as beautiful (as yours).
• His car is about three times as big (as my car).(His car is three times larger (mine).

The word half in such cases means half as much:

This liquid is half as strong (as that one).(This liquid is twice as weak (that one). I have half as much money (as you have).(I have half as much money (than you).

Sometimes a comparison can be strengthened with the help of additional words; more often than others, much is used for this: much more / less beautiful;

The Russian version of what..., the... is translated into English language the+ comparative degree of an adjective... the + comparative degree of an adjective:

• The faster you come the more you will get. The faster you arrive, the more you will get.
• The sooner you do it the better. The sooner you do this, the better.

Comparing degrees of adjectives is one of the easiest topics in English. But even though it is easy, it causes difficulties for some students. In this article, we have revealed the most important rules on this topic and given many examples to make the material easier to understand.

Education

To understand how to form superlative adjectives in English, count the number of syllables in the adjective. If there are only one or two, then feel free to add the ending -est . For example, tall – the tallest (high – the tallest), thin – the thinnest (thin – the thinnest). Ending -iest added to words ending in -y

• by adding the ending -est to all one-syllable and some two-syllable qualitative adjectives that end in -y, -e, -er, -ow.
• using the word the most , which comes before the adjective.

Let's look at this rule in more detail using the examples in the table.

You can distinguish the superlative degree of adjectives by the expression have ever (ever) and prepositions at, on, in, among, of all, one of.

This is the most beautiful song I have ever heard. – This is the most beautiful song I have ever heard.
James is the strongest boy among us. - James is the strongest boy among us.

If the adjective ends with a consonant, then the consonant when adding the ending -est doubles.

hot – the hottest . This is the hottest coffee I have ever drunk. - This is the hottest coffee I've ever drunk.

Exception

But not all adjectives form the superlative form according to the rules. Such adjectives are the exception and need to be remembered.

• good - best

Which of these trousers suit me best? – Which of these trousers suits me best?

• bad - worst

John is the worst student in his class. John is the worst student in his class.

• little - least

At least wait until she calls you. “At least wait until she calls you.”

• many - most

It is the most expensive telephone in this shop. – This is the most expensive phone in this store.

• far - farthest/furthest

farthest used to indicate distance, and furthest- in other meanings.

I live farthest from everyone in our class. – I live farthest away from everyone in our class;
It is the furthest information about the accident. – This is the latest information about the incident.

Adjectives form, as in Russian, two degrees of comparison: comparative(the Comparative Degree) and excellent(the Superlative Degree). The basic form of the adjective does not express comparison and is called positive degree (the Positive Degree):
Matthew is a young man. - Matthew is a young man.(young - positive degree)
Matthew is younger than Pete. – Matthew is younger than Pete.(younger – comparative degree)
Matthew is the youngest man in the group.– Matthew is the youngest person in the group.(youngest – superlative)

The superlative degree is always preceded by a definite article. the:
This product is of the best quality. – This product is of the best quality.

Formation of degrees of comparison of adjectives

There are adjectives monosyllabic(consisting of one syllable: long) and polysyllabic(consisting of two or more syllables: sunny, grateful).

Monosyllabic adjectives

-er
Superlative:-est:

For details of adding suffixes, see .

Disyllabicadjectives ending in-у (y changes to i), -er, -ow, -ble
Comparative degree: positive adjective + suffix -er
Superlative:positive adjective + suffix-est:

Positive degree	Comparative degree	Excellent degree
sunny	sunnier sunnier, sunnier	the sunniest
tender tender	tenderer more tender	the tenderest
narrow narrow	narrower already	the narrowest
able	abler more capable, more capable	the ablest the most capable, most capable

Peculiarities for adding suffixes, see .

Polysyllabicadjectives (2 syllables or more)

Comparative: more+ positive adjective
Superlative: most + positive adjective:

Exceptions:

a) some two-syllable adjectives polite, severe, sincere, simple, common. They form degrees of comparison using suffixes -er, -est:

Positive degree	Comparative degree	Excellent degree
polite polite	politer more polite, more polite	the politest
severe strict	severer more strict, stricter	the severest the strictest, the strictest
sincere	sincerer more sincere, sincere	the sincerest the most sincere, most sincere
simple	simpler simpler, simpler	the simplest the simplest, the simplest
common	commoner more common, more common	the commonest

b) one-syllable adjectives right, wrong, real. They form degrees of comparison using words more And the most:

c) adjectives that form degrees of comparison from another root:

Positive degree	Comparative degree	Excellent degree
good good	better better	the best the best, the best
bad bad	worse	the worst
little little	less less	the least
much, many	more more	the most
old old	older older (by age) elder is older (in the family)	the oldest the eldest is the eldest in the family
far distant, distant	farther 1. more distant, more distant further 1. more distant 2. further, additional	the farthest, the furthest
near	nearer	the nearest closest (by distance) the next next (in order)
late late	later later (in time) latter the last of the two (in order)	the latest the last most recent (in order)

Notes:

1. Word less translated in two ways:
a) less – if it is a comparative degree from few
b) smaller small:
There are less pupils in our group than in yours. – There are fewer students in our group than in yours.
My doll is smaller than yours. - My doll is smaller than yours.

2. To the word more corresponds in English:
a) more – if it is a comparative degree from a lot of
b) bigger or larger – if it is a comparative degree from big:
There are more pupils in our group than in yours. – There are more students in our group than in yours.
My doll is larger than yours. - My doll is bigger than yours.

3.a) Farther, farthest and further, furthest both are used to indicate distance:
The farthest (furthest) shop is on the St. Louis street. – The farthest store is on St. Louis Street.
b) Further also matters further, additional:
Now you know my further actions. – Now you know my next steps.