The Definition of Degrees of Comparison
3.
The Forms and Patterns of Degrees of Comparison
a. The Forms of Degrees of Comparison To form the degrees of comparison we need to know the inflection or
addition ways of adjective and adverb. Whether it is added by –er or –est at the end of the adjective or adverb, or preceded by more- or most- before it. It depends
on the length of adjective and adverb word and also its last syllable. Besides, there is also the irregular form of degrees of comparison, such as the word bad positive
degree, worse comparative degree and worst superlative degree. For further explanation about the form of degrees of comparison the writer
has some formulas as stated below. 1 Positive Degree:
it has the simplest form of all and it uses the base form of adjective or adverb. We just need to put or add as before and after the
adjective or adverb, and for the negative sense add not before as.
Table 2.1 Positive form
Adjective and Adverb
Rule The words
Positive form All adjective
forms
All adverb forms
Add “as” before and after the
word Add “as” before
and after the word
interesting, expensive,
high soon, quickly,
seldom as interesting
as, as expensive as,
as high as
as soon as, as
quickly as, as
seldom as
2 Comparative Degree: regular adjectives and adverbs make their
comparative form in one of two ways: a By addition of the suffix –er sometimes with modification in the
spelling of the stem: bigger, larger, sillier, etc.
b By the use of word more-: more foolish, more amusing, etc.
7
Table 2.2 Comparative form
Pattern I: addition of suffix –er Adjective and
Adverb Rule
The words Comparative
form I. Adjectives of
one syllable ended by “e”
ended by vowel+consona
nt, except h,w,x,y
ended by all other words
II. Adjective of two syllables
Ended by –er, - ow
Ended by –y Ended by
consonant + le III. Adverb of one
syllable mostly identical in
form with adjectives, and
sometimes not clearly
distinguished from adjective
in function.
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Add –r Double the last
consonant before adding –
er Add –er
Add –er Change “y” to
“i” and add –er
Add –r
Add –er brave, wide
flat, big, hot
short, cheap, long
clever, narrow
pretty, happy
gentle, noble
hard, fast, soon
braver, wider flatter, bigger,
hotter
shorter, cheaper,
longer
cleverer, narrower
prettier, happier
gentler, nobler
harder, faster, sooner
7
C E Nuttall, English Language Units: Comparison of Adjectives and Adverbs, London: Longman Group Ltd, 1971, p.7
8
C E Nuttall, English Language Units: Comparison of Adjectives and Adverbs, London: Longman Group Ltd, 1971p.8
Table 2.3 Comparative form
Pattern II: addition of the word more- Adjective and
Adverb Rules
The words Comparative
form I.
Adjective of two syllables
ended by –ful, -re, -ed, -ing, -
ish, -ous
II. Adjective of three or more
syllables
III. Most adverbs that admit of
the notion of comparison,
these include mainly adverb
of manner with the suffix –ly,
and a few adverb of
frequency Put more-
before the positive form
Put more- before the
positive form
Put more- before the
positive form doubtful,
obscure, amused,
boring, foolish,
nervous
interested, amusing,
beautiful, magnificent
sweetly, carefully,
accurately, seldom
more doubtful, more
obscure, more
amused, more
boring, more
foolish, more
nervous more
interested, more
amusing, more
beautiful, more
magnificent
more sweetly, more
carefully, more
accurately, more
seldom
3 Superlative Degree: regular adjectives and adverbs make their superlative
form in two ways: by adding the suffix –est for one or some of two syllables adjective or adverb, and adding the word most- for three or some of two
syllables adjective or adverb.