Furthermore the positive degree is not really a degree of comparison because no comparison is indicated when the positive degree is used. The positive degree is
the simple form of the adjective. It shows that the quality is present, but it does not
show a comparison with anything else. The comparative degree of the adjective is used when a comparison is made between two persons or things. The comparative
degree shows that the quality expressed by the adjective exists to a greater or to a lesser degree in one of the two persons or things that are being compared. The
comparative degree of almost all adjectives of one syllable is formed by adding er to the positive degree or to the simple form of the adjective. The superlative degree of
the adjective is used when more than two persons or things are compared. The superlative degree indicates that the quality is possessed to the greatest or to the least
degree by one of the persons or things included in the comparison.
2. Form of Degrees of Comparison of Adjective
The degrees of comparison are known as the positive, the comparative, and the superlative. Actually, only the comparative and superlative show degrees. We use
the comparative for comparing two things and the superlative for comparing three or more things. In leveling these types of words, some of them change regularly regular
comparison and some change irregularly irregular comparison.
A. Regular Comparison Adjectives are regularly compared in two different ways:
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1. Comparison by the suffixes er and est. Words of one syllable and some words of two syllables from their
comparative by adding the suffix er to the positive adjective: braver. They from the superlative by adding the suffix est to the positive adjective:
bravest.
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James C. Fernald, English Grammar Simplified, New York: Harper Row publisher, 1979 p.66-67.
Positive Comparative
Superlative
Sad sadder
saddest Hot
hotter hottest
Wild wilder
Wildest Simple
Simpler Simplest
Narrow Narrower
Narrowest
a. When the positive is one syllable adjective ends with an e, just add -r. for the comparative form and
–st for the superlative form. e.g.
Positive Comparative
Superlative
brave braver
bravest large
larger Largest
wise wiser
wisest
b. When the positive is a monosyllable ends with a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, the final consonant is double before er for
the comparative form or est for the superlative form. e.g.:
Positive Comparative
Superlative
Big bigger
biggest Red
redder Reddest
Thin thinner
thinnest
c. When the positive one syllable adjectives ends with a y preceded by a consonant, the y is changed to i before the suffix.
e.g.:
Positive Comparative
Superlative
Dry drier
driest Friendly
friendlier friendliest
Exceptions:
Positive Comparative
Superlative
Shy Shyer
shyest Gay
Gayer gayest
d. When the positive is two syllable adjective form their comparative and superlative in two different ways:
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1 Adjectives ending in ED, ING, RE, FUL, OUS and those with the stress on the first syllable usually take more and the most.
Positive Comparative
Superlative
interested More interested
Most interested Charming
More charming Most charming
Obscure More obscure
Most obscure Hopeful
More hopeful Most hopeful
Famous More famous
Most famous
2 Adjectives ending in E R , Y , L E , O W and those with the stress on the second syllable add er and est to the positive degree.
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Positive Comparative
Superlative
Clever cleverer
cleverest Pretty
Prettier Prettiest
Simple Simpler
Simplest
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http:www.scribd.comdoc14068774Degrees-of-Comparison Thursday, November 11,
2010
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http:www.scribd.comdoc14068774Degrees-of-Comparison Thursday, November 11,
2010
Narrow Narrower
Narrowest
e. Various other adjectives of two syllable are also compared by er and est, according to no very definite rule.
e.g.:
Positive Comparative
Superlative
Bitter Bitterer
Bitterest Clever
Cleverer Cleverest
Cruel Crueler
Cruelest The correct usage in such words can be learned only by careful study of
the dictionary and of the best authors.
2. Comparison by Adverbs, More and Most, Less and Least. We use more and most before adjectives and adverbs when these words
are long, almost always if they have more than one syllable, except as noted in the preceding section.
e.g.:
Positive Comparative
Superlative
intelligent more intelligent
most intelligent beautiful
more beautiful most beautiful
We generally teach that we add –er or –est to the end of shorter adjectives and
adverbs - if they have only one syllable. e.g: fast: He drove faster this morning
Although we may choose not to teach this – at least until a much higher level,
in fact we sometimes have to use more and most with one-syllable adjectives.
With adjectives that are also past participles, eg. Burnt, drunk, forced, lost,
spoiled, tired, and torn: I‟m getting more and more tired With adjectives that are not gradable, e.g. dead, male, and royal: I feel more
dead than I did yesterday.
We also sometimes choose to use more and most with one-syllable adjectives. To make a specific contrast with „less‟:
A: Did she say it was less cold in the north of the country? B: No. She said it was more cold.
