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3 Superlative
Superlative degree is used to stress the highest degree of quality for more than two objects compared. It is the highest or lowest degree of quality when
more than two persons or things are compared. The superlative is used to compare one member of a group with the whole group including that member.
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For example: Bob is the tallest boy in the club.
These bags are the most expensive of all.
c. The Form of Adjective Comparison
To make the comparison of adjective, we have to know the correct form for a specific adjective word. Moreover, to form the degrees of comparison of
adjective, we need to know the inflection or addition ways of adjective. Whether it is added by
–er or –est at the end of the adjective, or preceded more- or most- before it. It depends on the length of the adjective word and on the last syllable.
The syllable itself is a unit of spoken language.
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As the writer stated before, that the comparison is used in this form is about adjective comparison. So in making the pattern of comparison, the writer
focuses on the adjective form. Here are the patterns:
1. Positive comparison.
There are two ways the positive comparison, such as: The simplest form that only use a single adjective after be or article a, an,
the
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Adding as before and after the adjective. To make it clear, the table 2.1 below is presented:
14
Michael Swan, Practical English Usage, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980, p. 144.
15
Alan Kent Dart, Grammar Workbook 1, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1978, p. 175.
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http:www.esldesk.comgrammaradjectives
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Table 2. 1 Form of Positive Comparison
The formula Example
Subject + be + adjective Subject + be + as + adjective +
as Subject + be + not + as +
adjective + as a.
The flowers are beautiful. b.
The girl is as clever as that one.
c. This television is not as
expensive as that television. 2.
Comparative form The way to compare two things, persons or places is by using the
comparative form of adjective as follows:
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Adjective + -er + than More + adjective + than
To make it clear, the writer gives the examples about the previous form in the table 2.2 below:
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Mark Foley Diane Halla, Advanced Learners’ Grammar. Self –Study Reference and
Practice Book with Answers, London: Longman, 1988 P. 224.
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a On the other hand, less and least are used in front of longer adjectives with
two or more syllables to show comparison of comparative and superlative. Less is the antonym of more and least is the antonym of most.
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For the examples, the writer writes in the table 2.6 below:
Table 2.6 Less and Least
Positive Comparative
Superlative
appealing practical
expensive less appealing
less practical less expensive
least appealing least practical
least expensive
b There are irregular adjectives for comparative and superlative degree.
The lists of the irregular adjective for comparative and superlative degree showed in the table 2.7 below:
Table 2.7 Irregular Forms of Comparison
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Positive form Comparative form
Superlative form
good well adjective
better best
bad badly
worse worst
many much
more most
little less
least old
old elder preferably used in family
older eldest for person
oldest for things or person far
farther further
farthest of distance only furthest used more widely
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http: www. Esldesk.comgrammaradjectives
19
A. J. Thomson and A. V. Martinet, A Practical English Grammar, New York: Oxford University Press, 1986 Fourth Edition, p. 37.
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c. With a few two-syllable adjectives, both kinds of comparative and superlative are possible. These are: common, handsome, polite, quiet, wicked, pleasant, cruel,
stupid, tired, and words ending in -ow, -er, and -le. From the statement above, table 2.8 shows the list of the adjectives with
two syllables both comparative and superlative that formed by adding prefix more most and suffix
–er-est.
Table 2.8 Adjectives with Two Syllables both Comparative and Superlative that
Formed by Adding Prefix moremost and suffix
–er-est Positive
Comparative Superlative
common clever
gentle hollow
bitter tender
narrow shallow
simple quiet
commoner more common cleverer more clever
gentler more gentle hollower more hollow
bitterer more bitter tenderer more tender
narrower more narrow shallower more shallow
simpler more simple quieter more quiet
commonest most common cleverest most clever
gentlest most gentle hollowest most hollow
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bitterest most bitter tenderest most tender
narrowest most narrow shallowest most shallow
simplest most simple
quietest most quiet
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Michael Swan, Practical English Usage, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980, p. 144.
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter presents the research methodology used in this study. It consists of the purpose of the study, place and time of the study, research method,
population and sample, the techniques of data collecting, and the techniques of data analysis.
A. The Purpose of the Study
