Adjectives are words that describe or modify a person or the meaning of thing in the sentence.
We use degrees of comparison to compare one person or one thing with another. Degrees of comparison can be classified as positive, comparative and superlative.
1. Adjective Degrees
When we talk about only one person or one thing, we use the positive degree of comparison.
- John is tall.
We use the comparative degree of comparison to show the difference between two people, things or groups.
- John is taller than Mary.
We use the superlative degree of comparison to compare three or more people, things or groups, to show which of them has "the most" of some quality.
- John is the tallest.
We normally use "than" with comparative adjectives and "the" with superlative adjectives.
2. Comparative and superlative forms
Rule1: Add -er or -est to one syllabic words.
POSITIVE
|
COMPARATIVE
|
SUPERLATIVE
|
Small
|
Smaller
|
Smallest
|
Short
|
Shorter
|
Shortest
|
Rule 2: When an adjective ends in -y, drop the -y and change it to -i and add -er or -est.
POSITIVE
|
COMPARATIVE
|
SUPERLATIVE
|
Busy
|
Busier
|
Busiest
|
Crazy
|
Crazier
|
Craziest
|
Rule 3: When an adjective ends in -e, remove the -e and add -er or -est in its place.
POSITIVE
|
COMPARATIVE
|
SUPERLATIVE
|
Cute
|
Cuter
|
Cutest
|
Nice
|
Nicer
|
Nicest
|
Rule 4: For adjectives ending in -ful, -less, and -ing use more or most before the word. For two syllabic adjective also use more and most.
POSITIVE
|
COMPARATIVE
|
SUPERLATIVE
|
Beautiful
|
More beautiful
|
Most Beautiful
|
Pleasant
|
More pleasant
|
Most pleasant
|
Rule 5: There are some adjective which are known as irregular adjectives as they don’t follow any rules.
POSITIVE
|
COMPARATIVE
|
SUPERLATIVE
|
Good
|
Better
|
Best
|
Little
|
Less
|
Least
|
Bad
|
Worse
|
Worst
|
Much
|
More
|
Most
|
Old
|
Older
|
Oldest
|
