Comparative and superlative adjectives

The name adjective is the very part of speech without which our language cannot exist. And the point here is not only the need for imagery. Without adjectives, even a banal concretization of objects is impossible. If we do not know the exact signs of an object, we cannot imagine it and, therefore, can hardly predict what actions we can take with respect to this object.

We all understand that objects cannot be the same. One of them is larger, the second is smaller, the third is heavier, and the fourth is generally darker in color. So how do you describe something that is different in its features from other objects? How to emphasize this difference? That is why the comparative degree and the superlative degree of comparison of the names of adjectives are needed. Let's try to figure out what it is.

And for what?

As mentioned above, a comparative and superlative degree of adjectives is needed in order to identify an object by comparing it with another object. Usually, one of the objects is initially called so that a person can imagine what he will have to compare with, and only then the signs of a new object relative to the original are listed, so that, by comparing, we can get an idea of ​​what we do not yet know.

A comparative degree and a superlative degree are really necessary in education to help the student better understand the nature of the subject, which, of course, contributes to the successful mastering of the material. At the same time, our everyday speech would become much more scarce if it did not have these very comparisons - then in a number of situations we simply could not express our thoughts! To form a comparative and superlative degree of adjectives and adverbs (which will be discussed later) is not at all difficult. The main thing is to be able to apply them correctly.

What will we form from?

First of all, you need to understand that the comparative and superlative degree of adjectives is a phenomenon characteristic only for the qualitative parts of speech. Possessive adjectives, for example, which indicate that an object belongs to someone, cannot form something like this: a ball, for example, cannot be larger than Tanin than Sashin, and the tail is more fox than wolf. The same can be said about relative adjectives: is the table more wooden than the chair? Nonsense!

So be sure to remember that only quality adjectives have a comparative degree and a superlative degree.

Comparative - synthetics

Let's start with the comparative degree of the name of the adjective. Firstly, you need to understand that it can be simple and compound, that is, it is formed either with the help of special suffixes, or by adding certain words that emphasize the difference between objects. A simple degree, it is also called synthetic, as mentioned above, is formed with the help of formative suffixes, which are added to the base of the word. The choice of suffix depends on what sound this very base ends with. For most consonant sounds (with the exception of a few exceptions, which will be discussed below), the suffixes -ee- and -ey- are suitable: light - light EEE, hot - hot and so on.

The suffix -– is used in such cases:

• When the adjective name ends in r, x, d, t (dear - dear, dry - drier, rich - rich, young - younger). By the way, here, as you have already noticed, there is an alternation of consonant sound at the root of the word, which is also an important point.
• When the adjective name ends with the suffix -k- (high - higher, low - lower).
• In cases of exceptions, which, unfortunately, are not amenable to any logic (cheap - cheaper).

And the last group of suffixes -she- and -zhe- are also used in isolated cases, more as exceptions (thin - thinner, deeper - deeper).

In addition, it is impossible not to mention that there is a certain number of words for which the root itself changes during the formation of a form of comparative and superlative degree (good - BETTER, bad - WORSE).

Everyday speech allows the addition of a prefix to the adjective, already standing in a comparative degree, to slightly soften this difference (light - Lighter - Lighter, expensive - more expensive - More expensive). In a sentence, such an adjective name form is most often part of a compound nominal predicate. Moreover, it does not change by gender, numbers and cases.

Comparative - analytics

We turn to the composite analytical form of the comparative degree of the name of the adjective. Everything is much simpler here: the words "more" and "less" are used before the adjective (risky - more risky, educated - less educated). In the sentence, the analytical form fully corresponds to the functions of the usual adjective name.

Excellent Synthetics

The excellent degree of comparison demonstrates, as the name implies, the absolute superiority of some attribute, the highest degree of its manifestation. It also has a synthetic (simple) and analytical (composite) form.

"Synthetics" is formed using a series of suffixes -eysh-, -ish-, -sh- (simple - simple, quiet - quiet). In addition, the literary style allows the use of the prefix -ai-, which is added to the adjective to a comparative degree (small - the smallest, simple - the simplest). There is already a change in gender, numbers and cases, in contrast to the comparative degree.

Excellent - analytics

With a composite form, everything is as simple as with a comparative degree. Here the words “most”, “most / least” are usually added, which are inherent for the most part in the book style (MOST successful, LEAST rational, MOST simple), and “all / everything” combined with the adjective to a comparative degree, which are used in colloquial speech (smarter than ALL, more interesting than EVERYTHING).

Degrees of comparison of adverbs

Now let's move on to another part of the speech - the adverb. Its necessity and usefulness are undeniable. In principle, they have a lot in common. The comparative and superlative degree of adverbs is usually, compared with the adjective, much less voluminous and much easier.

Firstly, it should be noted that only adverbs ending in -o, -e, which are based on high-quality adjectives (simple, quiet, deep) form the degrees of comparison.

Secondly, we are faced with the same two forms: comparative and excellent with the division in the first case into simple and composite. For the formation of a simple comparative degree, the suffixes -ee-, -ey-, -e and -she- are used, added to the adverb without this characteristic -o, e: simple - simple, funny - funny. Whereas the composite form is created using the already known words "more / less" and the original form of the adverb - LESS loud, MORE freely. With an excellent degree of adverb, it is even simpler: there is no synthetic form, and the analytical one is formed by adding a short “all” to the comparative degree of the adverb (quietly - quieter - quieter than ALL, boldly - bolder - bolder than ALL).

Summarize

We have studied comparative and superlatives. A table that helps to summarize and repeat all of the above material is presented below.

Conclusion

Comparative degree and superlative degree are, in principle, an elementary topic. It is enough to know a few suffixes to successfully complete numerous grammar exercises. By the way, this feature of adjectives and adverbs is common to many languages. Here, for example, is English: a comparative and superlative degree in this language is formed by adding either a suffix to monosyllabic words or amplifying words to polysyllabic. Everything here is even simpler than ours! If you wish, you can master this rule without difficulty. Practice, practice and practice again!