The topic "Degrees of Comparison of Adjectives" in the English language requires special attention and careful study. Adjectives come in three forms: positive, comparative, and excellent. By analogy with the Russian language, you can give an example:
- large (positive) - more (comparative) - the largest (excellent).
In English, three methods are used to form adjective degrees:
- suffix;
- composite;
- exceptions.
Suffixive adjectives
The method relates only to a monosyllabic adjective and to an adjective consisting of two syllables, but ending in -y, -er, -ow. In this case, a comparative degree is formed by adding -er at the end of the word. And excellent - by adding -est and the definite article the before the adjective. For an illustrative example, we compile a table with a translation of the degrees of comparison of adjectives in English:
| tall (tall, incredible) | taller (higher, unbelievable) | the tallest (highest, most incredible) | Mike is the tallest boy in his class. |
| short | shorter (shorter) | the shortest | It was the shortest weekend in my life. |
Do not forget that when adding a suffix to a word, it can undergo some changes. So, for example, if a word is uploaded to the letter -y, and it is preceded by a consonant, then the letter -y changes to -i.
If a monosyllabic adjective ends in a stressed vowel and one consonant, then the last consonant doubles when a comparative degree is formed.
Also see the table of degrees of comparison of adjectives below.
| cozy (comfortable) | cozier (more convenient) | the coziest (most convenient) | This house is the coziest of all I have ever seen. |
| hot (hot, hot) | hotter (hotter, hotter) | the hottest (hottest, hottest) | It was the hottest day in this year. |
Compound method of forming adjectives
This method of education is used only for polysyllabic words. To form adjectives, we put the word more or the most in front of the adjective, depending on what degree we need. A good example is also considered in the table of degrees of comparison of adjectives in English.
| talkative | more talkative | the most talkative | This boy is the most talkative person on the Earth! |
| beautiful | more beautiful | the most beautiful | As for me, rose is the most beautiful flower |
| difficult | more difficult | the most difficult | This exercise is more difficult than others |
Education Exceptions
This method includes the so-called exception words. There are not many of them in the English language, but they have their own characteristics that must be remembered. Below is a table of exceptions for the degrees of comparison of adjectives in the English language that you need to know by heart.
| good | better | the best | She is the best student in her class. - She is the best student in her class. |
| bad | worse | the worst | I got the worst mark in whole class. - I got the worst grade in the whole class. |
| little (small) | less | the least | This room in hotel is less preferable for me. - This hotel room is less suitable for me |
| many / much | more | the most | I need more information for doing my job well. - I need more information in order to do my job well |
| old | elder / older | the eldest / the oldest | This car is older than me. - This car is older than me |
| far (far) | further / farther | the furthest / the farthest | Let's go further in our discussion. - Let's move on in our discussion |
The last two adjectives require close attention. You need to understand the difference between older and elder forms. We use the words elder / the eldest only when it comes to kinship. In all other cases, we use the words older / the oldest.
My brother is elder than my sister. “My brother is older than my sister.”
BUT!
It is the oldest house in our village. - This is the oldest house in our village.
The words farther / the farthest are only used literally when it comes to physical distance. In other cases, we use the words further / the furthest.
We are going farther and farther in deep forest. “We are going deeper and deeper into the dark forest.”
Let's go further in our discussion. - Let's move on in our discussion.
It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that there are adjectives that do not change in accordance with the degrees. Such forms are characteristic only of those adjectives that express any degree of a particular attribute, quality or phenomenon. It is worth remembering that this topic is studied at an early stage of language learning, so all tables of degrees of comparison of adjectives in English for children will be just as useful as for adults.
Practice exercises
Fill in the table of degrees of comparison of adjectives in English with translation:
positive the form | comparative the form | excellent the form | transfer |
| different | | | |
| hot | | | |
| innovative | | | |
| musical | | | |
| smart | | | |
| good | | | |
| much | | | |
| peaceful | | | |
| patient | | | |
| fortunate | | | |
| happy | | | |
| easy | | | |
| clever | | | |
Put the adjectives in parentheses in the desired form:
- Do you know our ... (far) destination?
- I couldn't solve this task on my math test. It was the ... (difficult) for me.
- History is ... (easy) for me than Art lessons.
- My mum is ... (old) than my dad.
Exclusions of degrees of comparison of adjectives in English. The table must be filled in memory.
| good | | |
| worse | |
| | the most |
| elder | |
| little | | |
Translate into English:
- My grandfather is the oldest in our family.
- It was the scariest memory of my life.
- Yesterday I met one of the most beautiful girls on the planet.
- I promised that I would study better.
- My friend is the kindest person in the universe.