Adjectives in English
Degrees of Comparison There are three degrees: Basic Comparative Superlative high higher highest
One-syllable Adjectives er Usually, the ending er/est is simply added to the positive form of the adjective. For example: fast - faster strong - stronger est tall - tallest young - youngest When an adjective ends in a silent e, the silent e is dropped before the ending er/est is added. rst e.g.: brave - braver - bravest rst close - closer - closest rst late - later - latest
When an adjective ends in y preceded by a consonant, the y is changed to i before the ending er/est is added. e.g.: dry - drier-driest; easy - easier-easiest When an adjective ends in a CVC and the last consonant is other than w, x or y or a double vowel - we double the final consonant before adding er/est is added. e.g.: big - bigger-biggest (hot - hotter sad - saddest but: e.g.: loud - louder; neat - neater; soon - sooner
Two and more syllable adjectives ry Adjectives of 2 or more syllables (unless it ends with r or y), we make superior by using: the most the least adjective the most / the least adjective noun. the most the least This book is the most / the least interesting book I have ever read.
Two and more syllable adjectives ry Adjectives of 2 or more syllables (unless it ends with r or y), we compare by using: more lessthan noun verb more / less ____ than noun. more than This book is more interesting than that book. less than My ad is less convincing than your ad.
MJH_teacher Irregular Forms of Comparison the bestbetter thangood the worstworse thanbad the farthest / furthestfarther / further thanfar the leastless thanlittle the fewestfewer thanfew the mostmore thanmany/much
Adjective Order
Fact Adjectives
Opinion + Fact Adjectives
Suffixation - fulhaving… useful giving… helpful -lesswithout fearless -lyhaving the qualities of cowardly -like childlike -ylike… creamy covered with… hairy -ishbelonging to Turkish having the character foolish -ianin the tradition of Darwinian
Other adjective suffixes: -able/-ible= worthy/able: readable/edible -ish= somewhatyoungish -ed= havingbalconied
Adjective suffixes meaning having the characteristics of…/ peculiar to…/ full of …. -alcriminal (also –ialeditorial and –icalmusical -icheroic -iveattractive (also – ativeaffirmative and -itivesensitive -ousvirtuous (also –eouscourteous and –iousvivacious
Suffixation NOTE!-ic vs. -ical (difference in meaning) an economic miracle ( in the economy) the car is economical to run( money-saving) a historic building(with a history) historical research(pertaining to history)
Adjectives as Nouns = Substantivized Adjectives Fully substantivized – have all characteristics of a noun a native - the natives, a Russian - the Russians, a German - the Germans. Partially substantivized – are used as nouns only to show a group, many the rich, the unemployed, the good, the evil, the beautiful, the English.