Degrees of Comparison of Adjectives

Adjectives have three degrees of comparison: Positive, Comparative and Superlative.

The comparative degree denotes a higher degree of quality. Mary is taller than her sister.

The superlative degree denotes the highest degree of a quality. Mary is the tallest girl in our group.

The comparative and the superlative degrees are formed in the following way:

a. by adding the suffixes -er, -est (synthetic way);

b. by placing more and most before the adjective (analytical way);

c. some adjectives have irregular forms of degrees of comparison.

1. The adjectives far and old have two forms of comparative and superlative degrees.

far — farther (further) — farthest (furthest) Farther, farthest denote distance; further denotes time and distance.

old (elder ) — older (eldest) —oldest Older, oldest are used to denote age; elder,

eldest are used when speaking about the members of the same family. Older (not elder) is used with the conjunctive than.

2. Nouns modified by an adjective in the superlative degree are used with the definite article. This is the easiest text in the book.

3. The forms of the comparative degree of adjectives may be emphasized by the word much.

The Volga is much longer than the Don. Волга значительно длиннее Дона.

This book is much more interesting than that one. Эта книга значительно интереснее той (книги).

4. Remember that most can be used to emphasize an adjective as well. In that case the noun in the singular has the indefinite article and it has no article in the plural. Most in this case means крайне, весьма, чрезвычайно.

Compare the following sentences:

5. An equal degree of quality and quantity is expressed by the adjective in the positive degree with the conjunction as... as.

Ann's brother is as tall as his father.

6. An unequal degree of quality and quantity is expressed:

(a) by the adjective in the positive degree and the conjunction not so ... as:

ВAnn's brother is not so tall as his father;

(b) by the adjective in the comparative degree and the conjunction than:

ВAnn's brother is taller than she (is).

7. Remember the word-combination as+ adjective + as possible.

Your letter must be as short as possible. (как можно короче)

Your composition must be as interesting as possible. (как можно интереснее)

8. Remember the word combination the + the comparative degree of an adjective + better.

Your letter is very short. The shorter the better. (чем короче, тем лучше)

Spelling Rules:

1 if the adjective ends in a consonant preceded by a stressed short vowel the consonant is doubled: thin – thinner – (the) thinnest.

2 if the adjective ends in –y: preceded by a consonant, –y is changed into –i: happy – happier – (the) happiest; but: gay – gayer – (the)gayest.

3 if the adjective ends in –e: the –e is dropped before –er and –est:

Вlate – later – (the) latest

Comparison of Adverbs

Adverbs, like adjectives, have three degrees of comparison – the positive, the comparative and the superlative. The different degrees of comparison are formed in different ways:

Short adverbs having just one syllable form the comparative and the superlative by the addition of –er and –est to the positive.

Hard (positive), harder (comparative), hardest (superlative)
Soon, sooner, soonest
Fast, faster, fastest
Late, later, latest
Loud, louder, loudest
Clean, cleaner, cleanest
Clear, clearer, clearest
Low, lower, lowest
High, Вhigher, Вhighest

Note that almost all adverbs which are also used as adjectives belong to this class.

Adverbs ending in –ly

Adverbs which end in –ly take more for the comparative and most for the superlative.

Softly (positive), more softly (comparative), most softly (superlative)
Happily, more happily, most happily
Swiftly, more swiftly, most swiftly
Ably, more ably, most ably
Truly, more truly, most truly
Greedily, more greedily, most greedily
Efficiently, more efficiently, most efficiently
Certainly, more certainly, most certainly
Painfully, more painfully, most painfully
Joyfully, more joyfully, Вmost joyfully

Exception

The adverb early is an exception to this rule.

Early (positive), earlier (comparative), earliest (superlative)

Some adverbs form their comparative and superlative degrees in an irregular manner:

Far (positive), farther, further (comparative), farthest, furthest (superlative)
Late (positive), later (comparative), last, latest (superlative)
Well (positive), better (comparative), best (superlative)
Badly, worse, worst
Little, less, least
Much, more, most

Notes

It should be noted that only adverbs of time, degree and manner have three degrees of comparison.

Adverbs such as now, then, once, there, where, why, how, not, never, ever etc., cannot be compared and hence they do not have the three degrees of comparison.

Grammar exercises

Read the text

A GLIMPSE OF LONDON

London is the capital of Great Britain. The full name of the coun­try is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. “Today London is one of the largest cities in the world. Its population is more than seven million. London is situated on both sides of the Thames. There are fourteen bridges across the Thames. In fact, there are several Londons. There is the ancient City of Lon­don. It is the oldest part of London. There are no houses in the City, only large office buildings. The City is the country's financial and busi­ness centre. The Stock Exchange, the Royal Exchange, and the Bank of England are all there. During the day the City has a population of half a million. At night the City is a different place. There’s no traffic and very few people. It's quiet and empty. London has many ‘faces’. There is the West End with its famous shops and hotels. It's the finest part of London.”In the West End there are theatres, cinemas, museums, picture galleries, long streets of fine shops and many big houses. There are beautiful parks, too.The Houses of Parliament, Whitehall, Downing Street are all in the West End. Whitehall is the street where all the Government of­fices are. It is the heart of the government of Great Britain. If the City is the “money” of London, and the West End is the “goods” of London, then the East End is the “hands” of London. Working-class London is in the East End. It is a district of docks, factories, poor little houses and narrow streets. Housing conditions in this part of London are very bad. Lots of old houses have no modern conveniences. They are damp, dirty and dark. Every large city is full of contrasts, but London is the city of con­trasts.

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