English 3 degrees of comparison of adjectives. What are the degrees of comparison of adjectives in English? Detailed guide. Examples of the comparative degree of adjectives formed from disyllabic and more adjectives

Adjectives and adverbs express attributes of objects. But sometimes it becomes necessary to note that a feature of one object is more pronounced than another, that is, to compare them. To do this, you can use the degrees of comparison of adjectives and adverbs. There are three different degrees of comparison that give adjectives and adverbs certain meanings. In this article, we will analyze how each of the degrees is formed.

Comparative and positive degrees of adjectives

First of all, it should be remembered that only qualitative adjectives can change in degree. A positive degree indicates that the attribute of the object is not compared with anything. It's just called. These are the adjectives that we use regularly. For example: soft, hard, long, beautiful, old, etc.

The comparative degree is used when it is necessary to compare two similar features.

Only one of them will be more pronounced or, conversely, less. This degree is used when it comes to, for example, age (someone older / younger) or the size of something (more / less), etc. A comparative degree can be formed in several ways. Everything depends on the word itself. If a one-syllable or two-syllable adjective is used, then it is only necessary to add the suffix -er to it. Examples: long - longer (long - longer), short - shorter (short, shorter). If the adjective is a polysyllabic word, then it is preceded by more (an analogue of the Russian “more”), and the adjective itself remains unchanged. Examples: more beautiful (more beautiful), more effective (more effective).

Superlative degree

This degree indicates whether the pro trait is expressed to the greatest or least extent, compared with other similar ones. For example, we use when we say that someone is the oldest or, conversely, the youngest in the family. How is the superlative degree formed? If a one-syllable or two-syllable adjective is used, then only the suffix -est is attached to it. Examples: big - biggest (big - biggest), easy - easiest (simple - easiest).

If the adjective is polysyllabic, then most is added to it (an analogue of the Russian “most”). Examples: beautiful - most beautiful (beautiful - the most beautiful), effective - most effective (effective - the most effective).

The degree of comparison of adverbs in English

Adverbs change the degree of comparison in the same way as adjectives. First, the suffixes -er and -est are used.

Examples: quickly - quicker - quickest, fast - faster - fastest (fast - faster - fastest). Although basically the same principle is used as in the case of adjectives, there are some differences. The formation of degrees of comparison of adverbs in English depends not only on the number of syllables, but also on which letters are at the end of the word.

Polysyllabic adverbs and those ending in -ly (early and loudly are exceptions) form a simile with more and most. Examples: wisely (wisely) - more wisely (more wisely) - most wisely (most wisely). It is also worth noting that the degree of comparison of adverbs in English can be formed not according to the rules. There is a list of exception words:

• well - better - (the) best;
• badly - worse - (the) worst;
• far - farther / further - farthest / furthest and other words.

Why do last words have multiple forms? They are used in different situations and have different meanings. If we are talking about a specific distance, then it is better to use farther - farthest. If the sentence is about time (for example, "further actions"), then it would be more appropriate to use further - furthest.

Why do you need to be able to change the comparative forms of adjectives and adverbs?

First of all, it is one of the basic topics in English grammar. For those who plan to take any exams in the future, it is especially important. Comparisons are also very often used in ordinary everyday speech. Therefore, mastering them will also be useful for those who want to speak English confidently and understand someone else's speech.

After all, comparisons help to express emotions, create realistic descriptions, talk about the degree of closeness that connects people, mention age, and much more. In a word, the comparative degree occurs in completely different situations, and without the ability to use it, difficulties in communication can arise.

So, the degrees of comparison of adverbs in English very closely echo the degrees of comparison of adjectives. However, in order not to make mistakes, it is worth remembering the differences. To do this, you can practice and perform various exercises on the degree of comparison of adverbs in English and the degree of adjectives.

Adjective [ˈadʒɪktɪv] or an adjective in English is a part of speech denoting a sign of an object / person / phenomenon. Perhaps, after the verb and noun, it is the most used of all tenses. According to their meaning, adjectives are divided into relative and qualitative. The latter differ in that they can vary in degree of comparison. The degrees of comparison of adjectives in English are formed according to certain rules, which will be discussed today.

There are three degrees of comparison of adjectives in English. All of them are similar to Russian degrees, and therefore this topic should not be taken lightly. Let's consider each degree separately, having studied the features, education and methods of use.

Positive degree [ˈpɒzɪtɪv dɪˈɡriː] or positive degree is the easiest. English has made your task easier, and therefore you don’t need to form this degree. You just need to take an English adjective in its simple dictionary form and use the word in a sentence. Since when we use an adjective in this form we are not comparing it to anything, the positive degree is often treated separately, outside the topic of comparison. In any case, you need to know about it. Examples of a positive degree:

But for comparison, comparative and superlative degrees are used. In these degrees, there are more nuances that need to be analyzed in more detail.

Comparative degree of adjectives in English

Comparative degree or comparative degree is used to compare the characteristics / attributes of two or more objects and persons. Perhaps such an explanation did not clarify anything for you, but this topic is characteristic of both English and Russian, so if you compare this form with the Russian comparative degree, everything will become much clearer:

We are sure that you no longer have questions about what a comparative degree is. But how to form this degree in English? For this, two comparative forms are used:

1. If the word consists of one or two syllables, it has the ending -er in the comparative degree:

However, when adding -er, there are certain nuances to consider:

• If the adjective ends in -e, that letter is omitted:

• But the ending -y changes to -i:

Exceptions are words that have a vowel before -y:

1. If the adjective consists of three syllables or more, the degree is formed by adding the words more (more) and less (less):

Comparisons of adjectives in English - superlative adjectives

The superlative degree or superlative form in English is used to show that some object or person, in comparison with others, is “the very best”, that is, it surpasses all others. The superlative form is also compared with Russian adjectives in the same degree. For example:

There are also two options for the formation of this form of the adjective. Each of them is preceded by a definite one, since adjectives in the superlative degree imply some specific, special object or person:

1. The ending -est is added to an adjective with one or two syllables:

Please note that the rules for attaching an ending work with this form as well.

1. If the adjective has 3 or more syllables, then the words (the) most (most / most) and (the) least (least) are attached to it:

Despite the rules, some two-syllable adjectives in comparative and superlative forms, however, can be formed with both -er / -est and more - less / most - least. For example, they include words such as:

Preference is now increasingly given to the forms more / less and most / least.

There are also three-syllable exception adjectives that form degrees with -er and -est. These include words that, with the help of prefixes, change the original meaning of a short adjective to the opposite. For example, adjectives: happy (happy) - unhappy (unhappy), tidy (tidy) - untidy (unkempt), kind (kind) - unkind (unkind), lucky (lucky) - unlucky (unsuccessful), safe (reliable) - unsafe (unreliable):

In addition, there are exception words, all 3 forms of which are significantly different from each other and do not obey standard education, just like English irregular verbs. Such words of the English language just need to be remembered. Study them according to the table:

Compound adjectives in English that contain the above exceptions can be built in both ways:

The first option, however, is more preferable.

In other cases, compound adjectives use the second way of forming comparative and superlative degrees:

The use of the degree of comparison of adjectives in English

We talked about the rules for the formation of degrees, it remains only to understand how to use these adjectives in sentences.

• When using English comparative adjectives in a sentence, the conjunction than (than) is used to introduce a comparison. Examples:

To the sentence, or rather to the word more, you can add the adverb rather. Rather more is usually used for comparison in the sense of "better..., not..." or "better... than...":

Sometimes the subject being compared can be omitted if the context implies it, or if the speaker knows that the interlocutor will understand him. Suggestions as examples:

If you want to emphasize that the first person / object is much (much) better, more beautiful, and so on, the sentence should contain the word much, which is placed before the degree:

Study the following table for examples:

The comparative degree is also used in three constructions:

1. The comparative degree, the comparative degree. In simple terms, this construction is similar to the sentences “what ..., so ...”. Table with examples for clarity:

1. More positive power than positive power. An analogue is the phrase "rather ... than." Such a construction is possible when we compare the characteristics of the same object/person.

1. You can also use "more than" in a row without adding words between them. This construction has the meaning of "more than". These two words can be followed by an adjective and/or a noun, both of which are valid:

• For the superlative degree, no additional conjunctions need to be used. Such adjectives in a sentence are used as standard instead of a positive degree:

As in Russian, in such sentences, the option is not “the most”, but “one of the most”:

In one sentence, two degrees of comparison can fit at once:

Today we examined the features of the degrees of comparison of adjectives in English. Having memorized the rules for their formation, you can use these degrees in speech without any difficulty. In order to consolidate the material, return to the article, review the tables with examples and make up your own sentences. And most importantly - study English with pleasure, because if you are interested in the process, English grammar will be given to you much faster and easier.

In English (as well as in Russian), the adjective changes in degrees of comparison and has three degrees of comparison: positive, comparative and superlative.

One-syllable adjectives form a comparative degree with the help of the suffix - eg, and excellent - with the help of the suffix - est:

long / long er/ long est - long / longher (more long)/most long (longeysh ii)

The degrees of comparison of polysyllabic adjectives are formed using the words: more- for comparative degree / most- for superlatives:

important / more important / the most important

important / more important / most important

Formation of degrees of comparison of adjectives and some

adverbs from different words.

Compare: at best/at most - best case scenario; at least- at least,

most = for the most part = main way,

most of…. = most of the… .

3.3. Comparative designs.

Adjectives and adverbs are used in the following comparative constructions:

with union as ... as - such (same) ... as (s) / so (same) ... as (s)(in the affirmative sentence);

with union notso ... as - not like(in negative sentences).

The land was flat as flat as a table- the earth was flat- same flat,like table.

This room is not so light as that one- this room not such light, as that.

3.4. Strengthening the comparative degree.

To strengthen the comparative degree of adjectives and adverbs

the following words are used:

much (well/ agooddeal/ agreatdeal) – much, much, much

(by) far - much

still (ever) - more

This way is much longer than that one this way much longer Togo.

3.5 . Comparative construction the ... the (how ... topics).

The + adjective (adverb) in comparative degree... + the +

another adjective (adverb) in the comparative degree = than ….. those:

Themore we read, themore we know how more we readtopics more we know.

4. Translation words : it, do, one, that (those, these) + of, the former, the latter.

4.1 . Use it in various functions in offer.

4.1.1. A variant of the excretory construction „it is ….. that“ is the construction „ it wasnotuntil …. that (when, where)“.

In this case, the word underlined in translation is preceded by the words „ only", "only after", "only when":

It wasn't until the 17th century that man began to understand pressure- only in 17 century Human started realize, what such pressure.

As in Russian, so in English, adjectives have three degrees of comparison: positive, comparative, superlative.

As can be seen from the above examples, the comparative and superlative degrees of adjectives in English are formed in three ways:
1) by adding suffixes - er and - est to the main form (synthetic);
2) through the use of words more/less and most/least before the main form (analytical);
H) by forming degrees of comparison from different roots. Adjectives in the superlative degree are preceded by the definite article. the.
The rules for choosing the method of forming degrees of comparison are very simple.
Synthetic way(using suffixes - er for the comparative degree and - est for superlatives) applies to:

• all one-syllable adjectives: tall - taller - the tallest; fat - fatter - the fattest. The exceptions are: like- similar - more like - the most like; real- real - more real – the most real;
• all two-syllable adjectives ending in – at : happy - happier - the happiest; funny - funnier - the funniest.

Two-syllable adjectives ending in – le , - ow , - er and disyllabic adjectives with stress on the second syllable (except: exact- accurate - only moreexact – themostexact), as well as adjectives common, handsome, pleasant, solid, quiet, wicked, cruel, stupid, tired can form degrees of comparison both synthetically and analytically:

For almost all of these words, the analytical method of forming degrees of comparison is more preferable.
Adjectives formed with a negative prefix un- from two-syllable adjectives to -at, can also have two forms of degrees of comparison: unhappy- unhappy, unfortunate unhappier/moreunhappy-theunhappiest/themostunhappy.
When forming degrees of comparison by means of suffixes - er and
-est The following spelling rules apply:
if the adjective ends in mute - e , then adding - er and - mute - e omitted: mature - ripe -riper-theripest;
if the adjective ends in a consonant with a preceding short vowel, then in the comparative and superlative degree the final consonant is doubled: big – bigger – thebiggest; hot – hotter – thehot test; thin – thinner – thethinnest;
if the adjective ends in - at with a preceding consonant, then in a comparative and superlative degree - at goes into - i -: dirty -dirtier-thedirtiest;busy-busier-thebusiest;easy-easier-theeasiest. If before -at there is a vowel, then - at remains unchanged: cheerful - gay-gayer-thegayest.
Most two-syllable adjectives, as well as adjectives consisting of three or more syllables, form a comparative degree using the word thenre- more , and the superlative degree with themost- most. For example: beautiful beautiful - more beautiful - the most beautiful, frequent - frequent - more frequent - the most frequent.
Analytical method formation of degrees of comparison using words less- less and theleast- least applicable to all quality adjectives without exception. For example: capable able - less able - the least able; interesting - interesting - less interesting - the least interesting.
adjectives good,much,many,late,near,old,far form degrees of comparison from different roots:

adjectives far,old,near,late have double degrees of comparison. Forms farther/thefarthest are used in the meaning of the distance distance:
Weliveinthefarther sideofthe town. - We live on distant end of the city.

Forms further/thefurthest are also used in the meanings: further, later; additional. Moreover, the form further, as a rule, corresponds to the value "additional, one more":
Here is a further example.- Here another example.
adjective form theeldest- the oldest of the family members - is used only as a definition for a noun. The form elder- the eldest in the family - is never used in comparative constructions:
My brother John is three years old older (than I am).- My brother John for three years older(than me). in which it is not about seniority, but about the age of family members. In such cases, the forms older/theoldest.

In English, there are 3 degrees of comparison of adjectives: the positive degree (the positive degree), the comparative degree (the comparative degree) and the superlative degree (the superlative degree).

Note that the adjective comes before the noun and does not change in gender or number.

positive degree adjective means that it is in its initial form and simply indicates the quality of the subject, without comparing it with others: tall (high), old (old), long (long), big (big), thin (thin), fat (fat ). Education comparative and excellent degrees Comparisons depend on how many syllables the adjective contains.

And here are a few rules for the formation of degrees of comparison of adjectives in English with examples of sentences.

1. One-syllable adjectives add a suffix -er comparative and suffix -est in superlatives:

• tall - taller - the tallest (high - higher - tallest)
• old - older - the oldest (old - older, older - oldest, oldest)
• long - longer - the longest (long - longer - the longest)

Here are some examples:

• Katie is taller than Rob. - Katie is taller than Rob.
• Katie is the tallest of all my friends. - Katie is the tallest of my friends.
• Rob is older than John. - Rob is older than John.
• Of the three students, Rob is the oldest. - Rob is the oldest of the three students.
• My hair is longer than your hair. - My hair is longer than yours.
• Rob "s story is the longest story I" ve ever heard. - Rob's story is the longest I've ever heard.

1. If a monosyllabic adjective ends in a consonant preceded by a vowel, the consonant is doubled:

• big - bigger - the biggest (big - more - the biggest)
• thin - thinner - the thinnest (thin - thinner - thinnest)
• fat - fatter - the fattest (full - fuller - most complete)

Examples:

• My house is bigger than your house. - My house is bigger than your house.
• My house is the biggest of all the houses in the neighborhood. - My house is the largest of all in the area.
• Rob is thinner than John. - Rob is thinner than John.
• Of all the students in the class, Rob is the thinnest. - Rob is the thinnest of all the students in the class.
• My dog ​​is fatter than your dog. - My dog ​​is fatter than your dog.

1. Disyllabic adjectives form a comparative degree of comparison by adding more before adjectives, and a superlative degree, adding most:

• peaceful - more peaceful - the most peaceful (calm, peaceful - calmer - the most peaceful)
• pleasant - more pleasant - the most pleasant (pleasant - more pleasant - most pleasant)
• careful - more careful - the most careful (careful - more careful - the most careful)

Suggestion examples:

• This morning is more peaceful than yesterday morning. - This morning is more peaceful than yesterday.
• John is more careful than Mike. - John is more careful than Mike.
• This evening is the most pleasant I "ve ever had. - This evening is the most pleasant of all that I have had.

1. If a two-syllable adjective ends in -y, then to form a comparative degree, you need to change -y on the -i and add suffix -er, and for superlatives, the suffix -est:

• happy - happier - the happiest (happy - happier - happiest)
• angry - angrier - the angriest (angry - meaner - the most evil)
• busy - busier - the busiest (busy - busier - busiest)

Phrase examples:

• Robert is happy today than he was yesterday. Today Robert is happier than yesterday.
• He is the happiest boy in the world. - He is the happiest boy in the world.
• John is angry than Rob. - John is angrier than Rob.
• Katie is busier than John. - Katie is busier than John.
• Katie is the busiest person I "ve ever met. - Katie is the busiest person I've ever met.

1. Two-syllable adjectives ending in -er, -le, -ow form comparative and superlative degrees of comparison by adding suffixes -er and -est respectively.

• narrow - narrower - the narrowest (narrow - already - the narrowest)
• gentle - gentler - the gentlest (noble - nobler - most noble)

Examples:

• The streets in European countries are narrower than the streets in Russia. - The streets of European cities are narrower than in Russia.
• This street is the narrowest of all the roads in this town. - This street is the narrowest in this city.
• Big dogs are gentler than small dogs. - Big dogs are nobler than small ones.

An interesting English video about typical mistakes when using comparative degrees of adjectives (and a bonus - about adverbs!):

1. For adjectives of three syllables, the comparative and superlative degrees are formed by adding more and most before an adjective.

• generous - more generous - the most generous (generous - more generous - the most generous)
• important - more important - the most important (important - more important - the most important)
• intelligent - more intelligent - the most intelligent (smart - smarter - the smartest)

Suggestion examples:

• Katie is more generous than Mary. - Katie is more generous than Mary.
• John is the most generous of all the people I know. - John is the most generous person I know.
• Health is more important than money. - Health is more important than money.
• Katie is the most intelligent person I "ve ever met. - Katie is the smartest person I know.

1. Exception adjectives that have their own comparative and superlative forms:

• Good - better - the best (good - better - the best)
• Bad - worse - the worst (bad - worse - the worst)
• Far - farther - the farthest (far - further - the most distant)
• Little - less - the least (small - less - smallest)
• Many - more - the most (many - more - most)

Examples of phrases with exceptions:

• Italian food is better than American food. - Italian food is better than American food.
• My dog ​​is the best dog in the world. - My dog ​​is the best in the world.
• My sister's cooking is worse than your sister's cooking. - My sister cooks worse than yours.

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