The adjectives. Degrees of comparison

The adjective is a word expressing a quality of a substance.

I. According to their way of nomination adjectives fall into two groups: relative and qualitative.

Relative adjectives describe properties of a substance through relation to materials (wooden, leathern), place (European, Italian), time (daily, weekly), relationship (friendly).

Qualitative adjectives denote properties of a substance directly (great, cold). That is why only qualitative adjectives have degrees of comparison.

II. There are three grades of comparison: positive, comparative and superlative.

The comparative degree denotes a higher degree of quality.

The superlative degree denotes the highest degree of quality. The superlative is generally used with the definite article.

III. All the qualitative adjectives can be subdivided into one-syllable, two-syllable, poly-syllable (long adjectives) and irregular ones.

1. One-syllable adjectives normally form comparatives and superlatives by the inflexion –er, -est (synthetical way):

tall – taller – (the) tallest.

2. Some two-syllable adjectives ending in – y, -ow, -er, -le, - et are similar:

narrow – narrower –(the) narrowest happy – happier – (the) happiest

quiet – quieter – (the) quietest simple – simpler – (the) simplest

complete – completer – (the) completest clever – cleverer – (the) cleverest.

Other two-syllable adjectives, have more and most (analytical way):

stupid – more stupid - (the) most stupid.

With many two-syllable adjectives (e.g. polite, common), -er /-est and more / most are both possible. With others (including adjectives ending in -ing, -ed, -ful and - less), only more/most is possible:

boring – more boring – (the) most boring

careful – more careful – (the) most careful

tired – more tired – (the) most tired.

In general, the structure with more / most is becoming more common. To find out the normal comparative/ superlative for a particular two-syllable adjective, check in a good dictionary.

Polysyllable adjectives.

a) Polysyllable adjectiveshave three or more syllables and form their degrees of comparison by means of more and most (analytical way):

intelligent more intelligent most intelligent

practical more practical most practical

beautiful more beautiful most beautiful.

b) Words like unhappy (the opposites of two-syllable adjectives ending in -y) are an exception: they can have forms in -er and –est:

unhappy unhappier / more unhappy unhappiest / most unhappy

untidy untidier / more untidy untidiest / most untidy.

c) Some compound adjectives like good-looking or well-known have two possible comparatives and superlatives:

good-looking better-looking best-looking

оr more good-looking most good-looking

well-known better-known best-known

or more well-known most well-known.

4. Some adjectives have irregular forms of degrees of comparison.

a) Irregular comparison:

· good – better – (the) best;

· bad – worse – (the) worst;

· little – less – (the) least;

· many, much – more – (the) most.

b) Double forms of irregular comparison:

farther – (the) farthest (about distance= дальний, дальнейший))

· far –

further – (the) furthest (about distance, abstract notions and in figurative use = дальнейший, последующий; самый дальний)

older – (the) oldest (about age = старший по возрасту)

· old –

elder – (the) eldest (about the sequence of brothers and sisters = родственные отношения)

later (более поздний) – ( the) latest (самый новый, свежий,
последний по времени появления)

· late

the latter (последний из двух перечисленных) – last (прошлый во времени)

- ( the) last (последний по порядку)

nearest (ближайший в значении расстояния)

· near – nearer

next (следующий по времени)

the next (следующий по порядку)

IV. Spelling rules

If the adjective ends in a consonant preceded by a stressed short vowel the consonant is doubled before –er, -est:

sad – sadder – (the) saddest

If the adjective ends in –y preceded by a consonant, -y is changed into –i before –er, -est:

busy – busier – (the) busiest

If the adjective ends in –e it is dropped before –er, -est: