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Adjective Usage and Comparison Guide

This document discusses the position, order, comparison, and irregular forms of adjectives in English. It notes that adjectives usually come before nouns and lists the typical order when multiple adjectives modify a noun. Three degrees of comparison are used: positive, comparative, and superlative. Rules are provided for regular adjective comparison by adding -er/-est or more/most. Exceptions include irregular forms and adjectives of different syllable lengths. Special constructions with comparatives are also outlined.

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Bianca Ioana Tomulescu
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82 views12 pages

Adjective Usage and Comparison Guide

This document discusses the position, order, comparison, and irregular forms of adjectives in English. It notes that adjectives usually come before nouns and lists the typical order when multiple adjectives modify a noun. Three degrees of comparison are used: positive, comparative, and superlative. Rules are provided for regular adjective comparison by adding -er/-est or more/most. Exceptions include irregular forms and adjectives of different syllable lengths. Special constructions with comparatives are also outlined.

Uploaded by

Bianca Ioana Tomulescu
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ADJECTIVES

Position and Order


 Usually placed before the noun; exceptions: Ambassador
Extraordinary, notary public, secretary general, court
martial, poet laureate, from time immemorial
 When several adjectives determine a noun, their order is
usually the following:
 Opinion
 Size (except little)
 Age (and little)
 Shape
 Colour
 Origin
 Material
 Purpose (gerunds)
Order
 a long sharp knife
 a tall young Swedish boy
 French riding boots
Comparison
 three degrees of comparison:

Positive Comparative Superlative


tall taller the tallest
beautiful more beautiful the most beautiful
Comparison
 1. One-syllable adjectives form the comparative and
superlative by adding -er and the …-est to the positive
form: dark-darker-the darkest.
 N.B. Adjectives ending in -e add -r and the …-st: brave-
braver-the bravest.
 Adjectives ending in a consonant preceded by a short
vowel double the consonant: hot-hotter-the hottest, big-
bigger-the biggest.
 Adjectives ending in –y preceded by a consonant
change y into i: dry-drier-the driest.
Comparison
 2. Adjectives of three or more syllables form the
comparative and superlative by putting more and the
most before the positive: interesting-more interesting-
the most interesting
 3. Adjectives of two syllables follow one or other of the
above rules.
 Those ending in -ful or -re usually take more and the most:
useful-more useful-the most useful; obscure-more obscure-the
most obscure.
 Those ending in -er, -y, -le, -ow or -some usually add -er and
the …-est: clever-cleverer-the cleverest; pretty-prettier-the
prettiest (y becomes i); noble, narrow, handsome; exc: hostile,
fragile, eager
Irregular Comparisons
 Good-better-the best
 Bad/ill-worse-the worst
 Much/many-more-the most
 Little-less-the least
 Far-farther-the farthest (distance): I can’t walk any
farther/further.
 Far-further-the furthest (distance,additional/extra):
further help
 Old-older-the oldest (cel mai bătrân/vechi)
 Old-elder-the eldest (cel mai în vârstă) (members of the
same family).
Special Constructions
 With the positive form, we may use as … as in
the affirmative and not as/not so … as in the
negative:
 as white as a sheet, not as/so good as…
 When two elements are compared, in order to
form the superlative we use the+ the
comparative form of the adjective:
 Tom and Bill are tall. Tom is the taller.
 Parallel increase is expressed by the +
comparative… the + comparative:
 The sooner, the better.
Special Constructions
 Gradual increase or decrease is
expressed by two comparatives joined by
and:
 The weather is getting colder and colder.
 His lectures are more/less and more/less
interesting.
 Much and (by) far are used to strengthen
the idea expressed by the adjective:
much/far more interesting/more interesting
by far.

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