Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Adjectives with -ed or -ing

Adjectives vs Adverbs


An adjective is a word that modifies or describes a noun or pronoun. Adjectives can be used to describe the qualities of someone or something independently or in comparison to something else. They are usually placed before the noun or after the verb "to be".

Examples:

I like old houses.

The boy is tall and skinny.

Jane is smarter than her brother.

 

They can be attributive (occurring before the noun):

The proud soldier is home.

The dedicated employee starts early.

 

Or predicative (occurring after the noun): Predicative adjectives typically follow a linking verb (such as forms of the verb “to be”) that connects the subject of the sentence to the adjective.

The soldier is proud.

The employee is dedicated.

 

While most adjectives can occur in both the attributive and predicative position, some can only be used in one position. For example, the word “main” can only be used in the attributive position, while the word “asleep” can only be used in the predicative position.

  • The main reason is that …
  • The reason is main.
  • The man is asleep.
  • The asleep man is …


Comparative and superlative adjectives

Comparative adjectives

We use comparative adjectives to show change or make comparisons.
We use "-er/-ier" or "more... than"  or "less ... than" when we want to compare things that are different and "as...as" when they are the same.


Superiority

Our house is bigger than theirs.
This restaurant is better but it's much more expensive.
Life is easier now

Inferiority

Our house is less big than theirs
This restaurant is less good but it's less expensive.
Life is less easy now.

Equality

Our house is as big as theirs.
This restaurant is as good and expensive as that one.
Life is as easy as before.


Superlative adjectives

We use "the"+ "-est/-iest" or "most"or "least":

Our house is the biggest.
This restaurant is the best but it's the most expensive.
This exercise is the easiest.

Our house is the least big.
This restaurant is the least good but it's the least expensive.
this exercise is the least easy.


How to form comparative and superlative adjectives


We usually add –er and –est to one-syllable words to make comparatives and superlatives of superiority:

        old              older                the oldest

        long            longer              the longest


If an adjective ends in –e, we add –r or –st:

        nice             nicer                the nicest

        large           larger                the largest

If an adjective ends in a vowel and a consonant, we double the consonant:

        big            bigger                the biggest

        fat             fatter                  the fattest


If an adjective ends in a consonant and –y, we change –y to –i and add –er or –est:

        happy            happier            the happiest

        funny            funnier             the funniest


We use more and the most to make comparatives and superlatives for most two syllable adjectives and for all adjectives with three or more syllables:

        important            more important            the most important

        interesting           more interesting           the most interesting


However, with these common two-syllable adjectives, you can either add –er/–r and –est/–st or use more and most:


        handsome, cruel, likely, narrow, gentle, polite, pleasant, simple, stupid

        ex: handsomer/more handsome        handsomest/the most handsome   



The adjectives good, bad and far have irregular comparatives and superlatives of superiority:

        good            better            the best

        bad               worse           the worst

        far                further/farther        the furthest/the farthest



For inferiority and equality the rule is the same for all adjectives.

 

Inferiority 

Comparative :  less+ adjective (+than)

Superlative: the least + adjective

 

Equality: as + adjective + as


   Claire's essay is not as long as Simon's.

    The room is cozier with the fire lit and less cozy without it.

    Your guess is as good as mine.

    All the courses were delicious, but the dessert was the tastiest/the least tasty.

    Alicia is the most charming person at the party, but her partner is the least charming.



We can use intensifiers before comparatives such as "much, a lot, far, ...":

        Our house is much bigger than theirs.

        This restaurant is a lot better and far more expensive

        This exercise is far less difficult than the previous one


When we want to describe how something or someone changes we can use two comparatives with and:

        The problems got bigger and bigger

        Everything is getting more and more expensive

        The team is becoming less and less efficient.


We often use the with comparative adjectives to show that one thing depends on another:

        The faster you drive, the more dangerous it is

        The sooner the better

        The higher they climbed the colder it got

        
Exercises

    Comparatives        Comparatives and Superlatives



Adjectives with -ed or -ing

It can be a bit difficult, especially for Spanish speaking natives, to make the difference between -ed or -ing when these are used with adjectives.

We use the ending -ed when the effect is on the subject itself, it generally tells how the subject feels: 

            I am usually bored in class.

            Children aren't generally interested in litterature.

            You must feel exhausted after a marathon.


We use the ending -ing when the effect is produced by the subject and it affects other people or things;

            Classes are usually boring.

            Litterature is not generally interesting for children.

            A marathon must be exhausting.


Full lesson

Exercise 1        Exercise 2

        


Adjectives vs. adverbs

Adverbs can be used to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, whereas adjectives only modify nouns and pronouns. When used to modify a verb, an adverb describes how an action is being performed (e.g., Brandon runs slowly).

Adverbs are often formed from adjectives by adding the suffix “-ly.” However, not all words ending in “-ly” are adverbs (e.g., “ugly” is an adjective).

Adverbs can be formed from adjectives in numerous other ways, depending on the ending.

Original ending

Adverbial ending

Example

-y

-ily (replacing the “y”)

easy; easily

-le

-y (replacing the “e”)

gentle; gently

-ic

-ally

tragic; tragically

Some words can be used as either an adjective or adverb without being changed (e.g., “fast,” “late,” “early”).

TipIf you are unsure whether a word is being used as an adjective or an adverb, check the word that it’s modifying. If it’s modifying a noun or a pronoun, it’s an adjective. If it’s modifying a verb, adjective or adverb, it’s an adverb.

For example, in the sentence “the man left early,” the word “early” is an adverb because it’s modifying the verb “left.”

In the clause “an early dinner,” the word “early” is an adjective because it’s describing the noun “dinner.”

Exercises

Adverbs: theory and exercises        Adjectives vs Adverbs: 1    2


Other types of adjectives

There are many types of adjectives in English. Some other important types of adjectives are:

 

Absolute adjectives

An absolute adjective is an adjective describing an absolute state that cannot be compared. For example, the word “dead” is often considered to be an absolute adjective because it’s not possible to be “deader” than someone else.

However, actual usage varies, and absolute adjectives are often modified by words such as “almost.”


Appositive adjectives

An appositive adjective is an adjective (or series of adjectives) that occurs after the noun it modifies. It is typically set off by commas or dashes. It works similarly to an appositive noun.

Example: 

Then the cliffs, ominous and dark, came into view.


Compound adjectives

A compound adjective is an adjective that is formed using two or more words that express a single idea (e.g., in-depth). When a compound adjective occurs before the noun it modifies (attributive), the individual words are typically connected by a hyphen. Frequently, no hyphen is needed when the compound adjective is placed after the noun (predicative).

Examples: 

A well-known man lives here.

Mark is well known.

NoteWhen a compound adjective is formed using an adverb that ends in “-ly,” no hyphen is used regardless of its position.

  • A highly-respected public official.
  • A highly respected public official.


Participial adjectives

A participial adjective is an adjective that is identical to the participle form of a verb (typically ending in “-ing,” “-ed,” or “-en”).

Examples:

The light produced a blinding effect.

Eva was pretty confused.


Proper adjectives

A proper adjective is an adjective formed from a proper noun and used to indicate origin. Like proper nouns, proper adjectives are always capitalized.

Examples: 

There is a popular Indian restaurant nearby.

Liza is not a fan of Shakespearean drama.


Denominal adjectives

A denominal adjective is an adjective formed from a noun, often with the addition of a suffix (e.g., “-ish,” “-ly,” “-esque”).

Example: 

Amira thinks Han is childish, but at least he’s friendly.


Nominal adjectives

A nominal adjective (also called a substantive adjective) is an adjective that functions as a noun. Nominal adjectives are typically preceded by the definite article “the.”

The candidate appealed to both the rich and the poor.

It’s important to take care of the elderly.