Comparison of Adjectives

This lesson is about the formation of comparative and superlative degrees with examples for each of the cases.

Introduction
Adjectives can be used to make comparisons. They are used to show what is different or similar about two or more things. There are three kinds of possible comparisons: equal, comparative and superlative.
Here are some rules to help you make comparisons in English:


Comparative
To show a difference or to show that there is only a similarity between two things, the comparative form must be used. An adjective or adverb is made into the comparative form in one of two ways. The way that is used depends on the number of syllables the adjective has.

The formation of the comparative degree

1. The comparative degree is formed by adding the “-er” ending to the single-syllable adjectives.
Examples:
fast – faster
simple – simpler
John runs faster than Ann.
This task is simpler than the previous one.

2. If the adjective ends with a vowel and a consonant, then the consonant is doubled.
Examples:
Big – bigger;
Thin – thinner;
My house is bigger than yours.
Black copybook is thinner than the green one.

3. The comparative degree of two-syllable words ending with the “y” is also formed by adding the “-er” ending, while the “y” letter is changed to “i”.
Examples:
Early – earlier;
Easy – easier.

4. The comparative degree of multi-syllable adjectives is formed by using the word “more”, which is placed before the adjective.
Examples:
More expensive;
More comfortable;
My computer is more expensive than yours.
This sofa is more comfortable than the chair.

5. For a two-syllable adjectives such as Clever – Gentle – Friendly – Quiet – Simple – Shallow – Narrow - Common: we can use both the word “more” and “most” or the “-er” and “-est” ending.

Example:
Adjective: Clever
Comparative form: Cleverer / more clever
Superlative form: Cleverest / most clever


Big dogs are gentler than small dogs.
Of all the dogs in the world, English Mastiffs are the gentlest.
Big dogs are more gentle than small dogs.
Of all the dogs in the world, English Mastiffs are the most gentle.

6- Some adjectives are irregular adjectives and don't follow the rules. They change form considerably from one degree to the next. You need to study these changes carefully in order to recognize them easily.

List of irregular adjectives.
Good – better - best
Bad – worse - worst
Far – farther – farthest
Far – further - furthest
Old – elder - eldest
Little – less – least
Many- more - most

The adjectives ill and well, describing bad and good health, have irregular comparative forms. The comparative of ill is worse, and the comparative of well is better,
e.g.: She’s feeling much better/worse today.

The usual comparative and superlative forms of the adjective Old are older and oldest. However the alternative forms elder and eldest are sometimes used. Elder and eldest are generally restricted to talking about the age of people, especially people within the same family, and are not used to talk about the age of things,
e.g.:
It’s the oldest/*eldest castle in Britain.
Elder cannot occur in the predicative position after link verbs such as be, become, get etc., e.g.:
We’re all getting older/*elder.
My brother is older/*elder than me.




Superlative

If the comparison is between three or more things, then the superlative form must be used. An adjective is made into the superlative form in one of two ways. The way that is used depends on the number of syllables contained in the adjective:

The superlative degree of adjectives is formed by the “-est” ending for the one-syllable words and with a word “more” for multi-syllable words.

You have to remember that there must always be the definite article before the adjective in the superlative degree.
Examples:
Long – the longest;
Hot – the hottest;
Easy – the easiest;
Difficult – the most difficult;
Expensive – the most expensive;
Famous – the most famous;


General Rules About Comparison of Adjectives
8- When you compare two things, use 'than'."She's younger than me."
"This exercise is more difficult than the last one."

9- When you want to say something is similar, use as + adjective + as:
For example, "She's as tall as her brother" or "It's as nice today as it was yesterday."

10- When you want to say one thing is less than another, you can either use 'less than' or 'not as + adjective + as'.
For example, "This program is less interesting than I thought" or "This program is not as interesting as I thought.

When comparing with as .. as, the adjective does not change. When comparing with than, however, some changes are necessary, depending on the number of syllables the adjective has"


11- COMPARISONS OF QUANTITY
To show no difference: --> as much as , as many as, as few as, as little as
as many as / as few as countable nouns; as much as / as little as + uncountable nouns

With countable nouns:
--> They have as many children as us.
--> We have as many customers as them.
--> Tom has as few books as Jane.

With uncountable nouns:
--> John eats as much food as Peter.
--> Jim has as little food as Sam.
--> You've heard as much news as I have.

COMPARISONS OF QUANTITY To show difference: more, less, fewer + than
To show no difference: as much as , as many as, as few as, as little as
With countable nouns: more / fewer -->
Eloise has more children than Chantal.
--> Chantal has fewer children than Eloise.
--> There are fewer dogs in Cardiff than in Bristol.

With uncountable nouns: more / less
--> Eloise has more money than Chantal.
--> Chantal has less money than Eloise.
--> I spend less time on homework than you do.

So, the rule is:
MORE + nouns that are countable or uncountable
FEWER + countable nouns
LESS + uncountable nouns

Learning Hints:

Forming the comparative and superlative forms usually depends on the number of syllables in the adjective. Learn the rules for each type of adjective. Do not combine the two ways of forming comparisons in a single sentence.

If you are uncertain whether to add er and est or to use more and most, then check dictionary. In most cases, you can trust your ears.

Never use er or est at the same time you use more or most. These are incorrect: more shorter, most alertest

Incomparable adjectives.
Some adjectives cannot be compared because the positive (simplest) form expresses the only degree possible.
List of incomparable adjectives: perfect, unique, fatal, universal, dead, wrong, straight, blind, final, vertical, right, left

طرح رائع قلبي

وربي مايحرمنا من تواجدك وجديدك الراقي

دُمتَمْ بِهذآ الع ـطآء أإلمستَمـرٍ
يُسع ـدني أإلـرٍد على مـوٍأإضيعكًـم
وٍأإألتلـذذ بِمـآ قرٍأإتْ وٍشآهـدتْ
تـقبلـو خ ـآلص احترامي
لأروآح ـكُم أإلجمـيله
\

الله يـع’ـــطــيكم الع’ــاأإأفــيه ..

.. بنتظـأإأإأر ج’ـــديــــدكم الممـــيز ..
.. تقــبل ــو م’ـــروري ..
كل أإألــــ ود وباأإأإقــة ورد ...

قيمه جدا راقيه في هذا الطرح
وهذا ان دل فإنما يدل
على ذائقة عالية المستوى
للأمانة

موضوع
يستحق المتابعه والتمعن فيه جيدآ
لكونه
يحمل كل مزايا الابداع والفائده والتألق
ويجلب القرآء سواء من داخل الموقع اوخارجه
وهذا مانبحث عنه
من جوهر فريد يعم الفائدة

استمتعت من خلال مروري وقرائتي له
اتمنى المزيد من العطاء والتألق
فذلك يسعدني ويسعد الجميع
من متابعيك


الف شكر لك

اخوك
محمدالحريري

طرح رائـع
يعطيك آلف عافيه
وسلمت الأنآمـل المتألقه
على روعة جلبها وانتقائها الراقي
إنتظار روائعك القادمه بشوووق
لـروحــك آلـــجوري ,,~

طرح يعتلي قمم الجمآل.."
وآبدآع وتميز هو متصفحك..
"كلنآشوق لتذوق عذوبة إبدآعك.."
وإنتظأر كل جديد لك
لروحك جنآن الورد..

يعطيك العافية طرح في قمة الروعه و نال الاستحسان
وعم الجميع بالفائده

لك الشكر والتقدير

نجم الجدي

عافيه عليك وعلى الطرح الراقي
لاحرمك الله رضاه

لك كل
تقديري واحترامي

مجنون قصآيد

لكم من الابداع رونقه
ومن الاختيار جماله
دام لنا عطائكم المميز والجميل