According to the norms of modern grammar, there are 3 degrees of comparison of adjectives in English. The first degree is positive. It is the standard form of the adjective. It does not have a shade of comparison and expresses only the qualitative state of an object or object. From this form, the remaining two degrees are formed: comparative and superlative. If we compare two items with each other in terms of quality indicators, then we use a comparative degree. When we want to consciously single out one object from a group of three or more, we translate the adjective into a superlative degree.
In general, the rules for the formation of this grammatical category in English do not differ much from the formation of the degree of comparison of adjectives in German. You need to add the special suffixes -er and -est to the stem of the positive form, or put more and most in front of it. So we get comparative and superlative degrees. Moreover, the latter always requires the use of the articlethe. The number of syllables in a word directly affects the way the degree of comparison of adjectives is formed. English, among other things, does not always allow the presence of this grammatical category. It is used only for qualitative adjectives. That is, words that perform the function of description.
All monosyllabic adjectives are formed by adding -er and -est to the stem of the positive form: rich – richer – the richest. Two-syllable words ending in -ow, -le, -y, -er also most often form degrees with the help of special suffixes: tender - tenderer - the tenderest. When forming degrees of comparison of adjectives in the above way, some spelling nuances should be taken into account. They are as follows.
1. If the adjective ends with a consonant and is preceded by a stressed vowel, then the consonant is doubled: wet - wetter - the wettest.
2. If the adjective ends with an unstressed -e, then this vowel drops out before the suffix: close - closer - the closest.
3. If the adjective ends in -y and the consonant before it, then -y changes to -i: lucky - luckier - the luckiest. If there is a vowel before -y, then the transformation does not occur.
The easiest way to remember the way of forming the degree of comparison of adjectives that consist of three or more syllables, as well as those that were formed from participles. The positive form is simply preceded by more and most. Thenthe adjective acquires the necessary degree of comparison without any changes in the stem: dangerous - more dangerous - the most dangerous, boring - more boring - the most boring. Two-syllable adjectives ending in -al, -ish, -ant, -ive, -ent, -less, -ic, -ful, -ous form degrees in the same way: tragic - more tragic - the most tragic.
There is also a separate group of irregular adjectives in English, which, during the formation of the degree of comparison, do not obey generally accepted grammatical norms and completely change the basis of the positive form.
Pos |
good (well) | little | bad (ill) | far | many/much | old |
Compare |
better | less | worse | farther (further) | more | older (elder) |
Excellent |
the best | the least | the worst | farthest (furthest) | most | oldest (eldest) |
As mentioned above, not all adjectives in English have the ability to form degrees of comparison. These include:
- allrelative adjectives (wooden, European, daily, preparatory);
- adjectives that were once borrowed from Latin and carry a connotation of comparison or superiority (former, inner, upper, optimal, proximal);
- qualitative absolute adjectives, the meaning of which simply does not allow comparison (dead, middle, principle, previous);
- qualitative adjectives formed with negative prefixes in- and un- at the beginning of a word (incurable, inconvenient, unsuitable);
- qualitative adjectives, the meaning of which has a connotation of comparison. Most often they end in the suffix –ish (redish, blueish).
