The comparative degree of adjectives is simple and compound. Comparative Degree and Superlative Degree: Educational Rules and Examples. Superlative degree of adjectives

Comparison - This is the general name for forms of adjectives expressing various degrees of the attribute of an object.

Only qualitative adjectives that denote a changing feature have degrees of comparison. In Russian, there are three degrees of comparison of adjectives: positive, comparative and excellent.

Usually adjectives name the attribute of an object without comparing it with others:

green grass, sweet candy.

Such adjectives are in the form of a positive degree.

Positive degree of comparison is a form of a qualitative adjective that denotes a feature of an object outside of comparison.

Items can have features that manifest themselves to a greater (lesser) or greatest (smallest) degree, for example:

the shirt is lighter, the weather is warmest, the building is the tallest.

In these cases, comparative and superlative adjectives are used.

comparative

Comparative degree of adjectives names a feature that is manifested in a given object or person to a greater or lesser extent than in the one with which it is compared. For example:

candy is tastier than chocolate;

in winter the weather is colder than in summer;

girls are neater than boys.

The comparative degree has two forms: simple and compound.

Simple comparative degree of adjectives indicates only that the feature is presented to a greater (but not less) degree. It is formed by adding suffixes to the stem of a positive degree:

• -HE, -YE:

  dear - dear to her, dear to her;

  strong - strong for her, strong for her.

• -E:
  1. G, K, X, D, T, ST, then there is an alternation of the final consonant base:

     expensive r oh - expensive f e,

     thunder to uh - thunder h e,

     ty x uh - ti w e,

     about st oh - about u e.

  2. For adjectives with suffixes -K-, -OK-, -EK- these suffixes are truncated:

     near toiy - close,

     shir oKui - shir e

• -SHE:

  old - older.

  1. If the stem of adjectives ends in G, K, then the final consonant of the stem is truncated:

     dol r ui - long she,

     tone to uy - thin she.

Formative suffixes ( -HE, -HE, -E, -SHE) do not change the meaning of the word and do not form a new word, so they are not included in the stem of the word. Note that simple comparative adjectives have no endings.

You can add the prefix to the simple comparative form BY-, which indicates a slight increase in the characteristic, for example:

more - more, lower - lower.

Sometimes the simple form of the comparative degree is formed from words that have a different stem. For example:

good is better, bad is worse, small is less.

Adjectives in the simple form of the comparative degree do not change in gender, number and case. Simple comparative is an unchangeable form of adjectives.

Some qualitative adjectives do not have a simple comparative form, for example:

bald, deaf, tall, businesslike and etc.

Composite comparative degree adjectives are formed using words more and lessthat are placed before adjectives in a positive degree:

green - greener, bitter - less bitter.

Composite adjectives of the comparative degree vary by gender, number and case:

less acidic compote (m) - less sour candy (f. p.);

brighter sun (unit h.) - brighter stars (plural);

less difficult job (I. p.) - less complicated work (p. p.).

Help words more and less by gender, number and case do not change.

Comparison of two objects for any reason can be expressed in different ways:

The left house is higher than the right one.

The left house is higher than the right one.

The left house is higher than the right one.

Superlative degree

Superlative degree of adjectives indicates that the object has the highest degree of attribute, that is, it is superior to other objects in this attribute. For example:

delicious candy, coldest winter.

The superlative degree has two forms: simple and compound.

Simple superlative of adjectives is formed using suffixes by adding them to the base of adjectives in the form of a positive degree:

• -AYSH- (with alternating last consonant of the stem):

  str r ui - str f aish uy,

  fold to uy - krat h aish uy,

  ty x uh - ti w aish uy.

  Note: suffix -AYSH- always under stress: strictest, softest.

• -EISH-:

  yummy - yummy yy,

  old - old eish.

• NAI- + -S- (with truncated suffix -OK-):

  high oKuy - the highest.

• NAI- + -EISH-:

  delicious - the most delicious.

Prefix NAI- used with a simple superlative degree to draw attention to the absolute superiority of a given sign:

rare - rarest - rarest,

strong - strongest - strongest.

Sometimes a simple superlative form is derived from words that have a different stem. For example:

good is best, bad is worst, small is less.

Adjectives in a simple superlative form vary in number, gender and case:

highest - highest,

kindest - kindest,

the strongest - the strongest.

Compound superlative adjectives are formed in two ways:

1. With words most, most, leastthat are placed before adjectives in a positive form:

   most daring, richest, least significant.

   Such adjectives vary in gender, number and case:

   the most daring is the most daring,

   the most daring - the most daring,

   the most daring - the most daring.

   The words most and least are immutable:

   most daring, least beautiful, least long.

2. With words everyone, everythingthat are placed after adjectives in a simple comparative form:

   the boldest, richest, most interesting.

   Such adjectives do not change in gender, number and case, since they are formed from a simple comparative form, which is unchangeable.

Note: words cannot be mixed most, most, least with a simple comparative form to form a compound superlative form. Forms:

most beautiful, most difficult, least interesting.

are wrong. Also words most, most, least cannot be used with adjectives in simple superlative form:

tastiest, fastest, least smallest.

Instead of these phrases, you should use a simple or compound superlative, without mixing them:

instead the most delicious you can say the tastiest or delicious;

instead the fastest you can say fastest or the fastest;

instead the smallest you can say least shallow or minute.

The superlative compound form can be derived from any qualitative adjective.

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ONLY QUALITATIVE APPENDICES HAVE DEGREES OF COMPARISON!

Qualitative adjectives differ in that they can denote a feature in varying degrees of its manifestation ( large - larger - largest). These forms are called degrees of comparison:

Comparative

Excellent

The paradigm of degrees of comparison also includes the adjective from which forms of degrees of comparison are formed. The semantic basis of the degrees of comparison is a quantitative assessment of the measure of a feature. In the paradigm of degrees of comparison, the original adjective is called the positive degree form.

Comparative degree (comparative) - denotes a quality that is in any object to a greater extent than in another, the name of which is put in the form of genus case or name case; the latter is preceded by a comparative union Than(the truth is more expensive than gold).

Superlative degree (superlative) - denotes the highest degree of quality in any subject in comparison with another: most favorite writer; inflected like ordinary adjectives.

Comparative and superlative degrees can be expressed in simple (synthetic) and complex (analytical) forms.

comparative

The simple form of the comparative degree does not change in gender, number and case; and therefore it must be able to distinguish it from the form of the comparative degree of the adverb. If a word of this type is syntactically related to noun, then compare the degree of the adjective, if connected with a verb, then compare the degree of the adverb ( oak is stronger than birch- supplement; he gripped the handle tighter- adverb)

Forms of a comparative degree tend to be used in a position with a ligament, i.e. in the role of a predicate, but can also be a definition.

Formed from the stem of the original adjective using suffixes - her (s) - bolder,whiter(productive way) or - e, - more - more expensive, richer(unproductive way).

From adjectives based on k, r, xand some words based on d, t, stcomparative degree formed by suffix –E(while the final consonant stems alternate with sibilants) ( loud - louder, quiet - quieter, steep - cooler). In adjectives on -OKand -tothe generating stem is truncated, the remaining final consonant alternates with a sibilant or paired soft ( high - higher, low - lower).

Comparative forms with suffix - moresingle ( far - farther, early - earlier, long - longer).

From three adjectives, the form is formed in the supplementary way ( small - less, good - better, bad - worse).

Forms of a comparative degree are not formed from adjectives that call signs that do not change in degrees. Sometimes they are not formed in accordance with the usus, and not the meaning ( shabby, alien, scanty).

The complex form of degrees of comparison is formed by the addition of the word more... Moreover, such combinations can be formed with a short form ( faster, more red).

Superlative degree

The simple form of the superlative degree has features in its meaning: in addition to the above-mentioned basic meaning of the superiority of quality in an object compared with other objects, this form can denote the highest, limiting degree of quality in any object without comparison with others. In other words, it can mean an irrespectively high degree of quality: worst enemy, kindest creature.

The simple form is formed by attaching a suffix -Eish (-eish). Moreover, it is not formed from all adjectives, usually those lexemes from which the form of the comparative degree is not formed. It may also be absent in those forms that have the form of a comparative degree. These are quality adjectives with suffixes -Ast-, -ist, as well as many words with suffixes - liv-, -chiv-, -k-(narrow - narrower, hairy - hairy, silent - more silent).

A complex form is formed by a combination of a quality adjective and a word most... It is not related to lexical restrictions: the reddest, the kindest, the narrowest.

For adjectives with suffixes –Owat - (- evat-)no superlative form is formed because the value of the incomplete characteristic is incompatible with the value of the high degree of the characteristic ( deafest, most deafish).

The superlative shape denotes the highest quality. In contrast to the comparative degree, the forms of the superlative degree cannot express a comparative assessment of the degree of a feature in the same subject and in two subjects.

Qualitative adjectiveshave degrees of comparison... They express a greater or lesser degree of quality in a given subject as compared to another subject.
For example: (My house is more beautiful than your house). sometimes a comparison is made within the same object (increasing or decreasing) at different periods of its development, i.e. at the present moment, compared to its past state.
For example: (The demand for the product has become higher than last year).

Adjectives have two degrees of comparison:
comparative;
excellent.

1.Comparative degree of adjective means that some feature is manifested to a greater or lesser extent in one object than in another.
For example: I'm happier than you. Your briefcase is heavier than mine. My dog \u200b\u200bis smarter than yours.

The comparative degree is:
A) simple
B) difficult

A) Simple comparative degree formed with suffixes:
"her" (s): For example: handsome - prettier, smart - smarter, cold - colder;
"e" (with or without alternation of the last consonant stem):
For example: big - bigger, short - shorter, sweet - sweeter;
"she": For example: old - older, young - younger.
Sometimes a different root is used to form the comparative degree of an adjective.
Good is better, bad is worse, small is less.
Adjectives in the form of a simple comparative degree do not change and do not have endings!

B) Difficult comparative degree formed from the full form of the positive degree of the adjective with the help of particles more and less.
Big - more (less) big, beautiful - more (less) beautiful.

2) Superlative degree of adjectives.
The superlative degree shows that some feature is manifested in a given object to the greatest extent, in comparison with the same feature in other homogeneous objects.
This is my best game; He's the smartest boy in the class.

An excellent degree is:
A) simple
B) difficult
The superlative degree of an adjective can vary in gender, number and case.
(We came to the highest mountains).

A) Simple superlative it is formed with the suffixes "eish", "aish".
For example: Foolish, Deepest, Rarest, Nearest
Sometimes a different root is used to form the superlative of an adjective.
For example: The good is the best, the bad is the worst.
B) Complex superlative is formed from the full form of the positive degree of the adjective with the help of particles most, most and least.
For example: The smallest is the smallest, the smallest, the least smallest, the smartest is the smartest, the most intelligent, the least smart.

Adjectives in the superlative degree, like the full forms of the positive degree of adjectives, change in gender, number and case.

Date of publication: 28.01.2012 17:58 UTC

• Morphological analysis of an adjective in Russian.
• Full and short forms of adjectives. Declination and spelling of case forms of adjectives in Russian.
• The concept of an adjective. Morphological signs of adjectives. Categories of adjectives in Russian.

The comparative degree and superlative degree of adjectives are used very often in both oral and written speech. And this applies not only to the Russian language. Today we are interested in foreign vocabulary, namely comparative and superlative degrees in English. Nowadays there is more and more need to communicate in it. In order to speak correctly, and for the foreigners around you to understand you correctly, you need to study the rules for the formation of these degrees.

What is an adjective

Before talking about how the comparative and superlative degree is formed in English, let's take a quick look at the adjective itself. What is this part of speech? In a nutshell, an adjective is used when we need to describe an object, person, or process. Answering questions what?, what?, what?, what?, this part of speech helps us not only to describe them, but also to compare them with each other, as well as to declare the superiority of a particular object or character.

• We live in this big home for a very long time.
• Old the park looks much better early in the morning.
• We are the youngest specialists in this field.

The highlighted words clearly show what function the adjective performs in the sentence. This function is definition. And in this sense, there is no difference between Russian and English.

Comparison Degrees: Rule

Comparative and superlative degrees of adjectives are two of the three forms in which this part of speech can be used. There are three degrees of comparison in total:

• Positive - here the adjective has its own initial form, for example: white, fat, tall, nice, etc.
• Comparative - this form is used when we want to compare something with something, to show the advantage of something over something, for example: better, taller, thicker, smarter, less, etc.
• Excellent - this option is used by us when we want to show that someone or something has the highest degree of quality, for example: highest, most expensive, best, least, etc.

The choice of the word variant depends on what idea you want to convey to the interlocutor. We will consider all the possible rules for the education of both degrees separately.

comparative

In English grammar, there are rules by which both comparative and superlatives are formed. Exercises to check the understanding of this topic are aimed at ensuring that you correctly form one degree or another with any adjective. Let's start with the comparative form. In order to form a comparative form from any adjective, you need to follow these rules:

• If the word is monosyllabic or two-syllable, but the stress falls on the first syllable, then we add the suffix "er" to it: smart (smart) - smarter (smarter); hard (heavy) - harder (heavier).

• If the word ends with an "e", one letter "r" is added to it: large (large) - larger (larger); polite (polite) - politer (more polite).

• If a monosyllabic word ends with a consonant letter preceded by a short vowel sound, then the last letter is doubled when adding a suffix: big (big) - bigger (more); hot (hot) - hotter (hotter).

• If the adjective ends with the letter "y", when the suffix is \u200b\u200badded, it changes to "i": noisy (noisy) - noisier (more noisy); easy (simple) - easier (easier).

• If an adjective has more than two syllables, no suffix is \u200b\u200badded to it. We put before this adjective the comparative adverb "more", which in translation into Russian means "more": beautiful (beautiful) - more beautiful (more beautiful); interesting (interesting) - more interesting (more interesting).

• If it is necessary to indicate that the quality is lower than that of another object, then instead of the aforementioned word we take "less", translated as "less": beautiful (beautiful) - less beautiful (less beautiful); interesting (interesting) - less interesting (less interesting).

Thus, we can easily form sentences where we want to compare the qualities of different objects.

Superlative degree

Comparative degree and superlative degree are very easily formed by Russian-speaking users, since the concept of comparison and superiority is very similar to what we know in Russian. So, for the education of the last degree, we need to apply concepts such as "most, most / least." But here, too, there are certain rules that must be followed:

• If the word has one syllable, we add the suffix "est" to such an adjective, while the article "the" will be in front of the newly formed word: smart (smart) - the smartest (smartest); hard - the hardest.

• If there is an “e” ending at the end of the word, we will only use the “st” suffix: large - the largest; polite (polite) - the politest (most polite).

• If a word ends in a consonant preceded by a short vowel sound, we double the last letter in the letter. In speech, this does not manifest itself in any way: big (big) - the biggest (greatest); hot (hot) - the hottest (hottest).

• If the letter y is in the last place in the word, when adding a suffix we change it to i: noisy (noisy) - the noisiest (most noisy); easy (simple) - the easiest (simplest).

• For long polysyllabic words, there is another way of education. We put the adverb "the most" before the word, which translates as "the most, the most, the most": beautiful (beautiful) - the most beautiful (the most beautiful); interesting (interesting) - the most interesting (most interesting).

• If you need to indicate that the quality is the lowest, then instead of the word "most", we take "the least", translated as "least": beautiful (beautiful) - the least beautiful (least beautiful); interesting (interesting) - the least interesting (least interesting).

• There are two-word words. In this case, we also put the specified adverbs in front of them: easy-going (sociable) - more easy-going (more sociable) - the most easy-going (most sociable); easy-going (sociable) - less easy-going (less sociable) - the least easy-going (least sociable).

Comparative and Superlative: Words of Exception

There are words that, despite all the existing rules, form degrees in their own way. Such words must be learned by heart. The comparative degree and superlative degree of such words are placed in a separate table.

	Positive	Comparative	Excellent
small
		farther, further	the farthest, the furthest
			the oldest, the eldest
			the latest, the last

When using a word that consists of two components, one of which is an exception, you need to use exactly its form: good-looking (beautiful) - better-looking (more beautiful) - the best-looking (the most beautiful).

Stable phrases

Both the comparative degree and the superlative degree are used in sentences as part of special designs. Most often these are options:

• The design is "the ... the ...". The more I read, the more I know. The more I read, the more I know.
• The construction "as ... as ...". He is as tall as his brother. He is as tall as his brother.
• The construction is "not so ... as ...". She is not so fit as me. She's not as slim as me.

These are the most common sentences in which we use the mentioned degrees of comparison.

Comparative adjectives show the differences between the two objects that they modify ( larger, smaller, faster, higher). They are used in sentences that compare two nouns, as in this example:

Noun (subject) + verb + comparative adjective + than + noun (object).

The second comparison word can be omitted as it is clear from the context (last example).

Examples of

• My house is larger than hers.
• This box is smaller than the one I lost.
• Your dog runs faster than Jim "s dog.
• The rock flew higher than the roof.
• Jim and Jack are both my friends, but I like Jack better... ("than Jim" is understood)

Superlative degree of adjectives

Superlative adjectives describe an object that has the highest or lowest quality ( the tallest, the smallest, the fastest, the highest). They are used in sentences when a subject is compared to a group of objects.

Noun (subject) + verb + the + superlative + noun (object).

The group of items to be compared may be omitted if clear from the context (last example).

Examples of

• My house is the largest one in our neighborhood.
• This is the smallest box I "ve ever seen.
• Your dog ran the fastest of any dog \u200b\u200bin the race.
• We all threw our rocks at the same time. My rock flew the highest... ("of all the rocks" is understood)

Creation of a simple comparative degree and an excellent

Comparative and superlatives are fairly easy to create. The form depends on the number of syllables in the original adjective.

One syllable adjectives

Add -er in order to form a comparative degree and -est for an excellent education. If the adjective consists of a consonant + a single vowel + a pronounced consonant, then the last consonant is doubled before the ending.

Two-syllable adjectives

Adjectives with two syllables can form a comparative degree as by adding -er at the end, so with the word more before the adjective. Such adjectives form a superlative by adding -est and with the word most before the adjective. In many cases, both forms can be used, although the use of one of the forms may occur earlier than the other. If you are unsure whether an adjective with two syllables can be comparative or superlative, use instead more and most... In case the adjective ends in y, change y to i before adding the ending.

Adjectives with three or more syllables

Those adjectives that consist of three or more syllables form a comparative degree using more before the adjective itself, and most before adjective for superlative.

Comparative and superlative adjectives (supplementary way of education)

These common adjectives form comparative and superlatives in a special way.

Examples of

• Today is the worst day I "ve had in a long time.
• You play tennis better than I do.
• This is the least expensive sweater in the store.
• This sweater is less expensive than that one.
• I ran pretty far yesterday, but I ran even farther today.