Comparison of Adjectives

There are three degrees of an adjective

Positive Comparative Superlative
· fat · fatter · fattest
· clever · cleverer · cleverest
· beautiful · more beautiful · most beautiful
· good · better · best

Formation of the Comparative and the superlative

1. One - syllable adjectives take - er or est
Positive Comparative Superlative
· tall · taller · tallest
· strong · stronger · strongest
· high · higher · highest
· cheap · cheaper · cheapest

2. Two syllable adjectives ending in ful, ing, re usually take more and most
Positive Comparative Superlative
· careful · more careful · most careful
· faithful · more faithful · most faithful
· cunning · more cunning · most cunning
· mature · more mature · most mature

3. Two syllable adjectives ending in y, ly, and er take er and est

Positive Comparative Superlative
· lovely · lovelier · loveliest
· pretty · prettier · prettiest
· clever · cleverer · cleverest
· easy · easier · easiest

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 4. Three or more syllable adjectives take more and most

Positive Comparative Superlative

· beautiful · more beautiful · most beautiful
· expensive · more expensive · most expensive
· difficult · more difficult · most difficult
· interesting · more interesting · most interesting
· popular · more popular · most popular

5. Irregular comparison

Positive Comparative Superlative

· good · better · best
· bad · worse · worst
· little · less · least
· many · more · most
· much · more · most
· far · further · furthest
· farther · farthest
· far
· elder · eldest
· old
· older · oldest
· old

Ways of expressing comparisons

1. The positive is used with as. ..... as when we compare two similar persons or things.

(1) Kamal is as tall as Saman

(2) Nisansala is as beautiful as her sister
(3) ..........................................................................................................................
(4) ..........................................................................................................................
(5) ..........................................................................................................................

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2. The comparative degree is used with than

(1) Amal is taller than Nimal.

(2) English is more useful than other languages
(3) .........................................................................................................................
(4) .........................................................................................................................
(5) .........................................................................................................................

3. Comparison of three or more persons or things is expressed by the superlative

proceeded by the and followed by in/of

(1) He is the best athlete in the school.

(2) Nimesha is the prettiest of them all.
(3) .....................................................................................................................
(4) .....................................................................................................................
(5) .....................................................................................................................

4. Parallel increase or growth is expressed by a double comparative

Rs. 7500

Rs.14500
(1) The more money he earned the more he spent.
(2) The bigger the house, the higher the rent
(3) ...............................................................................................................
(4) ..............................................................................................................
(5) ………………………………………………………………………………..

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5. A gradual increase or growth is expressed by a comparative with and.
(1) He is becoming fatter and fatter.
(2) They are getting richer and richer.
(3) She is becoming more and more beautiful.
(4) ........................................................................................
(5) ........................................................................................

Exercise : 01

01 Sameera is the. ...................................... (tall) of the two brothers.

02 Lasith is the. ...................................... (strong) boy in the class.
03 The higher the post, the........................................ (great) one’s responsilities.
04 something is. ...................................... (good) than nothing.
05 prevention is. ...................................... (good) than cure.
06 Cricket is. ...................................... (intereshtng) than netball.
07 The apple is. ....................................... (sweet) than the orange.
08 The lion is ........................................ (ferocious) than the tiger.
09 Mount Everest is the. ...................................... (high) mountain in the world.
10 English is the. ...................................... (useful) language in the world.
11 Football is the. ...................................... (famous) game in the world.
12 Supun is. ...................................... (industrious) than Nimesh.
13 Murali is the. .......................................(great) of spinners.
14 Gold is the. ...................................... (precious) of metals.
15 As a result of neglect, his illness got. .................... (bad).
16 He is the. ...................................... (strong) man I have ever seen.
17 She is as. ...................................... (beautiful) as her mother.
18 The weather is getting hotter and ........................................ (hot).
19 I bought the. ...................................... (cheap) of the two shirts.
20 My watch is not as........................................ (good) as yours.
21 He is the. ...................................... (intelligent) boy in the class.
22 I like you. ...................................... (much) than any other teacher.
23 Sharuk khan is the. ...................................... (popular) of actors.
24 The. (strong) men are not always the bravest.
25 English is. ....................................... (important) than any other languages.

Key

1) Taller 2) strongest 3) greater 4) better 5) better 6) more interesting 7) sweeter

8) more ferocions 9) highest 10) most usefully 11) most famous 12) more industrious
13) greatest 14) most precious 15) worse 16) strongest 17) beautiful 18) hotter 19)
cheaper 20) good 21) most intelligent 22) more 23 ) most popular 24) strongest 25)
most important

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