The volume of sound can be inor decreased. Do you want
more or less?
COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS
What is the comparison of adjectives and
adverbs?
If you want to describe a relation between the qualities of two or more events,
persons, states or things, you have to use comparative or superlative forms of an
adjective or adverb.
What does it look like?
Comparison of adjectives
Positive
Comparative
Superlative
warm
warmer
warmest
good
better
best
hot
hotter
hottest
healthy
healthier
healthiest
exciting
more / less exciting
most / least exciting
Comparison of adverbs
Positive
Comparative
Superlative
quickly
more quickly
most quickly
fast
faster
fastest
well
better
best
happily
more happily
most happily
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What are the rules?
1) The formation of the comparative and superlative follows clear-cut rules.
a) One-syllable adjectives (monosyllabic adjectives) with a long vowel or
diphthong take "-er" for the comparative and "-est" for the superlative.
warm
warmer
short
shorter
warmest
shortest
cool
cooler
coolest
loud
louder
loudest
small
smaller
smallest
b) If a one-syllable adjective with a long vowel or diphthong ends in an “-e”,
the “-e” is dropped and "-er" / "-est" is added.
fine
finer
nice
nicer
large
finest
nicest
larger
largest
c) One-syllable adjectives with a short vowel and ending in a consonant
need a doubling of that consonant followed by "-er" / "-est".
hot
hotter
fat
fatter
big
bigger
fit
fitter
hottest
fattest
biggest
fittest
d) Two-syllable adjectives (disyllabic adjectives) ending in -y change -y to -i
and add "-er" / "est".
healthy
filthy
healthier
filthier
skinny
filthiest
skinnier
funny
skinniest
funnier
dirty
dirtier
healthiest
funniest
dirtiest
clumsy
clumsier
clumsiest
chubby
chubbier
chubbiest
tiny
nosy
tinier
nosier
tiniest
nosiest
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e) Two-syllable adjectives ending in a consonant and adjectives containing
three or more syllables (polysyllabic adjectives) take more / less or most /
least in front of the adjective.
expensive
more / less expensive
most / least expensive
interesting
more / less interesting
most / least interesting
exciting
more / less exciting
comfortable
generous
boring
most / least exciting
more / less comfortable
more / less generous
more / less boring
beautiful
serious
frightening
most / least generous
most / least boring
more / less beautiful
more / less serious
most / least comfortable
most / least beautiful
most / least serious
more / less frightening
most / least serious
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f) There are irregular adjectives that do not follow the above rules. The most
important ones are:
Positive
bad
Ingo is not a bad guitar
player.
good
Ingo is a good guitar player.
far (relating to distance in
time and space)
My house is far away from
Ingo’s house, but due to his
amplifier I can still hear him
playing the guitar.
far (relating to degrees)
It is far from the truth that
Ingo’s amplifier can be heard
in the next village.
old (ages of relatives only)
When Ingo started playing
the guitar, he was not very
old.
Comparative
worse
But he was worse than now
when he didn’t practice much.
better
He is better than a lot of his
friends.
farther
But your house is farther
away from Ingo’s than my
house.
further
It is even further from the
truth that the amplifier can be
heard even farther.
elder (older)
He’s got no younger or elder
siblings or other close
relatives who play an
instrument.
Superlative
worst
At that time, he was the
worst player in his music
school.
best
But unfortunately he boasts
that he’s the best guitar
player of them all.
farthest
Why are you complaining
about the noise when actually
your house is the farthest
away from Ingo’s of all of our
houses?
furthest
However, it is furthest from
the truth when Ingo boasts
his amplifier can be heard
around the world!
eldest (oldest)
But his eldest cousin plays
the drums.
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g) Some adjectives that use "-er" / "-est" for the comparative / superlative
may also be used with more / most and less / least.

One-syllable adjectives: amongst these are sure, clear, keen, free,
safe, true, rude, proud, fair, wise and steep.
clear

more clear
clearer
clearest
Some two-syllable adjectives ending in a consonant: amongst these
are sincere, stupid, able, clever, common, cruel, handsome, likely,
narrow, pleasant, polite, simple, tired, secure and quiet.
sincere
sincerest

most clear OR clear
more sincere
most sincere OR
sincere
sincerer
Some two-syllable adjectives ending in –y: amongst these are busy,
crazy, lucky, pretty, silly, lonely, hungry, heavy, ugly, wealthy, empty
and lazy.
easy
more easy
most easy OR easy
easier
easiest
2) When to use the positive, the comparative, or the superlative depends on
which state or relation one wants to express.
a) The positive is the "un-graded" (basic) form of the adjective or adverb. In this
state it cannot express a relation between qualities.

Adjectives:
Ingo’s amplifier was expensive.
But it is of good quality.
Now Ingo’s guitar is really loud.

Adverbs:
Ingo can play his guitar very loudly.
He is also able play it fast.
Actually, he plays it well, too.
® TingoLingo
b) The comparative form signifies that something / someone’s quality etc. is
better or worse than something else / someone else’s quality.

Adjectives:
Ingo’s guitar is now louder than before.
The new amplifier was more expensive than the old one.
But it is of better quality.

Adverbs:
With the help of his new amplifier, Ingo is able to play the guitar more
loudly than his friends.
He also plays it faster than his friends at the music school.
Some of his friends still play better than him.
c) The superlative form of an adjective or an adverb expresses that something /
someone has got the best / worst quality of all.

Adjectives:
Ingo says he now has the loudest guitar at his music school.
He also has the most expensive amplifier.
It is the best amplifier on the market at the moment.

Adverbs:
Ingo plays loudest of all the students at his music school.
He also plays fastest of his rehearsal group.
Yet, he doesn’t play best of all the students. But sometimes he boasts
most!
Ingo’s insider tip!
There are a number of traditional expressions that use some form of comparison:
I’m tired as hell of cleaning my parrot’s cage.
But then again, I’d do anything for him. He’s
usually as good as gold. But when he’s mad at
me he can be as cold as ice. I’ve asked Inga to
clean the cage but she’s as hard as nails. I
cannot charm her into it. I guess I’m stuck with
that job for as long as I live. I’d even say I could
be stuck with it for longer than I live. Who
knows if there isn’t a parrot heaven?!
® TingoLingo