Comparative adjectives are used to compare two or more objects with each other: objects, people, animals, etc. Bigger, smaller, prettier, faster, cheaper, better, smarter, braver, smarter, more daring- these are all comparative degrees of adjectives in Russian.

In English, adjectives also have a comparative degree ( comparative adjectives or simply comparative): bigger, less, more beautiful, faster, cheaper, better, cleverer, braver, more intelligent, more daring

The rules for the formation of comparative adjectives are very easy to understand, and to develop fluency, experience is needed, you need to repeat them more often, and it is better to repeat phrases, phrases or whole sentences. How to remember better, you can read in the article.

In this article, we will give many examples of the formation and use of the comparative degree of adjectives in English.

Comparative adjectives. Education rules. Examples.

Look at the table:

1. Examples for comparative adjectives formed from monosyllabic ones:

This coffee is very weak. I like it a bit stronger. (This coffee is very weak. I like a little stronger)
Going by bus is cheaper than by train. (The bus ride is cheaper than the train ride)
The weather is very cold today. I expected it to be warmer.(The weather is cold today. I expected it to be warmer)
The water is colder today than it was two days ago. (The water is colder today than it was two days ago)
Mike studies harder than his brother. (Mike studies harder than his brother)
This building is higher than that one. (This building is taller than that one)
My daughter is thinner than her. (My daughter is thinner than her)
My sister is older than me. (My sister is older than me)
Can we walk a bit faster? (Can we go a little faster?)

Pay attention to the following subtleties:
1. After the comparative degree of adjectives, the union is often used than(than), emphasizing the object for comparison.
2. If a one-syllable adjective ends in -e, then in a comparative degree only -r: large - larger, late - later, wide - wider.
3. If a one-syllable adjective ends one vowel + one consonant, then the comparative degree duplicates the consonant: big-bigger, wet-wetter, thin-thinner

2. Examples of comparative adjectives formed from disyllabic adjectives ending in -y:

Yesterday I woke up earlier than usual (Yesterday I woke up earlier than usual)
you look happier today (You look happier today)
My bag seemed to get heavy as I carried it (My bag seemed to be heavier when I carried it)
We were busier at work today than usual (We were busier at work today than usual)

3. Examples of the comparative degree of adjectives formed from disyllabic and more adjectives

I think Hungarian is more difficult than Spanish. (I think Hungarian is harder than Spanish)
For lanuage learners, enthusiasm is more important than talent. (For language learners, enthusiasm is more important than talent)
I expected the hotel to be more expensive. (I expected the hotel to be more expensive)
I'd like to do something more interesting(I would like to do something more interesting)
Why don't you phone me more often? (Why don't you call me more often?)
I'd like to have a more reliable car (I would like to have a more reliable car)
unfortunately his illness more serious than we thought at first. (Unfortunately, his illness was more serious than we thought at first)

4. Exceptions.

Some words do not follow the general rules and form their comparative adjectives in a special way. They are called wrong IRREGULAR:

A holiday by the sea is better than a holiday in the mountains. (A holiday by the sea is better than a holiday in the mountains)
The warmer the weather the better I feel. (The warmer the weather, the better I feel)
I can't walk any further. (I can't go on)
The traffic is worse than usual today. (Traffic worse than usual today)
The weather got worse and worse. (weather gets worse and worse)
His English is becoming better from day to day. (His English is getting better day by day)

Objects and people are different. Therefore, adjectives are used to describe them in different degrees of comparison. This allows you to reflect the shades of qualities, properties and features.

Just like in Russian, only qualitative adjectives have degrees of comparison of adjectives in English (beautiful - beautiful, wonderful - wonderful, large - large, early - early, etc.). Most adjectives belong to this group. They can be used in positive, comparative and superlative degrees.

Relative adjectives do not form degrees of comparison in English, because they do not show qualities that can change. For example, a scarf can be silk (silk), but cannot be more silk or the most silk. Such adjectives only show what property an object has.

Three degrees of comparison of adjectives in English

In theory, there are three of them. In practice, no one usually takes into account a positive degree, considering it to be the initial form. Therefore, many believe that two degrees of comparison can be distinguished, as such - comparative and superlative.

However, let's analyze all the forms in order.

1. positive degree. This is the name of the initial form in which the adjective is written in the dictionary (what? what? what?). For example, This river is deep . (This river is deep).
2. comparative . Used to show that an object (or person) has more pronounced qualities compared to its own kind. For example, The Congo is deeper than the Amazon. (The Congo River is deeper than the Amazon). Please note that for comparison in such revolutions, the conjunction “than” is used.
3. Superlatives . Shows the most pronounced quality of the object (or person), in which he excels all others. It is translated into Russian with the word “most / most / most”. For example, Congo is the deepest river in the world. Remember that the article the is always used with this degree.

Ways to change adjectives

Different adjectives in English change in different ways when compared. In this regard, they can be divided into three large groups, according to the ways in which their forms are changed.

The suffixal way of forming forms is called synthetic, by adding the words more, the most - analytical. All special cases (forming forms not according to the rule) are formed suppletively (individually).

Degrees of comparison of adjectives: a table with examples

			Positive Positive	Comparative Comparative	Superlative excellent
I With P O With O b	One-syllable and two-syllable adjectives that end in - y, -e, -er, -ow	by adding suffixes -er, -est	young (young) tiny (tiny) slow (slow)	younger (younger) tinier (tinier) slower (slower)	the youngest (the youngest) the tiniest (the smallest) the slowest (slowest)
II With P O With O b	All polysyllabic and some disyllabic (except those named in the first method)	using the words more, the most	serious (serious) talkative (talkative) essential (important)	more serious (more serious) more talkative (more talkative) more essential (more important)	the most serious (the most serious) the most talkative (the most talkative) the most essential (the most important)

Exceptions

This is a separate (third) group of adjectives that form a comparative and superlative degree in none of the above methods of comparison. That is, they have individual forms that must be remembered. These adjectives include the following:

Pay special attention to the adjective far, the degrees of comparison of which, depending on the spelling, reflect the meaning invested in it. In the first of the given examples, the word far is used in the sense of "further in distance", and in the second "further in time".

Important! Special function little

The adjective little forms degrees of comparison individually. But it, in addition to the main one, has an additional function. The forms less, the least themselves help to form degrees of comparison of adjectives in English. In contrast to the usual shades of meaning enhancement, they, on the contrary, reduce the degree of expression of any quality of the adjective. The word less is translated into Russian “less”, the least - “the least”, “least”.

For example, She is less sensitive than her sister. - She is less sentimental than her sister.

She is the least sensitive person in our family. She is the least sentimental person in our family.

These are the same degrees of comparison in English as with the words more, the most.

Spelling (or spelling rules)

When forming degrees of comparison according to the first method (using suffixes), the following spelling rules must be observed:

• if the word ends in mute -e, it is omitted when adding suffixes that form the comparative degrees of adjectives in English, as well as superlatives: cute - cuter - the cutest (cute);
• if the last letter of the adjective is -y, and before it comes a consonant, then -y changes to i, and then the suffix is ​​​​added: dirty - dirtier - the dirtiest (dirty);
• if the last letter in a word is a consonant preceded by a short vowel, then the consonant is doubled: thin - thinner - thinnest (thin).

Articles with degrees of comparison

You already know that articles do not refer to adjectives, but to nouns. Therefore, when we talk about articles in this case, we mean that a noun follows the adjective.

When using positive and comparative adjectives in English, the indefinite article (a/an) is used before them if the noun is used in the singular. If in the plural, the article is omitted (that is, zero is used).

Superlatives in English require the use of the definite article (the).

Special adjectives

There is a separate group of adjectives that can change both synthetically and analytically: that is, with the help of suffixes or with the help of the words more, the most.

This includes adjectives such as angry, clever, friendly, handsome, pleasant, polite, serious, quiet and some others.

Example: narrow → narrower → the narrowest (narrow)
narrow → more narrow →the most narrow

So, now you know how the comparative degree of adjectives is formed in English and how it differs from the superlative. Practice using adjectives in different forms in speech. Come up with suggestions to work out all the forms at once in a complex. Repeat good and bad again, the degrees of comparison of which are different from others. All success!

In English, as in Russian, adjectives (qualitative) form two degrees of comparison: comparative and superlative. The positive degree of adjectives is their basic form, which does not express the degree of comparison.

Just like in Russian, adjectives form degrees of comparison either analytically - with the help of additional words more– more And most – most, most(complex forms); or synthetically - by changing the adjective itself with the help of suffixes –er And –est(simple forms (. And just like in Russian, the analytical form of the comparative degree can be formed from any adjective, and the synthetic form can be formed from some adjectives, but not from others.

The vast majority of monosyllabic adjectives form degrees of comparison using simple (synthetic) forms:

Comparative degree is formed with the suffix –er, which is pronounced, and before words beginning with a vowel sound -.

excellent degree is formed with the suffix -est which is pronounced.

At the same time, the following rules :

1 In monosyllabic adjectives ending in one consonant with a preceding short vowel, the final consonant doubles(to keep the syllable closed):

big [bIg] big- big ger["bIgq]-big gest["bIgIst]

thin [TIn] thin- thin ner["TInq] - thin nest["TInist]

2 If the adjective ends in y with a preceding consonant, then ychanges to i :

bus y["bIzI] busy- bus ier[ "bIzIq ] - bus iest["bIzIst]

happy y["hxpi] happy- happy ier[ "hxpIq ] - happ iest["hxpIst]

Note: But if before y stands for a vowel, then y remains unchanged:

gre y[greI] grey-gre yer["greIq]-gre yest["greIIst]

3 final vowel e (not mine e ) before suffixes -er, -est omitted:

whit e[waIt] white- whit er[waItq] - whit est["waitist]

positive degree	comparative	Superlatives (article the everywhere)
dark[dRk] dark	dark er darker	(the) dark est darkest
nice [naIs] Cute	nic er cuter	(the) nic est the cutest
large [lRG] big	larg er more	(the) larg est largest

However, even here not everything is so clear-cut. For some adjectives, both synthetic and analytical forms are equally common, for example:

true[trH] truthful, faithful	true er; more true	true est; most true
hot[hOt] hot	hott er; more hot	hott est; most hot- less often

And some in the overwhelming majority of cases are found in analytical forms:

right[raIt] correct, true	right ( rarely ); more right	most right
wrong [rON] wrong	more wrong	most wrong
real[rIql] real	more real	realest(less often); most real

Before adjectives in excellent degree is put definite article the, since it is usually an attribute to the noun behind it (gives it the qualities of exclusivity). The article is also preserved in cases where the noun is not mentioned, but only implied:

Polysyllabic and most disyllabic adjectives form comparative degree with word more - more, A excellent degree - most - most (most). And the smallest and lowest degree of quality are expressed in words less - less And least – least. These words are placed before the adjective in the form of put. degrees (basic form).

positive degree	comparative	Superlatives (article the everywhere)
difficult ["dIfIkqlt] difficult beautiful ["bjHtIfl] Beautiful	more difficultharder more beautifulmore beautiful	most difficultmost difficult most beautifulthe most beautiful
Expression of lesser and least degree:
expensive [Ik"spensIv] Expensive(by price)	less expensiveless expensive	(the) least expensive least expensive

For example:

Note 1:Mostused before adjectives not only to form a superlative degree, but also with a meaningvery - Very, and extremely, very, denoting simply a high degree of quality regardless of other subjects . In this case, the singular noun is used with an indefinite article, and in the plural - without an article:

This is most interesting book.	This extremely interesting book.
They are most interesting people.	They extremely interesting people.

Note 2: Mostalso used with the prepositionofin front of a noun denoting a certain group of objects, persons or a quantity of something. Combinationmost ofused without an article and means " most (of), most (of)". In this case, the noun to which it refers carries with it the definite article, demonstrative or possessive pronoun.

Most of these books have been published in Moscow.	Most of these books were published in Moscow.
Most of the students go in for sports.	Majority students go in for sports.

Some two-syllable adjectives and some monosyllabic ones are used both in synthetic and analytical forms to convey various stylistic nuances and shades. In general, simple forms are more typical for colloquial speech, and complex ones for writing.

It should be noted that over the past few decades, some changes have taken place in the English language, and where only synthetic forms were previously considered, analytical ones appeared, which are used in parallel with the old, simple forms.

In domestic grammars, it is traditionally written that disyllabic adjectives ending in – y, -er, -ow, -le, and some having stress on the second syllable, form simple comparison forms. However, even here everything is not so simple, the language is alive and gradually changing. In cases where you do not know which form to use, choose the analytical one, the error may be stylistic, not grammatical.

Adjectives that are much more likely to form simple forms of comparison include:

simple ["simpl] simple	simple er	simple est
busy ["bIzI] busy	busi er	busi est
quiet ['kwaIqt] calm	quiet er	quiet est
happy ["hxpI] happy	happy er	happy est; most happy ( less often )
["nxrou] narrow	narrow er ; more narrow(less common)	narrow est

Some adjectives with the same frequency occur in both simple and complex forms of comparison, for example:

clever ["klevq] smart, capable	clever er; more clever	clever est; most clever
stupid ["stjHpId] stupid, stupid	stupid er; more stupid	stupid est; most stupid
sincere [sIn "sIq] sincere	sincere er ( less often ); more sincere;	sincere est; most Sincere

More often found in complex forms of comparison:

polite [pq "laIt] polite	polit er ( rarely) ; more polite	polit est ( less often) ; most polite
remote[rI "mout] remote	remote er (rarely) ; more remote	remote est (less common) ; most remote

1 Form degrees of comparison from another root:

positive degree	comparative	Superlatives (article the everywhere)
good[ gud] good	better ["betq] better	(the) best [best] the best
little [ lItl] small	less[les] less	least[lJst] least
bad[ bxd] bad	worse [wWs] worse	worst [ wWst] the worst, the worst
much[ mac] a lot of(with uncountable) many[ " menI] many(with enum.)	more [ml] more	most [must] most

Note 1:Word less

a) less- in the case when less few:

I have less time than he.

I have less time than his.

b) smaller- in the case when less is a comparative degree of small. That is, when we need to form a comparative degree fromlittle- in meaning small, we replace it with small – small, from which we formsmaller And smallest. For example:

Note 2:Word more corresponds in English:

A) more- in the case when more is a comparative degree of a lot of:

b) bigger or larger - in the case when more is a comparative degree of big:

2 They have two forms of degrees of comparison, differing in meaning:

positive degree	comparative	Superlatives (article the everywhere)
1) old[Old] old	older [ " Oldq] older(about age) elder [ " eldq] older in the family(about seniority)	oldest oldest eldest the eldest in the family
2) near[ nIq] close	nearer ["nIqrq] closer	nearest [ " nIqrIst] closest (by distance) next[ next] next (in order)
3) late[ leIt] late	later [ " leItq] later(about the time) last [ " lxtq] the last of the two (in order) mentioned	latest [ " leItIst] latest last[ lRst] most recent (in order)
4) far[fR] far , further	farther [ " fRDq] more distant(about distance) further [ " fWDq] more distant, further (in order)	farthest [ " fRDIst] the farthest furthest [ " fWDIst] farthest, furthest

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence The grass is always greener behind the fence. (Well, where we do not). Well, comparison is in the human genes. And whatever one may say, there is no comparison.

Everything is relative

Let's look at how the English behave when they are compared.

Let's look at them in a table.

Degrees of comparison of adjectives

So, in the first column, the original, “untouched” adjective (just “what”? - big), in the second - a comparative degree, “competition” (when we compare with something; what is in Russian in -e / -ee, for example "greater"), and in the third column - superlative degree, "winner" (the highest degree of any quality, for example, "the biggest").

	"Untouched" adjective	comparative "competition"	Superlatives "winner"
1 syllable	Big (large)	bigg er(more)	The bigg est(biggest)
	Long (long)	Long er(longer)	The long est(the longest)
	Thin (thin)	Thinn er(thinner)	The thinn est(the thinnest)
Ends in -y	Happy (happy)	happ ier(happier)	The happy iest(the happiest)
	Lucky (lucky)	lucky ier(luckier)	The luck iest(the luckiest one)
2 or more syllables	Interesting (interesting)	More interesting (more interesting)	The most interesting (most interesting)
	Beautiful (beautiful)	More beautiful (more beautiful)	The most beautiful (the most beautiful)
Exceptions	Good (good)	Better(better)	The best(the best)
	Bad (bad)	Word(worse)	The worst(worst)
	Little (small, few)	Less(less, less)	The least(smallest, least)
	Far (distant, far)	Further(further)	The furthest(the farthest)

Rules for using comparative degrees

One-syllable adjectives

Let's start with the simplest, monosyllabic, very short adjectives.

Rule: When compared, they will be added -er, but in a superlative degree (he is definitely a winner, the only one of the best of his kind, hence the definite article) and -est. Also, when comparing 2 objects, we always use the word " than- "what", although in Russian we often do without it.

For example:

• Kate is tall er than Tina (Kate is taller than Tina/Tina).
• Albert is rich er than his brother. (Albert is richer than his brother/his brother)
• It looks better. (It looks better)
• He is the tall est in his family. (He is the tallest in the family)

Important! Pay attention to the words - since they consist of one syllable and end in one consonant, and there is one vowel before it, such a consonant doubles in comparison and superiority - bigger, thinner, fitter, fatter, etc.

Adjectives ending in -y

Rule: If the adjective ends in -y(and it doesn’t matter in this case how many syllables it has), then comparison and superiority will form in the same way as short adjectives, only in writing -y will change to i.

For example:

• You look happy ier, than before. (You look happier than before).
• He is slopp ier, than his sister. (He is sloppier than his sister).
• It's the tack iest thing I've ever seen! (This is the most tasteless thing I've ever seen!)

If 2 or more syllables

Rule: If the adjectives are long (2 or more syllables), then adding something else to them will simply be too much heap for concise English. So they just add words to them more("more") - more interesting - in comparison and the most("most") - the most interesting - in superiority.

Important! Only if in Russian our freedom of language allows us to do this in different ways (for example, you can say “thinner”, but you can say “more subtle”), then in more strict English you will not show such liberties.

For example:

• Work is always more important for him. (Work is always more important to him)
• This book is more useful than that one. (This book is more useful than that (book).
• It's the most exciting sports! (This is the most exciting sport!)

No exceptions

Exceptions are very easy to remember - these are one of the most used words, and they are always heard. And "good" and "bad" are exceptions in our language ("better", "worse").

• Do you best! (Try to do your best / best you can).
• It's getting worse and worse… (Getting worse and worse).

I hope you are getting better with adjectives now better and better, I wish you always do your best, especially in learning English, be the happiest and the luckiest!

Watch our video tutorial on comparative degrees of adjectives:

In general, teaching is such a colossal exchange of energy with students that at some point you fall into euphoria, from what you get, and from students there is a return, it's great when everyone is on the same wavelength.

Comparative adjectives show the differences between the two objects 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 word to which the comparison is made can be omitted as it is clear from the context (last example).

Examples

• 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 adjectives

Superlative adjectives describe an object that has a higher or lower degree of 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 objects with which the comparison is made can be omitted if it is clear from the context (last example).

Examples

• 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 ​​in the race.
• We all threw our rocks at the same time. My rock flew the highest. ("of all the rocks" is understood)

Creating a Simple Comparative and Superlative

Creating a comparative and superlative degree is quite simple. The form depends on the number of syllables in the original adjective.

Adjectives with one syllable

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.

Adjectives with two syllables

Adjectives with two syllables can form a comparative degree by adding -er at the end, so with the word more before an adjective. Such adjectives form the superlative degree by adding -est and with the word most before an adjective. In many cases, both forms may be used, although the use of one of the forms may occur before the other. If you're not sure whether a two-syllable adjective can form a comparative or superlative, use this instead more And most. If the adjective ends in y, change the 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 an adjective for the superlative degree.

Adjectives in comparative and superlative degrees (suppletive way of formation)

These common adjectives form the comparative and superlative in a special way.

Examples

• 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.