Grammar Mishaps: Adjective Degrees - Positive, Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
80Taylor is goofy, Georgia is goofier, but Aiden is the goofiest!
Three Degrees of Adjectives
I received another hub request on the degrees of adjectives: positive, comparative and superlative. I'll attempt to give the basic breakdown of each and how they are interrelated.
Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns. They can answer, which, what kind, or how many. We can use three forms to compare adjectives: positive, comparative and superlative. We use these degrees of adjectives to show points of reference.
Positive Adjectives
Positive adjectives stand alone. They are the sole modifier of a noun or pronoun. They do not compare the noun/pronoun with any other. Even though they are called "positive" adjectives they can describe something negative.
For example:
- Her blue hat was brilliant. (Blue is the positive adjective modifying the noun, hat.)
- She was a smart woman. (Smart is the positive adjective modifying the noun, woman.)
Comparative Adjectives
Comparative adjectives are used when describing the differences between ONLY two items.
For example, take the two words: orangutan and rhinoceros
- Rhinoceros is a longer word than orangutan; or
- Orangutan is a shorter word than rhinoceros.
Comparative adjectives, used to describe only two items, can be used to describe groups of items as long as there are only two groups.
For example:
- Their swim team was faster than our swim team.
Comparative Adjective Suffixes
With one syllable adjectives and sometimes two syllable adjectives, especially those ending in "y", we add the suffix "er". When the adjective is multi-syllabic we sometimes use the the terms "more" or "less" to describe the comparison. Never use both "er" and "more" or "less". E.g., The meal was more better than last night. This is INCORRECT.
For example:
- big, bigger
- happy, happier
- obnoxious, more obnoxious
- careful, less careful
Note:
- When the adjective ends in "e" just add an "r". (E.g., late, later)
- When the adjective has a consonant, vowel, consonant ending, double the ending letter and add "er". (E.g., red, redder)
- When the adjective ends in a "y", change the "y" to "i" and add "er". (E.g., early, earlier)
Remember: There are always irregular forms that don't follow these rules. E.g., good, better; bad, worse; little, less.
Superlative Adjectives
Superlative adjectives are used when describing three items or more. Superlative adjectives are never used with two items. They are used to express the highest degree of the item you are expressing in comparison to the other items. They are the most extreme in the group of items.
For example, take the three words: orangutan, rhinoceros, and hippopotamus
- Hippopotamus is the longest word; or
- Orangutan is the shortest word.
Superlative Adjective Suffixes
With one syllable adjectives and sometimes two syllable adjectives, especially those ending in "y", we add the suffix "est". When the adjective is multi-syllabic we sometimes use the the terms "most" or "least" to describe the comparison. Never use both "est" and "most" or "least".
For example:
- big, bigger, biggest
- happy, happier, happiest
- obnoxious, more obnoxious, most obnoxious
- careful, less careful, least careful
Note:
- When the adjective ends in "e" just add an "st". (E.g., late, later, latest)
- When the adjective has a consonant, vowel, consonant ending, double the ending letter and add "est". (E.g., red, redder, reddest)
- When the adjective ends in a "y", change the "y" to "i" and add "est". (E.g., early, earlier, earliest)
Again, remember: There are always irregular forms that don't follow these rules. E.g., good, better, best; bad, worse, worst; little, less, least.
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Thoughts, Comments, Questions?Loading...
Thanks, Davinne. In the beginning I didn't intend to create so many grammar hubs; it has just happened. I keep getting more requests; it's hard to keep up. Thanks for reading!;)
I've forgotten all about the different kinds of adjectives and I had to click just to remember what the heck they were :P
Funny! I think native speakers take a lot of English usage for granted. We just say what sounds right; most of the time we're correct. Thanks! ;)
Glad you included the picture to help me smile, ‘cause the topic made my head hurt. You have three adorable models that demonstrate adjectives brilliantly!
I love that photo!! Oh, and the hub is great, too. :) We all could have skipped grades K-6, if only we had had your grammar hubs! Wait, did I say that right? I mean, correctly? Correct? Oh forget it.
Thanks, Jack. Unfortunately, I can only claim the one on the right. ;)
Ha, Jaym. xo
I haven't real training in English
So I wish that my teacher'd been you.
But please won't you answer this question -
Is it 'hat' which is brilliant, or 'blue'?
I do appreciate the free tuition. Tom.
Thanks Robin. Your hubs serve as a great refresher course for grammar writing.
Thanks, Tom. Good question. In this sentence brilliant was meant as wonderful, modifying the noun hat. Blue is also an adjective modifying the noun, hat. I appreciate the vote of confidence. ;)
I greatly appreciate the comment, Oneal 1122! ;)
can you say much better
Good question. I believe it is okay to say "much better". When you describe something as "much better" you are saying that there is a large value gap between what your are describing. Thanks for reading!
Hi Robin,
Thanks so much for helping the world with grammar. Another Hub idea would be to do something on adjectives that have, by their definition, a superlative meaning. For example, "favorite" and "unique" have a superlative meaning. My female junior high students wanted to have more than one "best friend." When I told them that they coulde have only one "best" friend, they felt cheated. It didn't help much if I told them they could have all the good friends -- or wonderful friends -- that they wanted. But, then that was junior high.
When one says: She was one of the better speakers at the conference, does this mean that there are only two speakers at the conference? I believe that this use is becoming common though incorrect to mean "one of the best." Am I right?
How come then I hear bluer instead of more blue or more smart instead of smarter?
Hi Karen,
Yes, It is correct to say, "She is one of the better..." to mean one of a possible few that are better in a group. If you were to say, "She was the better speaker," then you would be speaking of only one person being better. Great point!
Hi Carlos,
It is correct to say, "bluer" and "smarter". Both words, "blue" and "smart", are one syllable and just require the "er" ending. Thanks for the comment!
What is the positive and comparative of worst?
Hi Hannah,
Mary is bad at basketball. (Bad is the positive adjective)
Lynn is worse at basketball than Mary. (Worse is the comparitive form of the adjective bad)
Kim is the worst at basketball. (Worst is the superlative form of the adjective bad)
bad, worse, worst
Thanks for the question!
Thanks for the help. My sister was just doing her homework, which involved comparative and superlative adjectives, and we were searching all over the Web 'till we got to your page. Thanks!
hey thanks for this
Need to know how to use worse v. worst. What is the difference? Pls advise. Thank you.
thank you for your support
Hi Robin,
Are these sentences correct?
Which of these two sports involves the highest risk: snowboarding or surfing?
Which of these two skills is the easiest to learn: ice-skating or roller blading?
If they are or aren't correct can you please explain why?
Thank you.
tahank you
Cool
what is the comparative for super
thanks for help us. I am not native speaker English.I speak spanish and it is hard for me two find the differece when to use less and when to use lesser. Also I want to ask you if is correct to use -most litlle- instead of my sister is smaller than you.
Thanks a lot . Was so nice to find you www page.
good
is this right (feeling adjectives usually go befor fact adjevtives)please if anyone know tell me an example
what are the part of adjective pls.,tell me the meaning plss. support me ^_^
Hey thank for this
thanx a million my problem was solved
Wow! woooooooo
Thanks for your Education. I will learn more from your hubs.
hi, it was very good
it was very helpful to especially to me because i'm a graduating highschool student.Thanks!
what is the comparative and superlative of bady??? i'm soooo confused...?
thanks for this info! im doing this kind of stuff for some homework! im homeschooled...but i still get together with a group and studdy this stuff!!!
Thank you, this was awesome and helped me!
I want to find appositive
it`s great.i enjoyed alot
hi tnx for the knowledge
help me for my assignment here my assignment Complete The Chart by Supplying the missing from of the adjectives here is given. POSITIVE (GREAT)>> 1.studious _____ Comperative>> (GREATER) ______ Superlative>> Greatest _____ what is the answer????
Actually the problem with comparatives and superlatives is about those special adjectives like pleasant, common, stupid, timid, handsome and some others which are not supposed to be formed with 'er' or 'est' but with 'more' and 'most'.But they are common now with 'er' and 'est' Moreover you can find ( and I did some time ago) in the same book, 'simpler' and 'more simple' just one page further. The same author can use both forms (not at the same time of course, not 'more simpler'). So, it means that both are correct. As to 'pleasanter'and 'pleasantest', I don't think that these are correct but you'll certainly come across them more and more often.
thanks. you helped so many.
thank you Robin
thanks to this info.because of this a have a highest score in english!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thanks now i m become a top in my classroom yeheyyyyy
very few animals are as useful as th cow
[comparative sentence and superlative degrees]
thanks here i got the wrong answer :-(
Hey, thanks for that! I couldn't for the life of me remember what positive, comparitive and superlative adjectives were ... and I have an exam next week ...
I mean, I can use grammar perfectly in my writing, but sometimes the names people use for things are confusing - I think, yes, I can use that, and then - wait ... what?
So, thanks a lot! :)
i was quiet confused but now em relax...........
ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. now i understood
really helpful, thanks
use among, in the or of the when constructing superlative adjectives like for instance: Jimmy is lucky. HIs brother Danny is luckier. The luckiest of the family is Jenny.
Hi Robbin:)what is the comparative and superlative degrees of the word "less"...
what are the comparative and superlative of up and late
now i can recite in front of the class
I've been searching for comparitive form of the adjective"super"
Is it correct to use the words extreme and end together in a sentence?
very nice well done................
NOW,I NOW WHAT IS THE POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE .THANKS FOREVER..................
i love english subject.........
oh...... it helps me to answer my assignments thanks!!!!!!!!!!!
what u do is great.It helps me improving my english.but what about gentle and auther similar adjectives?
This site is very useful to learn english.
Thanks fot the infos :)
please tell me the comparative and super degrees of :) safe, unjust, gay. And numerous
You have made my day, it was fantastic you have refresh my memory and help me in my teaching work.
its was so great to have my assignment....thanks for the info..;)
i can make my assignment because of this...
this is realy fan..
Is it correct if I say more noisy and most noisy. can`t we say noise-noiser-noisest which I think does n`t exist.Please clarify.
it's less than twenty miles to dallas
this is awesome it helps me a lot
thanks for your examples
This was nice! keep it up.
...thanks for the info about the adjectives!!... this was helpful :-)
thank's sa sagot now i know
This is great thank you
Got my answers !!!!!!
oh my god this is great
What is the positive, comparative and superlative degree of the word in and out
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Davinne 5 years ago
Kool your well educated as we could see. Thanx for sharing yourself with us