COMPARATIVE: +er

Miss Kathy is shorter than Jose. Manuel is taller than Miss Kathy. New York is more exciting than Seattle

SUPERLATIVE: +est

___ is the tallest in the class. New York is the most exciting city in the USA.

A - Comparison with -er/-est clean - cleaner - (the) cleanest We use -er/-est with the following adjectives: 1) adjectives with one syllable Clean New Cheap cleaner newer cleanest newest

cheaper cheapest

2) adjectives with two syllables and the following endings: 2 - 1) adjectives with two syllables, ending in -y dirty easy happy pretty dirtier easier happier dirtiest easiest happiest

prettier Prettiest

2 - 2) adjectives with two syllables, ending in -er clever cleverer Cleverest

2 - 3) adjectives with two syllables, ending in -le simple simpler simplest

2 - 4) adjectives with two syllables, ending in -ow

narrow

narrower narrowest

Spelling of the adjectives using the endings -er/-est large big sad dirty shy larger bigger sadder dirtier shyer largest biggest saddest dirtiest shyest leave out the silent -e Double the consonant after short vowel Change -y to -i (consonant before -y) Here -y is not changed to -i. (although consonant before -y)

B - Comparison with more - most difficult - more difficult - (the) most difficult all adjectives with more than one syllable (except some adjectives with two syllables - see 2 - 1 to 2 - 4) C - Irregular adjectives

good bad much many little little

better worse more more less

best worst most most least uncountable nouns countable nouns

smaller smallest

D - Special adjectives

Some adjectives have two possible forms of comparison. common likely pleasant polite simple stupid subtle sure commoner / more common likelier / more likely commonest / most common likeliest / most likely

pleasanter / more pleasant pleasantest / most pleasant politer / more polite simpler / more simple stupider / more stupid subtler / more subtle surer / more sure politest / most polite simplest / most simple stupidest / most stupid Subtlest surest / most sure

Difference in meaning with adjectives: farther far further later late latter x old older elder nearer x farthest distance furthest latest x last oldest eldest nearest next people and things people (family) distance order distance or time

near

Equivalence: The following words or constructions are used to show that things or people are similar in some way.

as ... as

as many ... as

as much ... as

the same ... as similar to the same are similar equal to

is like similar/ly equal/ly compared to/with each

either all both alike

Examples:

Here, the term 'processor' is equivalent to the central processing unit. Laptops are as powerful as microcomputers. Some companies have as many computers as employees. Some companies use both disks and conventional filing systems for storing data. A computer virus is like a virus in the human body. It can do a lot of damage. Many word-processing programs are similar in that they share certain common functions.

Parallel increase: The following words and constructions are used to show parallel increase (two comparatives).

the ...-er, the more ... the more ..., the ...-er the ...-er, the less ...

Examples:

The more memory your computer has, the more data it can store. The bigger your computer system, the less time you spend waiting. The more training you give to your employees, the better they will perform.