Page 69 - Basic English Usage

84
63

84 comparison: comparative and superlative adjectives

1 Short adjectives
(adjectives with one syllable; adjectives with two syllables ending in -y)

ADJECTIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
old older oldest Most adjectives:
tall taller tallest + -er, -est.
cheap cheaper cheapest

late later latest Adjectives ending
nice nicer nicest in-e: + -r, -st.

fat fatter fattest One vowel +
big bigger biggest one consonant:
thin thinner thinnest double consonant.

happy happier happiest Change yto i,
easy easier easiest

Note the pronunciation of:
younger /'jangat(r)/ longer /’tonga(r)/ stronger /'stronge(r)/
youngest /'jangist/ longest /‘tongist/ strongest /‘strongist/

_2_ Irregular comparatives and superlatives

ADJECTIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
good better best
bad worse worst
far farther/further farthest/furthest (see 126)
old older/elder aldest/eldest (see 299.5)
The determiners little and much/many have
irregular comparatives and superlatives:
little less least
much/many more most

3 Longer adjectives
(adjectives with two syliables not ending in -y, adjectives with three or
more syllables)

ADJECTIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
tiring more tiring most tiring
cheerful more cheerful most cheerful
handsome more handsome. most handsome
intelligent more intelligent most intelligent
practical more practical most practical