Comparative and superlative

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Types of Text

par Fernanda Avila

Adjectives and Adverbs

par CESAR ALFREDO JIMENEZ ARGUETA

Suffixes

par Ines Aulla

the weather

par Nicoletta Ricotti

Remember: If the comparison is clear, the second part of the comparison is not necessary.

The food at Joe’s cafe isn’t as good as the food at Chez Claude, but it’s less expensive.

Adjectives

Some adjectives use an irregular form

Bad=Worse

Far=Further/Farther

Good=Better

Comparative

Two or more syllable adjectives use more + than

Do you think math is more important than music?

Jack is more serious than Nikki.

Two syllable adjectives either -er or more + than

Quiet: Quieter than/ More quiet than

One syllable adjectives -er + than

SmallER than...

Comparative adjective + than to compare

Gorillas are more intelligent than cows.

Lydia is taller than Alex.

Comparisons as...as

3. In informal speaking

Formal: He’s as tall as I am. Informal: He’s as tall as me.

2.c) a possessive noun or possessive pronoun

My computer is as old as hers.

2.b) a subject pronoun + verb or an auxiliary verb

I dance as well as he does.

2.a)- noun (+ verb)

I dance as well as my brother

1.Use as + adjective/adverb + as to compare two people, places, or things that are the same or equal in some way.

Your car is as old as mine.

Superlative

Some superlatives are irregular.

bad/badly the worst

good/well the best

For some two-syllable adjectives and adverbs, either -est or the most can be used to form the superlative.

cruel the cruelest/the most cruel

Use the most before most adjectives that have two or more syllables and adverbs ending in -ly.

Of all the girls, Brenda sings the most beautifully.

Add -est to the end of most one- syllable adjectives or adverbs to form the superlative.

Adverb: Steve works hardest of all the students.

Adjective: I bought the longest couch in the store.

Use a superlative adverb to compare the action

My red shoes fit the most comfortably of all my shoes.

Use a superlative adjective to compare

Prague is the most beautiful city I’ve ever seen.

Comparison Less and Not As . . . As

Use less . . . than or not as . . . as with adjectives or adverbs that have two or more syllables.

My son visits less frequently than my daughter. My son doesn’t visit as frequently as my daughter.

Use not as . . . as with one-syllable adjectives or adverbs.

Tom doesn’t run as fast as Steven.

My apartment is not as big as yours.

Not as . . . as and less have the same meaning.

My old car was less efficient than my new car. My old car was not as efficient as my new car.