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COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS
To compare means to establish a difference or a similitude in between two or more elements (beings or things) in what regards a certain common characteristic, feature property, that is we compare that feature common to two (or more) elements. We do not compare the elements but their feature that is common (their height, their weight, their intelligence etc.). So we can compare the height of a man with that of a pig / door, etc.
e.g. The pig is shorter than the boy who is shorter than the door.
We can also compare the feature of an element in different times, regarding the same element.
e.g. He is feeling better than yesterday but I think he was best last Friday.
The comparison is specific only to adjectives and adverbs.
The degrees of comparison are:
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the positive degree | ||
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the comparative degree |
the comparative of superiority |
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the comparative of equality |
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the comparative of inferiority |
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the superlative degree |
the superlative relative |
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the superlative absolute |
The positive represents a comparison in itself, that is the notion itself came into being as a result of a comparison. For example, the child of a family becomes the old child of the family only when there was born another child of that family (this one being the young child), a. s. o.
N. B In English, some adjectives in the positive have the form of the comparative as a result of a comparison
e. g. higher (education, compared to high education)
higher (society); upper (classes);
lower (secondary school); lower (river), (upper) river
outer (space)
In English, there are three ways to achieve comparison:
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A The irregular comparison |
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B The synthetic comparison |
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C The analytic comparison |
While the irregular and the synthetic comparison refer to certain adjectives and adverbs and include only the comparative of superiority and the superlative relative, the analytic comparison include long adjectives and adverbs in the comparative of superiority and the superlative relative on the one hand, and all the adjectives and adverbs in all the other degrees and forms of comparison than the comparative of superiority and the superlative relative.
N. B. the short adjectives / adverbs are considered the onesyllable ones, all
the others being long adjectives / adverbs
A THE IRREGULAR COMPARISON
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The positive degree |
The comparative of superiority |
The superlative relative |
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bad / ill |
worse |
the worst |
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good / well |
better |
the best |
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far 1 |
farther / further |
the farthest / the furthest |
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few |
less / fewer |
the fewest |
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fore 2 |
former |
the foremost / first |
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hind (posterior, de la spate, dindarat) |
hinder |
the hindmost / the hindermost |
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late 3 |
later / latter |
the latest / last |
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little |
less / lesser |
the least / littlest |
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many / much |
more |
the most |
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near |
nearer |
the nearest / the next |
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old 4 |
older / elder |
the oldest / eldest |
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east / eastern |
more eastern |
the eastmost / easternmost |
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north / northern |
more northern |
the northmost 5 / northernmost |
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south / southern |
more southern |
the southmost 5 / southernmost |
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west / western |
more western |
the westmost 5 / westernmost |
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beneath 6 (adv.) |
nether (adj.) |
the nethermost (adj.) |
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in 6 (adv.) |
inner (adj.) |
the inmost / innermost (adj.) |
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out 6 (adv.) |
outer / utter (adj.) |
the outer(utter)most / utmost / |
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up 6 (adv.) |
upper (adj.) |
the upmost / uppermost (adj.) |
N. B.
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1 further and the furthest (but not farther and the farthest) are usually used to express smth more, smth extra, some other, smth in addition: e. g. No further explanation, please! Ill give you a further reason for my decision. I want you to stay here for a further two months. Upon further consideration I decided to answer the letter. further and the furthest can be used to refer to distance> e. g. I drove ten mile farther / further than necessary. |
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2 a. former means previous, smb / smth that is no longer what he / it was in certain relationships: e. g. Do you see the man talking to your father? Hes my former teacher of English. (fostul meu profesor) b. used with the, former means the first regarding two elements e. g. There were two competitors; the former is my deskmate and the latter is your sister, isnt she? |
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3 latter means the last of two, the second regarding two elements (see the example above |
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4 the irregular forms elder and the eldest are used to compare the age of the members of the same family (sons, daughters, sisters and brothers). They are used attributive only, therefore they are never followed by than. e. g. Dan is my elder brother. Rodica is the eldest. but My brother is older than I am and Rodica is the oldest in our family. my elder (eldest) cousin = in Romanian mai in varsta (cel mai in varsta) dintre doi sau mai multi frati care sunt si veri de-ai mei (el poate fi chiar mai tanar decat mine) |
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5 these forms are rarely used |
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6 the comparative and the superlative of these adverbs are no longer adverbs, but adjectives: e. g. Let the children in! (adv.), the inner side (adj.); Out with it! (adv.), in the outer space (adj.); Up you go! (adv.), the upper classes (adj.) |
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beside the forms in the table above, there are irregular forms for the superlative degree built up with most as an ending for some adjectives and adverbs such as: aftermost (cel mai din urma, din urma de tot), hithermost (cel mai apropiat de locul acesta), lowermost (cel mai de jos, inferior), midmost (cel mai apropiat de/din mijloc/central), topmost (cel mai din varf/din cap, cel mai important), undermost (cel mai de jos, cel mai dedesubt) |
B THE SYNTHETIC COMPARISON
The synthetic comparison includes:
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onesyllable adjectives / adverbs |
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twosyllable adjectives /adverbs ending in er, le, ly (not the adverbs in ly) ow, some, ure, y, |
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some twosyllable adjectives with the stress on the first syllable |
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some twosyllable adjectives with the stress on the second syllable |
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threesyllable adjectives with a negative prefix |
For all these adjectives and adverbs the comparative of superiority is built up by means of the ending er, and the superlative relative with the ending est.
|
The positive degree |
The comparative of superiority
positiveer |
the
positiveest |
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clear (1) |
clearer |
the clearest |
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fat |
fatter |
the fattest |
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fine |
finer |
the finest |
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gay |
gayer |
the gayest |
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rare |
rarer |
the rarest |
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busy |
busier |
the busiest |
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easy |
easier |
the easiest |
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pretty |
prettier |
the prettiest |
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friendly |
friendlier |
the friendliest |
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kindly |
kindlier |
the kindliest |
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lonely |
lonelier |
the loneliest |
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bitter |
bitterer |
the bitterest |
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clever |
cleverer |
the cleverest |
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tender |
tenderer |
the tenderest |
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gentle |
gentler |
the gentlest |
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humble |
humbler |
the humblest |
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noble |
nobler |
the noblest |
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hollow |
hollower |
the hollowest |
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narrow |
narrower |
the narrowest |
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yellow |
yellower |
the yellowest |
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gruesome* |
gruesomer |
the gruesomest |
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handsome |
handsomer |
the handsomest |
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lonesome |
lonesomer |
the lonesomest |
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mature |
maturer |
the maturest |
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obscure |
obscurer |
the obscurest |
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able [eibl] (3) |
abler |
the ablest |
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commoner |
the commonest |
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crueller |
the cruellest |
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absurd (4) |
absurder |
the absurdest |
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discreet |
discreeter |
the discreetest |
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minute** |
minuter |
the minutest |
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uneasy (5) |
uneasier |
the uneasiest |
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unlucky |
unluckier |
the unluckiest |
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unpleasant |
unpleasanter |
the unpleasantest |
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impolite |
impoliter |
the impolitest |
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incomplete |
incompleter |
the incompletest |
N. B. * gruesome
(in
** minute as an adjective is read
[mainju:t] (in
marunt, fara importanta. As a noun, minute is read [minit].
Exceptions: adjectives belonging to groups 1 to 4 but which have the analytic comparison: worn, worth (1); agile, candid, docile, eager, fertile, fragile, hostile, nervous, proper, prudent, sudden, tiresome (2, 3); afraid, alive, alone, aloof (distant, in departare, la distanta), aware, antique, bizarre, burlesque, content, intact (4)
Some twosyllable adjectives / adverbs have both synthetic and analytic comparison
|
The positive |
The comparative of superiority |
The superlative relative |
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degree |
synthetic |
analytic |
synthetic |
analytic |
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abrupt |
abrupter |
more abrupt |
the abruptest |
the most abrupt |
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correct |
correcter |
more correct |
the correctest |
the most correct |
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distinct |
distincter |
more distinct |
the distinctest |
the most distinct |
REMEMBER:
You may hear or read forms such as more able, more glad, more proud, more sad, more sorry, more hot, more cloudy (the last two can be heard even in the weather reports on BBC); even more bad, more good, more well-known, most well-advised, most well-informed, most well-dressed; even the adjectives ending in ing, or in the participial ed can be found in synthetic forms,
e. g. One of the most good people that he knew.
They have certainly done their damnedest.
Even Guinness Book of Records uses the superlative mostest.
Such forms are not examples to be used as long as they are not standard and do not belong to the English literary language, proving the lack of education of the speaker
You should avoid the double comparative (more nicer, less nearer) what is a mistake in English
C THE ANALYTIC COMPARISON
1. The comparative of superiority and the superlative relative of the long adjectives and adverbs
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the most + positive more + positive |
The comparative of superiority |
The superlative relative |
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active |
more active |
the most active |
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beautiful |
more beautiful |
the most beautiful |
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interesting |
more interesting |
the most interesting |
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2. The comparative of equality, the comparative of inferiority and the superlative absolute of all the adjectives and adverbs (A, B and C. 1.)
2. a. The comparative of equality:
as bad as
as big as
as interesting as
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AS + positive + AS |
b. The comparison of inferiority
less bad than
less big than
less interesting than
|
LESS positive + THAN |
There is another construction that seems to be the comparative of inferiority, but it is considered a negative comparison
NOT SO positive + AS
e. g. He is not so kind as his sister. what is usually met as He is not as kind as his sister.
which is the negative form of the comparative of equality and not a comparative of inferiority
2. c. The superlative absolute
a. The superlative absolute is built up by means of words which suggest an extremity, the limit of smth. used with the positive degree of that adjective / adverb. Among the words used for the superlative absolute we mention:
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admirably |
entirely |
fully |
perfectly |
uncommonly |
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alarmingly |
exceedingly |
frightfully |
remarkably |
unusually |
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awfully |
exceptionally |
greatly |
shockingly |
unutterably |
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colossally |
excessively |
highly |
singularly |
utterly |
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completely |
extraordinarily |
horribly |
strikingly |
vastly |
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considerably |
extravagantly |
hugely |
terribly |
wonderfully |
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dreadfully |
extremely |
infinitely |
thoroughly |
e. g.
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awfully pleased |
dreadfully sorry |
terribly nice |
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frightfully kind |
perfectly awful |
really disgraceful |
b. The use of some prefixes or words such as:
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extradry |
hypersensitive |
superannuated |
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extra strong |
overbusy |
superfine |
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hyperconscientious |
oversized |
ultrashort |
c. The use of a noun or of a superlative form followed by the preposition of in a genitival
construction such as:
He proclaimed courage as the virtue of all virtues.
In her heart of hearts she knew he was right.
He was the lowest of the low.
d. The repetition of an adjective / adverb
Shes goodygoody mironosita
Naughtynaughty Nu esti cuminte! glumet, la adresa unei fete care se plimba cu un baiat)
Hes cleverclever. este foarte abil; Mare smecher
e. The positive preceded by adverbs such as just, quite, positively, really, simply etc.
It was just splendid.
She was quite disappointed.
It was positively disgraceful.
Your question is really interesting.
She was simply awful.
The intensive comparative
The comparative form is repeated with the conjunction and to show a certain progression of that feature (in Romanian din ce in ce mai , tot mai
He speaks English better and better.
The English lessons are getting more and more difficult.
The comparative form with THE
The comparative form with the (adv., here, in Romanian cu cat cu atat) in constructions of the kind:
The less time you give to it, the worse results you will get.
The shorter the days are, the colder they become.
The wellknown paradox: The more you learn, the more you know;
the more you know, the more you forget;
the more you forget, the less you know;
the less you know, the less you forget:
the less you forget, the more you know!
The comparative between two elements gets the meaning of a superlative and is used with the
Tom is the older of our two colleagues.
Do you see the two men standing near the door? The taller is my brother.
The comparison of the comparative and of the superlative
Both the comparative and the superlative can be compared, being a stylistic device to underline the idea expressed by them. The comparative is usually preceded by (very) much, far, lots, a lot, or followed by the adverb by far.
e. g.
The weather is much worse today.
Mother is far gentler than your father.
He is feeling very much worse.
You are lots / a lot less active than usual.
Tom is gentler by far than Will.
The comparison of the superlative is achieved either by using very or by far in front of the superlative, or the adjectives conceivable, imaginable, possible, etc. after it, or by repeating the adverb too
e. g.
She is the very nicest kind of girl.
They are my very best friends.
It is by far the most interesting play.
I have read the worst novel imaginable
I hope youll have the finest weather possible.
Its too, too charming!
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