Елена Васильева - English grammar: 100 main rules

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Positive Degree of Adjectives

1. Description

a busy street, a clever dog, a dull day, an expensive ring, a good attitude, a jealous man, an important signal, a weak accent, young people

Note

Qualitative adjectives can be modified by adverbs of degree.

a dreadfully dull day, extremely hot weather, a fairly large message, a hugely important signal, an immensely famous picture, incredibly useful advice, an intensely busy street, a little/a bit expensive ring, a rather good attitude, a reasonably weak accent, quite an interesting list, a slightly somber event, a too jealous husband, an unusually clever dog, very young people

2. Comparison

1) Equality

as+ adjective+ as

The white kitten is as cute as the grey one.

Playing games is as important as studying.

2) Inferiority

not so + adjective( + as)

His idea is not so stupid.

The view did not turn to be so splendid as we had expected.

half as+ adjective(+ as)

Jimmy is half as tall as Jonny.

Our house is half as big as the neighbours'.

3) Superiority

twice (three times) as+ adjective(+ as)

The way was twice as long as yesterday.

Olivia's typing speed is three times as fast as Andrew's.

Comparative Degree of Adjectives

The comparative degree demonstrates the difference between two objects.

1) Superiority

– Most one- and two-syllable adjectives form the comparative degree by adding – erending.

adjective + – er

clever – clever er, dull – dull er, large – larg er, weak – weak er, young – young er

Apple juice is sweeter than orange juice.

These tickets are cheaper than those ones.

Note

– Adjectives ending in – ychange the – yinto – iand add – er.

bus y – bus ier, prett y – prett ier, laz y – laz ier , funn y – funn ier , juic y – juic ier

Cf.: shy – shy er, sly – sly er, grey – grey er

– One-syllable adjectives with a short vowel followed by a consonant double this consonant and add – er.

big – big ger, hot – hot ter, fat – fat ter, thin – thin ner

– Several two-syllable adjectives and all three- (and more) syllable adjectives form the comparative degree with more.

more+ adjective

more expensive, more famous, more important, more interesting, more profitable, more somber, more useful

The new hairdo makes Andrew more handsome.

Time is more valuable than money.

2) Inferiority

less+ adjective

less busy, less clever, less hot, less expensive, less famous, less important, less interesting

This way is less easy than the way Andrew offers.

I prefer less dangerous driving.

Note

Use certain adverbs to enhance the meaning of comparative adjectives.

far/much/a lot

slightly/a little/a bit

Olivia is far prettier than her sister.

This will sound a bit more polite.

Note

It is possible to use the double comparison of adjectives combined with change-of-state verbs.

adjective -er+ and+ adjective -er

moreadjective + and+ moreadjective

The days are getting shorter and shorter.

The word is becoming more and more ridiculous.

Note

Use the following combination to emphasize the inevitable consequence in degree change of comparative adjectives.

Theadjective -er, theadjective -er

The moreadjective, the moreadjective

The sweeter products are, the unhealthier they are.

The more luxurious goods are, the more expensive they are.

Superlative Degree of Adjectives

The superlative degree demonstrates differences among three or more objects.

1) Superiority

– Most one- and two-syllable adjectives form the comparative degree by adding – estending.

theadjective + – est

clever – the clever est, dull – the dull est, large – the larg est, weak – the weak est, young – the young est

– Several two-syllable adjectives and all three- (and more) syllable adjectives form the comparative degree with most.

the most+ adjective

the most expensive, the most famous, the most important, the most interesting, the most profitable, the most somber, the most useful

2) Inferiority

the least+ adjective

the least busy, the least clever, the least hot, the least expensive, the least famous, the least important, the least interesting

The least strong cheese will do for this sort of wine.