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E. A. Vasilyeva
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 immenselyfamous 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 Jo
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 – er ending.
adjective + – er
clever – cleverer, dull – duller, large – larger, weak – weaker, young – younger
Apple juice is sweeter than orange juice.
These tickets are cheaper than those ones.
Note
– Adjectives ending in – y change the – y into – i and add – er.
busy – busier, pretty – prettier, lazy – lazier, fu
Cf.: shy – shyer, sly – slyer, grey – greyer
– One-syllable adjectives with a short vowel followed by a consonant double this consonant and add – er.
big – bigger, hot – hotter, fat – fatter, thin – thinner
– 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
more adjective + and + more adjective
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.
The adjective-er, the adjective-er