Thursday, 11 July 2013

Topic 42



Topic 42            Comparison of Adjectives

There are 2 forms of adjectives:  Regular and Irregular                  
There are 3 degrees:  (A1)Positive  (A2) Comparative  (A3) Superlative

                   A1                      A2                     A3
                Positive           Comparative          Superlative
(Regular)   as kind as          kinder than            kindest
               talkative          more talkative       most talkative        
              (adjective)         (er) / (more)         (est) / (most)
_____________________________________________________________
(Irregular)     good                 better                  best
_____________________________________________________________

1.  Positive degree      (A1)
     as adjective as

     [San San] is kind.
     [San San] is as kind as Peter.
     [Meena] is talkative.
     [Alice] is good at singing.

2.  Comparative degree      (A2)
         (er) / (more)  than

     In Comparative degree, we either suffix the adjective with ‘er’ like 
     ‘hard  ---- harder’ or we use ‘more’ for the adjective that we can’t suffix  
      the word with ’er’ like ‘talkative, hardworking, beautiful’)

     [John] is kinder than San San. 
     [Anna] is more talkative than Meena.
     [Chia Chia] is better than Alice at singing.

3.  Superlative degree   (A3)
       (est) /  (most)

     Similarly in the Superlative degree, if we can’t suffix the word with 
     ‘est’, we use ‘most’ .
  
      [Chong Huat] is the kindest of all.
      [Aminah] is the most talkative of all.
      [John] is the best of all at singing.                                          (107)
Topic 42         Comparison of Adjectives
Exercise 173
Fill in the blanks with the correct degree of adjectives.
1.  Peter is as _____________  as his sister.  Their brother is  
     _____________ than they.       (obedient)
2.  Aminah is __________  than Anna.  Hassan is ___________ too.
    But Susan is the ____________ of all.     (kind)
3.  This book is __________ than that book.  (thick)
4.  Tom is as ____________ as San San.     (thin)
5.  Ali is ____________ than Ahmad.      (clever)
6.  John is the  ____________ of the boys here.       (tall).
7.  Aminah is the____________ of them all.       (short)
8.  San San is as _______________ as Leena.     (hardworking)
9.  Tom is the ________________ of all.      (noisy)
10. Samy is _____________________ than I     (careful) 

Exercise 174       
Fill in the blanks with the  correct degree of adjective.
1.  This room is _____________ than that room.     (bright)
2.  Ali is as ____________ as John.     (poor)
3.  Jack is the  ______________ of them all.      (old)
4.  This box is _____________ than that box.     (heavy)
5.  Mr Jong is the ______________ of all here.    (rich)
6.  Peter is as _____________ as Rahim.     (polite)
7.  Jean’s house is _____________ than Peter’s.      (large)
8.  This road is the________________ of them all.  (wide)
9.  This rock is as _____________ as marble.    (hard)
10. This pair of shoes is the____________ of all the there.  (small)
11.  Siew Ing is _______________ than her sister.      (talkative)
12.  Tom is the ________________ of all.         (careless)

Exercise 175       
Fill in the blanks with the correct degree of adjective.
1.  This pair of scissors is the____________ of all.     (sharp)
2.  Maria’s dog is _____________than mine.     (fierce)
3.  This clock is as __________ as that clock.    (light)
4.  A baby is as __________ as a flower.     (tender)
5.  George is _________________ than Henry.  (foolish)
6.  This tool is the _______________of all.     (useful)
7.  That lane is _______________than this lane.    (narrow)
8.  My mother looks as _____________ as my aunt.    (young)
9.  Jean’s face looks ____________ than my sister.       (rosy)
10.  Peter’s sister is the _____________of all the girls here. (fair)      (108)
Comparison of Adjectives:  Regular form
                A1                     A2                     A3
1.            bold                  bolder               boldest
2.             brave                braver               bravest
3.             bright                brighter             brightest
4.             *busy                busier               busiest
When the letter before ‘y’ is a consonant, just drop y and suffix [ier for A2; iest for A3].  On the other hand if the letter before ‘y’ is a vowel letter, just follow the regular rule. 
5.             *choosy            choosier            choosiest          
6.             clean                 cleaner              cleanest
7.             clear                 clearer               clearest
8.             clever                cleverer             cleverest
9.             cold                  colder                coldest
10.            cool                 cooler                coolest
11.            dark                  darker               darkest
12.            dear                  dearer               dearest
13.            deep                 deeper              deepest
14.            *dirty(4)            dirtier                dirtiest  
15.            *dry                  drier                  driest
16.            *easy                 easier                easiest
17.            fair                    fairer                 fairest
18.            fast                   faster                        fastest
19.            fat                    #fatter              fattest
20.            fine                   finer                  finest
21.            *funny              funnier              funniest
22.            great                 greater              greatest
23.            green                greener             greenest
24.            *happy              happier             happiest
25.            hard                  harder               hardest
26.            *healthy            healthier            healthiest
27.            *heavy              heavier              heaviest
28.              high                 higher               highest
29.             hot                   #hotter             hottest
30.            kind                  kinder               kindest
31.            large                 larger                largest
32.            late                   later                  latest
33.            *lazy                 lazier                 laziest
34.            light                  lighter               lightest
35.            long                  longer               longer
36.            low                   lower                 lowest
37.            *lucky               luckier               luckiest
38.            mad                  #madder           maddest
39.            *merry              merrier              merriest
40.            mild                  milder               mildest
41.            narrow              narrower           narrowest
42.            *naughty           naughtier           naughtiest
43.            near                  nearer               nearest
44.            new                  newer               newest
45.            *noisy               noisier               noisiest
46.             neat                 neater               neatest
47.            nice                 nicer                 nicest
48.            old                    older                 oldest (age)
                                        elder                 eldest  (seniority)
49.            odd                   odder                        oddest
50.            pale                  paler                 palest
51.            plain                 plainer               plainest
52.            poor                  poorer               poorest
53.            *pretty              prettier              prettiest
54.            proud                prouder             proudest
55.            pure                  purer                purest
56.            quick                 quicker              quickest
57.            quiet                 quieter              quietest
58.            red                   #redder            reddest
59.            rich                   richer                        richest
60.            sad                   #sadder            saddest
61.            safe                  safer                 safest
62.            shallow              shallower           shallowest
63.            sharp                        sharper             sharpest
64.            slow                  slower               slowest
65.            small                 smaller              smallest
66.            smooth              smoother           smoothest
67.            straight             straighter           straightest
68.            strict                 stricter              strictest
69.            strong               stronger            strongest
70.            sweet                sweeter             sweetest                   
71.            tame                 tamer                tamest
72.            tall                    taller                 tallest
73.            thick                 thicker               thickest
74.            thin                   #thinner            thinnest
75.            *tiny                 tinier                 tiniest
76.            *tidy                 tidier                 tidiest
77.            *ugly                uglier                        ugliest
78.            warm                        warmer             warmest
79.            *wealthy            wealthier           wealthiest
80.            wet                   wetter               wettest
81.            weird                weirder              weirdest
82.            wet                   #wetter             wettest
82.            white                 whiter               whitest             
83.            wide                  wider                widest
84.            wild                   wilder                wildest             
85.            wise                  wiser                 wisest
For the adjectives which are longer than 2 syllables, ‘more’  is used for A2 and ‘most’ for A3.   But for those adjectives which have 2 syllables, ‘er / est’ are not suffixed to the respective degree, it maybe because they sound odd and do not facilitate speech. For example,  beautiful, charming,   interesting,  excited,  exciting………….
                                        more                 most
86.            beautiful            more beautiful    most beautiful
87.            careful
                careless
                cheerful
90.            comfortable
91.            courageous
92.            dangerous
93.            difficult
94.            enjoyable
95.            expensive
96.            foolish
97.            forgetful
98.            generous
99.            helpful
100.          humorous
101.          honourable
102.          important
103.          intelligent
104.          powerful
105.          prosperous
106.          sensible
107.          sensitive
108.          terrible
109.          useful
110.          valuable
111.          wonderful
When the verbal adjectives F2 and F4 expressing feelings are used,  we also use ‘more / most’
               
112. a)     annoying           more annoying           most annoying  
b)     annoyed            more annoyed            most annoyed
113.  a)     exciting
        b)     excited
114.  a)     interesting
        b)     interested
115. a)     frustrating
        b)     frustrated
116.  a)     inspiring
117. b)     inspired

Irregular forms of Adjectives in comparative degrees
118.          bad                   worse                        worst
119.          good                 better                        best
120.          far                    farther                       farthest (distance)
                                        further                      furthest (degree)
121.          many                more                         most  (countable)
                much                ~                             ~      (uncountable)   

No comments:

Post a Comment