Degrees of Comparison

3 Degrees of Comparison• Positive, Comparative, Superlative• Adjectives and adverbs can be changed to show degrees of

comparison by:1. Adding –er or –est2. Adding more or most3. Using entirely different words (irregular)

Degrees of Adjectives

Positive Comparative Superlative

High Higher Highest

Eager More eager Most eager

Good Better best

Degrees of Adverbs

Early Earlier Earliest

Eagerly More eagerly Most eagerly

Well Better best

1 or 2 syllable modifiers• Comparative use –er or more• Superlative use –est or most

Positive Comparative Superlative

Green Greener Greenest

Healthful More healthful Most healthful

Adverbs that end in –ly• Take more or most

Positive Comparative Superlative

Happily More happily Most happily

Painfully More painfully Most painfully

3+ syllable modifiers• Use more and most

Positive Comparative Superlative

Tolerant More tolerant Most tolerant

Protective More protective Most protective

Less and Least• Less and least are another form of comparison

Positive Comparative Superlative

Tolerant Less tolerant Least tolerant

Protective Less protective Least protective

Irregular ModifiersIrregular Modifiers

Positive Comparative Superlative

Bad, badly, ill Worse Worst

Far (distance) Farther Farthest

Far (extend) Further Furthest

Good, well Better Best

Late Later Last or latest

Little (amount) Less Least

Many, much More most

Bad• Bad is an adjective.• Do not use it to modify an action verb.

• Badly is an adverb.• Use it after an action verb, but not after a linking verb.

Incorrect: Sam plays soccer bad.Correct: Sam plays soccer badly.

Which one is correct?

• Maya felt badly about moving.

• Maya felt bad about moving.

Good and Well• Good is and advective.• It cannot be used as an adverb after an action verb.• Well is usually an adverb.

• Correct: Keisha did well on her math test.• Correct: Keisha should be well soon.

Making Clear Comparisons• Use the comparative to compare 2 people, places, or things.• Use superlative for 3+ people, places, or things.• Comparative: • My sailboat is faster than Jerry’s.• Mom’s cooking is more delicious than Dad’s• This comedian is less funny than the first one.

• Superlative:• My sailboat is the fastest on the bay.• Mom’s dinners are her most delicious meals.• The least funny comedian performed first.

The superlative degree can be used for emphasis without comparing anything specific.Ex: Champ has the silkiest coat.

Double Comparisons• It is incorrect to:• Use –er and more together.• Use –est and most together.

Incorrect: It’s more harder to swim than to dive.Correct: It’s harder to dive than to swim.