Some difficulties in the use of the Adjective: Degrees of Comparison

Formation

Examples

Two-syllable words form degrees of comparison with –er/-est or more/most:

• ending –le:

• ending –ow:

simple – simpler/more simple - simplest/most simple

narrow – narrower/more narrow – narrowest/ most narrow

Similarly: common, cruel, handsome,

happy, lively, lovely, obscure,

pleasant, quiet, shallow,

sincere, solid, stupid, true

With more/most only:

• predicative a-series:

• participles:

• other:

afraid – more afraid – most afraid

worried – more worried – most worried

ancient – more ancient – most ancient

Similarly: antique, careful, certain,

complex, foolish, frequent,

hostile, modern, modest,

public, private

When two or more adjectives are used together, even a one-syllable adjective may use more/most:

She is more kind and gentle than her mother.

Less can be used with one-syllable adjectives

but more, most and least are not normally used in this way.

less big

More is occasionally used with one-syllable

adjectives:

It is more true to say that British English is influenced by American, rather than the other way round.

Little and a little are used with (singular)

uncountables.

Little (like few) is negative, suggesting

‘hardly any at all’ and is often used after very.

In everyday speech – not much or hardly any preferable:

1. ‘not as much as was expected’:

2. in idiomatic ‘negative’ phrases such as little point, little sense, little use, etc.:

! A little and a bit (of), in very informal contexts, are positive, suggesting ‘some, a (small) quantity’:

He has very little hope of winning this race.

He hasn’t much hope of winning this race.

He has hardly any hope of winning this race.

We climbed all day but made little progress.

There is little point in trying to mend it.

I’d like a little/a bit of time to think about it. How many eggs are there in the fridge? – There are a few/ plenty. How much milk is there in the fridge? – There is a little/plenty.

Good – well

Do not use an adverb (well) after a linking verb: The old man could not hear well. Use an adverb when the verb is modified.

The food was/smelled/tasted good.

The little boy is good. (well-behaved) The little boy is well. (in good health)

Far farther farthest

further furthest

Farther/further and farthest/furthest are interchangeable when the meaning relates to distance:

BUT: further can mean ‘extra/more/additional’:

I can’t walk any farther/further.

The farthest/furthest house is theirs.

Are there any further questions?

Late later latest

COMPARE: late – latter – last

The latest means the newest or most recent; the last means final in a sequence; the latter refers to the last-mentioned:

She always dresses in the latest fashion.

What time does the last bus leave?

When given a choice of traveling by ship or plane, most people choose the latter.

Next, the next

The next means coming immediately after

smb/smth in order, space or time

(наступний, найближчий):

Next (used without the) referring to time: next time – наступного разу

the next name/house/train/thing, etc.

Next Monday/week/summer/year

means майбутній

Adjectives after nouns are used in

fixed phrases;

BUT: before a noun present refers to

time; after a noun it means ‘here/there’, ‘not absent’

Secretary General; court martial(= military court);the present members (=those who are members now); the members present (=those who are/ were at the meeting)

Comparison of absolutes

Do not compare things or ideas that are either true or not true. To show a state near an absolute state use nearly, barely, or almost:

The dog that was hit by a car is barely alive.

After studying all night, Tom felt nearly dead.

Old older oldest

elder eldest

Elder/eldest are used with reference to family

relationship, but only in attributive position:

The noun is often deleted after the eldest/ youngest:

Old/older/oldest are used attributively and predicatively with reference to people and things; in predicative position when than can follow:

His elder daughter is a student.

I’m the eldest and Pam’s the youngest.

I’m the elder.

My brother is older than I am.

Tim is the oldest in our family.