Learning Outcome:

a)    To know about adjective.

b)    To describe the formation of kinds of degree.

c)    To change the degree one to other.

Do you know what is adjective?

Adjective

Adjective is a word which qualify noun or pronoun in a sentence. Adjective works either as noun modifier or as complement of a sentence. Some of words come before a noun and modify it then it is called attributive adjective. Some of the words are completing the sentences then it is called predicative adjective.

Ok, let’s start to discuss on Degree/Comparison of Adjective. Do you know how many kinds of Degree?

Adjectives have three forms:

Positive: The adjective which is used without comparing is called positive degree. The base form of the adjective is called positive degree.

Comparative: The adjective which is used to compare two things or persons. When they are used to compare between two is called comparative degree. Adjective of one or two syllable take ‘er/r’ to form comparative degree and adjective of three or more syllable take ‘more’ before positive degree to form comparative degree.

Superlative: The adjective which is used to show the best or worst is called comparative degree. If we compare between three or more, the form of adjective is called superlative degree. Adjective of one or two syllable take est/st to form the superlative degree and adjective of three or more syllable take ‘most’ before positive degree to form superlative degree.

Let’s start to change degree. Do you know how many things we need to do to change the degree?

Yes, three things we need to do or three steps we need to follow.

1. Change the formation of sentence.

2. Change the phrase

3. Change the form of degree.

Just look at the white board and follow how I change the degree.

Very few all-rounders in the world are as good as Sakib Al Hasan.

Sakib Al Hasan is better than most other all-rounders in the world.

Sakib Al Hasan is one of the best all-rounders in the world.

Prevention is better than cure.

Cure is not as good as prevention.

Ok, Let’s start in details. I have already told that there are three steps to follow to change one degree to another degree.

Firstly, we need to know the formation of sentences. There are two types of sentences; one is with ‘very few’, ‘no other’/ ‘than most/all/many other’, ‘than any other’ and ‘superlative form’ and the second is without these.

1.  First one is;

Positive: Very few/No other + extension + Verb + as/so + positive form + as + sub.

Comparative: Sub + Verb + Comparative form + than most/all/many other or than any other + extension.

Superlative: Sub + Verb + one of superlative form/ superlative form with of all/of any superlative form + extension.

Note: In the negative sentence we use so----as but in both sentences we can use as---as or so----as. After ‘very few’ we must use plural noun and plural verb.

2. Second one is;

Positive: Subject₁ + Verb + as/so + positive form + as + subject₂

Comparative: Subject₂ + verb + comparative form + than+ subject1

Note: If any sentence is negative, other sentence will be affirmative and vice versa.

Secondly, we need to know the phrases that we use in the sentences as follows;

Positive                  comparative                     superlative

Very few                than most other                one of superlative form/

                                                                      Superlative form with of all

No other                than any other                  superlative form

Thirdly, we need to know how to change the form of adjective. There are two types of words in adjective; one is called short adjective and other is called long adjective. Adjective of one/two syllable is called short adjective and Three or more syllable is called long adjective.

We form comparative and superlative adjective in this way:

i)  Adjectives of one/two syllable take ‘er’ to form comparative and ‘est’ to form their superlative degree.

Positive                  comparative                               superlative

Tall                        taller                                          tallest

Short                      shorter                                       shortest                                     

Small                     smaller                                       smallest

Rich                       richer                                         richest

Poor                       poorer                                        poorest

Cheap                    cheaper                                      cheapest

Weak                     weaker                                       weakest

ii) Adjective of one/two syllable ending with ‘e’ take only ‘r’ to form comparative and only ‘st’ to form superlative. If there are two vowels before the last consonant, it will not be doubled.

Positive                            comparative                     superlative

Nice                                 nicer                                nicest

Noble                               nobler                              noblest

Large                               larger                               largest

Fine                                 finer                                 finest

Safe                                 safer                                 safest

Simple                             simpler                             simplest

iii) If a one/two syllable adjective ends in a vowel followed by a consonant, consonant becomes double when any suffix er/est is added.

Positive                            Comparative                    superlative

Big                                   bigger                              biggest

Fat                                   fatter                                fattest

Fit                                    fitter                                 fittest

Hot                                  hotter                               hottest

Thin                                 thinner                             thinnest

Red                                  redder                              reddest

Glad                                 gladder                            gladdest

Sad                                  sadder                              saddest

iv) If a one/two syllable adjective ends in consonant followed by ‘y’, ‘y’ is changed into ‘i’ when any suffix er/est is added. If the last ‘y’ is preceded by a vowel, the ‘y’ remains unchanged.

Positive                            comparative                     superlative

Dirty                                dirtier                               dirtiest

Busy                                busier                               busiest

Dry                                  drier                                 easiest

Happy                              happier                            happiest

Ugly                                uglier                               ugliest

Heavy                              heavier                             heaviest

Lovely                             lovelier                            loveliest

Healthy                            healthier                           healthiest

Hungry                            hungrier                           hungriest

Easy                                 easier                               easiest

v) Comparatives and superlatives of adjectives made of three or more syllables are formed adding ‘more’ and ‘most’ before the adjectives respectively.

Positive                            comparative                     Superlative

Active                              more active                                most active

Attentive                          more attentive                            most attentive

Beautiful                          more beautiful                           most beautiful

Careful                             more careful                              most careful

Comfortable                     more  comfortable                     most comfortable

Difficult                           more difficult                             most difficult

Famous                            more famous                              most famous

Generous                         more generous                           most generous

Interesting                        more interesting                         most interesting

Obedient                          more obedient                            most obedient

Favourite                         more favourite                           most favourite

Successful                        more successful                         most successful

vi) There are some adjectives that do not follow any rule. We call them irregular adjectives. We need to remember their other forms.

Positive                            comparative                     superlative

Good                               better                               best

Bad                                  worse                               worst

Far                                   farther                              farthest

Fore                                 former                             foremost

Late                                 later/latter                         latest/last

Little                                less                                  least

Many/much                     more                                most

Old                                  older/elder                       oldest/eldest

Out                                  outer                                outmost

Up                                   upper                               upmost/uppermost

a) Man is the best creation of God. Positive

b) It is the greatest of all virtues in a man’s life. Comparative

c) Nothing is as disastrous as terrorism. Comparative

d) Corruption is one of the worst evils. Positive

e) Women should work as much as men. Comparative

f) It is the most used device in our life. Positive

g) No other thing is as interesting as reading books. Superlative

h) He is older than I. Positive

i) Very few men are as happy as a successful man. Superlative

j) It is lovelier than all other flowers. Positive

1. He is as good as I. Negative
2. Dhaka is not larger than Cumilla. Affirmative
3. No other student is as good as he. Affirmative

4. Prevention is better than cure. Negative

5. Mango is not as big as Jack-fruit. Affirmative

6. She is not as beautiful as Mitu. Affirmative

7. Jamal is more brilliant than Kamal. Negative

8. No other player is as wonderful as Tamim. Affirmative

9. He is the greatest man in the world. Negative.