HOW TO FORM COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES FROM POSITIVES (Part I)


HOW TO FORM COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES FROM POSITIVES (Part I)

In this article, we will discuss words which require addition of ‘er’ and ‘est’ at their ends (as suffices) to change them from positive degree to comparative and superlative degrees.  And we will also discuss how syllabic intensity i.e. the number of syllables (sound beats) in a word affects the grammatical rule(s) used in forming a comparative and a superlative from the positive degree of such a word.
(1)     The Rule Guiding Formation of Comparatives and Superlatives from One-Syllable Words Ending with a Silent ‘e’:
(i)                Add ‘r’ to the end of such words to form the comparatives.
(ii)             Add ‘st’ to the end of such words to form the superlatives.
Examples:
Positives               Comparatives               Superlatives
nice                       nicer                               nicest
close                     closer                             closest
wise                      wiser                              wisest
rude                      ruder                              rudest
loose                     looser                            loosest
huge                     huger                              hugest
blue                      bluer                              bluest
white                    whiter                            whitest
safe                       safer                               safest
cute                      cuter                               cutest
brave                    braver                             bravest
dense                    denser                            densest
fine                       finer                               finest
grave                    graver                            gravest
late                       later                               latest
large                     larger                             largest
pure                      purer                              purest
rare                       rarer                               rarest
ripe                       riper                               ripest
sane                      saner                              sanest
sore                      sorer                              sorest
true                       truer                               truest
wide                     wider                              widest

2.       The Rule Guiding Formation of Comparatives and Superlatives from One-Syllable Words Ending in One Vowel and One Consonant:
(i)      Double the consonant and add ‘er’ to the end of such words to form  the comparatives.
(ii)     Double the consonant and add ‘est’ to the end of such words to form  the superlatives.
Examples:
Positives               Comparatives               Superlatives
big                        bigger                              biggest
flat                        flatter                              flattest
fat                         fatter                              fattest
mad                      madder                           maddest
sad                       sadder                            saddest
wet                       wetter                            wettest
thin                      thinner                           thinnest
slim                     slimmer                          slimmest
hot                       hotter                              hottest
hip                       hipper                             hippest
fit                         fitter                               fittest

3.       The Rule Guiding Formation of Comparatives and Superlatives from One-Syllable Words Ending in Double Consonants or Ending in Two Vowels and a Single Consonant:
(i)      Add ‘er’ to the end of such words to form the comparatives.
(ii)     Add ‘est’ to the end of such words to form the superlatives.
Examples:
Positives               Comparatives               Superlatives
long                      longer                              longest
dark                      darker                              darkest
bright                    brighter                           brightest
louder                  louder                               loudest
neat                      neater                               neatest
smart                    smarter                            smartest
stronger                stronger                           strongest
young                  younger                            youngest
old                        older                               oldest
cold                      colder                             coldest
quick                    quicker                           quickest
warm                    warmer                          warmest


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