HOW TO FORM COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES FROM POSITIVES (Part 2)
HOW TO FORM COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES
FROM POSITIVES (Part 2)
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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