Post on 02-Jun-2018
8/10/2019 The Rules for Forming Comparatives
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The rules for forming comparatives (e.g., better, more quickly, less efficiently) and
superlatives (e.g., best, most quickly, least efficiently) from adverbs are explained below. As
they are quite complicated, some people form double comparatives (e.g., more better, morequicklier) or double superlatives (e.g., bestest, most quickliest). These double forms are
serious grammar errors.
Forming Comparatives and Superlatives from
dverbs
The rules for forming comparatives and superlatives from adverbs
are varied.
Comparatives of dverbs
Here are some examples of comparatives of adverbs:
The goat can see better than you think.
(bettercomparative of well)
Try to paint the edges more carefully; it will save time later.
(more carefullycomparative of carefully)
He tries harder than most, but he has no aptitude for
languages.
(hardercomparative of hard)
The engine operates less efficiently with alcohol.
(less efficientlycomparative of efficiently)
Superlatives of dverbs
Here are some examples of superlatives of adverbs:
I have found that the office runs best with the radio on and the
heating down.
(bestsuperlative of well)
The gift is most gratefully received.
(most gratefully: superlative of gratefully)
It was obvious that they were not used to high heels, but Karen
moved least gracefully of all.
(least gracefullysuperlative of gracefully)
She answered most abruptly .
(most abruptly: superlative of abruptly)
WHAT IS A COMPARATIVE?
An expression like moreslowly(formed from theadverb slowly) is known as a
comparative. It is used to showwho (or what) has performed anaction in a specific manner tothe greater or lesserdegree. (i.e., It is used tocompare two performances.)
Use Paul's version; hewrites morediplomatically than Erika.(In this example, morediplomaticallycompares Paul'sperformance with Erika's. Theverb is to write.)
Claire dances less elegantly.(In this example, lesselegantlyis the comparative.It compares Claire'sperformance with somebodyelse's.)
WHAT IS A SUPERLATIVE?
An expression like mostcarefully(formed from theadverb carefully) is known as asuperlative. It is used to show
who (or what) has performed anaction in a specific manner tothe greatest or least degree.
The chairman spoke mostconvincingly of all.(most convincinglysuperlative of convincingly)
8/10/2019 The Rules for Forming Comparatives
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In general, comparatives and superlatives of adverbs do not cause
difficulties for native English speakers. However, the mistake of
using a double comparative or a double superlative is fairly
common in speech. This error is more common with
thecomparatives and superlatives of adjectives,but is
occasionally seen with adverbs too.
Forming Comparatives and Superlatives from
dverbs
The table below shows the rules for forming comparatives and
superlatives from adverbs:
Type of
Adverb
Example
of Type
of
Adverb
How to Form the
Comparative
How to Form the
Superlative
OneSyllable fast
hard
add erfaster
harder
add estfastest
hardest
MoreThan
One
Syllable
carefully add lessor moremore carefully
add mostor leastmost carefully
Irregular
badly
well
no rulesworse
better
no rules
worst
best
Pete acted least sociably.(least sociablysuperlativeofsociably)
ONLY DO IT ONCE
When forming a comparative orsuperlative, be careful not to usea double comparative or a
double superlative.
Of all the fish in Europe, pikeattack the most fastest.(This is a double superlative.The word fastestis thesuperlative of fast. It is amistake to use theword mostas well.)
Forming Comparative and
Superlative AdverbsLY Adverbs.
With LY adverbs (adverbs formed from adjectives by adding -ly to the end) we form the
comparative and superlative forms with moreand most.
Adjective AdverbComparative
AdverbSuperlative Adverb
http://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/comparatives_superlatives_from_adjectives.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/comparatives_superlatives_from_adjectives.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/comparatives_superlatives_from_adjectives.htmhttp://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/comparatives_superlatives_from_adjectives.htm8/10/2019 The Rules for Forming Comparatives
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Adjective AdverbComparative
AdverbSuperlative Adverb
quiet quietly more quietly most quietly
careful carefully more carefully most carefully
happy happily more happily most happily
Jeff works more quietlythan Steve does.
Jeff works the most quietlyof all the students.
Mary drives more carefullythan John does.
Of the three drivers, Mary drives the most carefully.
Steve works more happilythan he used to.
Mary sings the most happilyof all the girls in the group.
Other Adverbs.
For adverbs which retain the same form as the adjective form, we add -er to form thecomparative and -est to form the superlative.
Adjective AdverbComparative
AdverbSuperlative Adverb
hard hard harder hardest
fast fast faster fastest
early early earlier earliest
Please work harder.
Steve works thehardest.
Mary runs faster than John does.
Mary runs the fastestof all the runners on the team.
Steve gets to work earlierthan I do.
Steve gets to work the earliestof all.
Irregular Adverbs.
Adjective AdverbComparative
AdverbSuperlative Adverb
good well better best
bad badly worse worst
8/10/2019 The Rules for Forming Comparatives
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Adjective AdverbComparative
AdverbSuperlative Adverb
far far farther/further farthest/furthest
John plays tennis better than Jack does. On our tennis team, John plays tennis the best.
I did worseon the test than Bart did.
On that test, I did the worstin the class.
My paper airplane flew farther than yours did.
My paper airplane flew thefarthestof all.
Exercise on Comparison of Adverbs
Fill in the correct adverb form (comparative or superlative) of the adjectives in brackets.
1. I speak English (fluent)more fluently
now than last year.
2. She greeted me (polite) of all.
3. She smiled (happy) than before.
4. This girl dances (graceful) of all.
5. Could you write (clear) ?
6. Planes can fly (high) than birds.
7. He had an accident last year. Now, he drives (careful) than before.
8. Jim can run (fast) than John.
9. Our team played (bad) of all.
10. He worked (hard) than ever before.
Fill in the blank with the either the comparative formor superlative form of each adverb, as required:EX: Tom sang more loudly (more loudly/the most loudly) than the other kids.
1. I visit my parents (more often/the most often)than my brothers do.
2. He thinks he always knows . (better/best)
3. Out of all my siblings, I visit my parents (more often/the most often).
4. David did (worse/the worst)than he thought he would do on his test.
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5. I did (worse/the worst)out of all the students on my test.
6. Out of all the students, Frank studied (less/the least), but got the best grade.
7. We argued (longer/the longest)than I thought we would.
8. My sisters laughed (louder/the loudest)out of the whole audience.
9. The two guys who enjoyed the game (more/most)were Tom and Robert.
10. George drives (more recklessly/the most recklessly)than his brother.