Using Adjectives Correctly
No matter what kind of writing you do—from short stories to descriptive or comparison-contrast essays—you're likely to use adjectives. Therefore, you'll want to check to be sure that you've used the correct forms of adjectives during revision. Use the
comparative form of an adjective to compare two things or people. Use the
superlative form of an adjective to compare more than two things or people. For most adjectives of one syllable and some of two syllables form the comparative by adding
-er and the superlative by adding
-est.
Adjective
|
Teena is a young gymnast.
|
Comparative
|
Teena is younger than the team captain.
|
Superlative
|
Teena is the youngest gymnast on her team.
|
For adjectives of two or more syllables, form the comparative by adding more before the adjective; form the superlative by adding most before the adjective. Do not use more and most before adjectives that already end with -er or -est.
Adjective
|
A backflip is a difficult gymnastic move to learn.
|
Comparative
|
A backflip is more difficult than a walkover.
|
Superlative
|
A backflip is the most difficult move we've learned.
|
Some adjectives, including the ones shown below, have irregular comparative and superlative forms. Never use more and most with these forms.
Adjective
|
Comparative
|
Superlative
|
good
|
better
|
best
|
bad
|
worse
|
worst
|
many, much
|
more
|
most
|
little (amount)
|
less
|
least
|
