Quality names adjectives have degrees of comparison: positive(original form), comparative(com parativ) And excellent(superlative). Grammatical category degrees of comparison acts as a grammaticalized core of the functional-semantic category of gradualism, the meaning of which is realized by multi-level language means. The meaning of degrees of comparison is that the comparative degree conveys intensity of a feature in comparison with the same feature in another object .

Scientific discussion

From Aristotle to the present day, words conveying gradual meaning (measure, degree, magnitude of a characteristic, process, phenomenon, object), have been the object of study by many researchers 3 . M. V. Lomonosov in his “Russian Grammar” considered the degrees of comparison of the category subjective assessment. Russian grammarians of the 19th century. These aspects brought us closer together. Two categories of quality levels have been established - non-relative(old, old, old) And relative(the oldest of..., one is older than the other) .

Without calling the presented phenomena by a term gradualism, which modern scientists use, linguists have described a number of linguistic phenomena that correspond to the very essence of gradualism. All theories and descriptions of various quality levels with historical point of view represented an important perspective in the study of gradualism. Since the 15th century. In the Russian language there are all kinds of forms with graduated meanings.

Characteristics, procedurality, objectivity in a certain way (to a greater or lesser extent) correlate with the concepts degree, measure. Most words in the modern Russian language express changeable and measurable ( qualitative) sign: degrees of comparison (adjectives); formations with augmentative and diminutive suffixes (nouns); ways of verbal action with the meaning of measure; gradual oppositions in the lexical system of language; gradational syntactic constructions; the use of gradation as a stylistic method. As graduated And graduated units, words are considered that, due to their semantic and grammatical features, are capable of expressing one or another degree (measure) of manifestation of a characteristic: “In everyday language, “compare” means expressing one’s attitude, “evaluating”, “measuring”, guided by our feelings and our passions."

Graduality– functional-semantic category with meaning measures, degrees of manifestation a sign, process, phenomenon, state expressed by multi-level linguistic means. Comparative degree ( comparative) denotes a variable characteristic that can appear in an object to a greater or lesser extent than in another object. Wed: This question more difficultprevious one. – This question more difficult,than the previous one. Excellent degree ( superlative) denotes such a variable characteristic that manifests itself in an object to the greatest or smallest extent than in another object: This the most difficultquestion of the topic being studied. - This the most difficultquestion of the topic being studied.

The forms of comparative and superlative degrees can be simple(synthetic) and complex(analytical).

Simple form comparative degree has indicators - suffixes -ee(s), -e: high – highere(alternating s//sh at the root of the word + truncation of the stem - suffix -ok-), strong – strongher (strong-to her) and so on. From adjectives good, bad, small Supplemental comparative forms are formed: good is better, bad is worse etc. The simple superlative degree is formed by adding suffixes -eysh-, - aish-: highaishyay, strongeishth etc. For example: Leo Tolstoy is a geniuseishth fromwriters of the 20th century.

Complex form comparative degrees are formed by additional words more/less+ positive degree: more (less)tall (kind).

Complex form excellent degrees are formed in several ways:

• a) using an additional (auxiliary) word (particles) most: most complex, highest and so on.;
• b) using additional (auxiliary) words most, least: least complex etc.;
• c) the combination “simple form of comparative degree + pronoun in the genitive case Total(or everyone)": the hardest thing (of everyone) and etc.;
• d) the combination “reinforcing particle All + simple form of comparative degree": The pain in my heart became Allhote(M. Sholokhov).

In a sentence, a simple form usually performs a function predicate, and a composite can be like predicate, so and definition. Wed: She was more beautifulwhat he imagined her to be(L. Tolstoy).

The complex form of comparative and superlative degrees is formed from almost all qualitative adjectives. The simple form has limitations.

Forms of the simple comparative degree are not formed from adjectives:

• – with absolute qualitative value: bald, blind, lame, dumb, barefoot, deaf and so on.;
• – with a base on [ w"], [and]: beggar, stalwart and etc.;
• – with suffix -sk-: friendskoh, enemyskth etc.;
• - from some verbal adjectives with suffix -k-: padToyay, moveToyay, shatToth etc.;
• – with suffix -ov-/-ev-: badovoh, boevOuch and so on.;
• – with suffix -l-: unyloh, mouthlth etc.;
• – from individual adjectives that stand apart for historical reasons, for example proud, young and etc.

Simple superlative forms are not formed from adjectives:

• – with suffix -sk-: friendskoh, tragicskoh, enemyskth etc.;
• – with suffix -k-: bastardTooh, thunderToyay, ringingToth and so on.;
• – with suffix -ov-/-ev-: rowovoh, stroevoh, boevOuch and etc.;
• - from adjectives proud, young etc.

Excellent degree has two types of meaning:

• 1) manifestation of a sign in highest degree compared to other items ( superlative): oldest ofworkers and so on.;
• 2) expression extreme degree manifestations of a characteristic regardless of other objects (regardless of the large measure of the characteristic - elative): Got into stupidestposition, this raresthappening etc.

IN grammatical relatively complex shapes comparative And excellent degrees are no different from positive(original) degree. Simple comparative forms are unchangeable, cf.: House(s) (pine tree(s), building(s)) higher,how...

Syntactic(syntagmatic) conditions The use of morphological formations of different types in the Russian language is characterized by the following features.

1. Expressing the relative degree of presence of the characteristic, adjective in comparative or excellent degree is used as a gradual syntactic member – predicate or definitions. Wed:

So, reasoning, Selifan finally wandered into the most distant abstraction. Maybe it prompted him to do this another, more significant reason more serious, closer to the heart... But the reader will learn about all this gradually and in due time, if only he has the patience to read the proposed story, which is very long, which will then expand wider and more spacious as it approaches the end, which crowns the matter (N. Gogol).

These are complex, analytical formations. The role of the exponent is the word more(comparative degree) and words most or most(superlative). Superlative exponent most stylistically neutral, and the word most is bookish in nature. Wed:

Most typical cases; most simple question. - Disdaining the prudent comfort of castling, he sought to create the most unexpected, the most bizarre relationships between figures (V. Nabokov).

2. Adjectives in comparative degrees acting as definitions can express the result of a subjective assessment.

The shade of the meaning of a subjective assessment can be conveyed by lexical means, for example: elderly person (as opposed to old). Combined with the word more The adjective is used in both full and short form: this question is more important: important(composite form); this question is more important: more important(simple form). Short form more important conveys a state of mind in time: Currently this question more important.

Typical for the Russian language is the simple (synthetic) form of the comparative degree in -ee, -ey, -e. It is homonymous to the comparative form of the adverb. Wed: he behaves modestly(adv.); his demands are more modest(adj.).

Excellent The degree of the adjective, acting as a nominal predicate, has three forms similar to the forms of the comparative degree: this question is the most (important): most (important): most important of all (everything). If the superlative expresses quality inanimate or animate object, then preference is given to the forms “most + full form adjective":

This suitcase the heaviest; His job the best.– Vronsky is one of the sons of Count Kirill Ivanovich Vronsky and one of the best samples of gilded youth (L. Tolstoy).

• 3. comparative in function predicate-predicate used in special comparative constructions in which the object of comparison is expressed in one way or another. It is formed in two ways:
• 1) connecting a simple comparative form with a genitive comparison: Wilson is more important than other birds(V. Mayakovsky);
• 2) by connecting a compound comparative form consisting of the word more and the short form of the positive degree, and the conjunction than: Wilson is more important than the other bird.

The first method should be considered the most common, because the use of “forms of the comparative degree is not limited to simple morphological rules. The types of formation and functioning of degrees of comparison in the Russian language should be studied and assimilated in close connection with the syntactic and semantic conditions of their use.”

All qualitative-evaluative and most qualitative adjectives form degrees of comparison, expressing different degrees of quality. But in a number of cases they do not have degrees of comparison due to their semantics: adjectives like mute, barefoot and so on. denote absolute quality and logically do not allow comparatives or superlatives. It is important to note that comparative and superlative degrees indicate different meanings as opposed to meaning positive degrees:

"She's at two meetings at once..."

(V. Mayakovsky)

Forms of comparative degree with prefix more (smarter, more fun, cheaper etc.), acting as a predicate, acquire the shade of a “softened” comparative degree: He's younger than me; He will be smarter than all of us. -

And the man - he was quick-witted,

He went after the bear,

He planted a spear in it

What higher navel, lower liver

• (meaning “slightly higher/lower”).
• (A. Pushkin)

Forms of adjectives on -ee, -e, -she with attachment By- indicate the predominance of some quality in one of the objects being compared: (book) more interesting; (boy) smarter and so on.

In combination with the genitive case of attributive pronouns Total or everyone(which, in essence, became formants, indicators of the superlative degree) The comparative degree takes on the meaning of the superlative. Such stable combinations carry the meaning of the highest degree of quality by comparative contrast anything other items in the aggregate and not from the same category. This complex shape elative, which does not match the shapes on -eysh-, -aysh-. For example:

What struck him most was that from Monday he would be Luzhin (V. Nabokov); And the geese screamed, / Disappearing in the sky, / What is most precious / The native side... (M. Isakovsky).

All three degrees represent a gradational series: rough: rougher: rudest; rough: more rough: the roughest and so on.

In russian language comparative degree is often used to mean excellent. This usage is distinguished by genitive case of the second element at a comparative degree. It can also be used with superlatives: best of all, richest of all. In some cases you may notice a “limited” meaning of the superlative – better (...) all others except one (two...).

Based on Otto Jespersen’s system of degrees of comparison, which excludes from consideration the superlative degree as a type of comparative, we will highlight the stages of gradation:

• 1.Superiority (>) more dangerous (better) than...
• 2. Equality(=)s as dangerous (good) as...
• 3. Lower degree(less dangerous (good) than... etc.

It's obvious that first and third steps are closely related because

in both cases it is expressed inequality. There are two ways of expression with opposite meanings, which make it possible to reverse the relations of the first and third steps: worse than = less good than. Based on this, the following can be established equality: older than = less young than. Wed:

Levin himself did not remember his mother, and his only his sister was older than him, so that in the Shcherbatskys’ house he saw for the first time that very environment of the old noble, educated and honest family, which he was deprived of by the death of his father and mother (L. Tolstoy).

Comparison Levin's sister is older than him doesn't mean that Sister is old and the comparative degree can therefore mean lesser degree than the positive in the expression Sister is old. Similar sentence Sister is older than Levin says nothing about Levin's old age; By old age Levina will be implied if we add the adverb more: The sister is even older than Levin. We see that such a use of the word more is not self-evident.

When negating a step superiority (1) Sister is not as old as Levin we get the value either equality(2), or lower degree(3). When negating a step equality(2) we get the value lower degree (3): less old than; younger than. Wed: And as old as V. An objection to this statement would be the following: Oh no, not as old as B, but much older.

There are designs proportional compliance, in which the determining element represents a period of time, but does not have an explicit expression. In such sentences the following meanings and features of their expression are revealed:

a) repetition of the comparative degree form:

It was becoming getting darker and darker (= the longer it has continued, the darker became). He was becoming more and more impatient; Heartache was getting hotter(M. Sholokhov);

b) formant All together with the comparative degree it forms the superlative degree: He said everything is more and more illegible.

V.V. Vinogradov pointed out that adjectives in - the greatest/- the greatest can have three meanings in modern Russian:

1) regardless of large measure (maximum degree) of the characteristic (elative meaning):

He the smartest person; The weather is wonderful. – He began to tear out leaves and flowers in his hearts and sneezed from the smallest dust (V. Nabokov).

Some forms of the superlative degree break away from the paradigm and appear in the meaning of the elative, i.e. in the sense of an absolutely greater degree of quality: greatest scientist(does not mean the greatest) ,

• 2) excellent degrees: the most faithful of friends, the greatest poet,
• 3) comparative degrees (a meaning almost lost in modern Russian, but which has left traces in phraseology): upon closer inspection.

The most common is the use of forms on -the greatest/-the greatest in an elative sense. Such forms in free combinations have an evaluative character. Wed:

I found myself in a stupid situation; This is a rare case, etc. - This the smartest, most decent and most talented man (N. Gogol); But nothing of the sort happened, he listened calmly, and when his father, who was trying to pick up the most curious, most attractive(= “evaluative character”) details, said, among other things, that as an adult he would be called by his last name, the son blushed, blinked, leaned back on the pillow, opening his mouth and shaking his head... (V. Nabokov).

Gradual-evaluative value of the superlative degree of the form on -the greatest/-the greatest realized in combination with the preposition from:the most brilliant of (musicians), oldest of (workers)) and so on. For example:

And as in my cart... with clothes and linen there was also a bed, then in my misfortune I honored myself happiest of mortals (A. Pushkin).

Elative meaning is very close to the category of subjective evaluation. Elative forms express gradual meaning and serve to express the extreme degree of quality without indicating the relationship to other objects: Tiny specks of dust fluttered in the air; I found a rare specimen.

Consequently, the formal means of expressing the meanings of measure and degree (graduality) in the field of qualitative adjectives (and qualitative adverbs) is morphological level concerning the properties of morphemes and cases of analytical formation. As a grammaticalized core gradualism the corresponding category appears degrees of comparison – comparative, superlativeAndelative

• Cm.: Kolesnikova S. M. Semantics of gradualism and ways of expressing it in modern Russian. M., 1998; Hers. Functional-semantic category of gradualism in modern Russian language. M., 2010. pp. 78-86.
• See additional: Falev I. A. On the question of degrees of comparison in the modern Russian language // Language and thinking. Vol. 9. M.; L. 1940; Nikulin A. S. Degrees of comparison in modern Russian. M.; L., 1937; Knyazev Yu. P. On the semantics of degrees of comparison of adjectives // Scientific notes of the Tartu State University. un-ta. T. 524: Problems of intrastructural functional description language. Tartu, 1980; Kolesnikova S. M. Degrees of comparison of adjectives and the intensity of the attribute they express // Russian language at school. 1998. No. 5.
• Wed: Galich G. G. Gradual characteristics of modern qualitative adjectives, verbs and nouns German language: author's abstract. dis.... cand. Philol. Sci. L., 1981; Kharitonchik Z. A. Turansky I. I. Semantic category of intensity in modern English language. M., 1990; Novikov L. A. Antonymy in Russian. M., 1973; Arutyunova N. D. Language and the human world. M., 1999; Apresyan Yu. D. Lexical semantics. Synonymous means of language. M., 1974; Wolf E. M. Functional semantics of evaluation. M., 1985; Ubin I. I. Lexical means of expressing intensity (based on the Russian and English languages): abstract. dis.... cand. Philol. Sci. M., 1974; Turansky I. I. Semantic category of intensity in English. M., 1990; Vorotnikov Yu. L. Degrees of quality in modern Russian language. M., 1999; Norman V. Yu. Gradation in the Russian language // Qnantitat und Graduierungals kognitiv-semantische Kategorien. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz verlg, 2001. pp. 381-403. Sapir E. Graduation: semantic research// New in foreign linguistics. M., 1986. P. 43; Halina N.V. The category of gradualism in words and texts. Barnaul, 1993; Krzhizhkova E. Quantitative determination of adjectives in the Russian language (lexico-syntactic + analysis) // Syntax and norm. M., 1974. S. 122-144; Bolinger D. Degree words. Paris: Mouton, 1972; Studia gramatyezne bulgarsko-polskie. T. 3: Ilosc, gradaeja, osoba. Wroclaw, 1989; Kolesnikova S. M. Graduality: linguistic description (based on the Russian language) // Akademiai Kiado. Budapest, 2011; Repasi D., Szekely G. On gradualism in a comparative aspect // Bulletin of MGOU. Ser. "Russian Philology". Vol. 5. M., 2010. P. 110-117; Kolesnikova S. M. Functional-semantic category of gradualism in the modern Russian language // Modern Nyelvoktatas: A Magyar Alkalmazott Nyelveszek es Nyelvtanarok Egyesfiletenek folyoirata. XVI. 2010. S. 116-118; Sjostrom S. Spatial relations: Towards a theory of spatial verbs, prepositions, a pronominal adverbs in Swedish. Goteborg: Dept. of linguistics, 1990.
• Kartsevsky S. O. Comparison // Questions of linguistics. 1976. No. 1. P. 112.
• Isachenko A.V. Grammatical structure Russian language in comparison with Slovak. Bratislava, 1965. P. 201.
• Cm.: Jespersen O. Philosophy of grammar: trans. from English M., 1958.

Degrees of comparison are a variable morphological feature of qualitative adjectives. There are different forms of positive, comparative and superlative degrees: new - newer - newest; warm - more/less warm - the warmest.

The initial form is a positive degree, naming a feature without correlating it with homogeneous features of other objects ( new house); from it, by adding inflectional suffixes or auxiliary words, simple and compound forms of comparative and superlative degrees are formed.

The comparative degree indicates that the designated attribute is characteristic of a given object to a greater extent than for another object (or for the same object, but in a different period of time): Our apple tree is taller than the neighbor’s; Today this girl was more talkative than yesterday.

The simple form of the comparative degree is formed by adding to the base of the adjective the inflectional suffixes -ee/-ee, -e, as well as the non-productive suffix -she: warm - warmer, warmer (colloquial); loud - louder; thin - thinner. The form deeper (from deep) uses the suffix -zhe. If there is a suffix ‑k- or ‑ok- at the end of the stem, it is often truncated: low - lower; distant - further. From the adjectives small, bad, good, the comparative forms are formed by changing the root: less, worse, better. IN colloquial speech to the simple form of the comparative degree the prefix po- is often added, meaning the incompleteness of the manifestation of the attribute (`a little`): older - older, less - less.

Often the formation of a simple form of the comparative degree is prevented by the lexical meaning of a word; for example, it is not formed from adjectives with an “absolute” qualitative meaning such as deaf, bald, dead, blind, or from adjectives denoting the speaker’s subjective assessment of the attribute: enormous, blue.

The compound form of the comparative degree is formed using the auxiliary words more, less: more beautiful, less loud. The meaning of this form is broader than the meaning of forms of the louder type, since not only a greater, but also a lesser degree of intensity of the attribute is expressed (the simple form of the comparative degree indicates only a greater degree of the attribute).

The syntactic functions of the compound form are also wider than those of the simple comparative form. The simple form is usually part of a compound predicate: This essay was more meaningful than the previous one. The compound form can perform the functions of not only a predicate, but also a definition: This time the student wrote a more meaningful essay. The compound form can be formed from almost any qualitative adjective, but is perceived as a somewhat bookish form and is used less often in colloquial speech than the simple comparative form.

The superlative degree of adjectives indicates that the attribute of an object, denoted by this form, is presented in its maximum manifestation, to the highest degree compared to the same attribute in other compared objects: the smartest student in the class, the brightest room, or for this object in other periods of its existence: Today workers received their highest wages in six months.

Superlatives can also be simple or compound. The simple form is formed by adding to the base of the adjective the inflectional suffix -eysh-: beautiful - the most beautiful or -aysh- (the latter suffix is ​​attached only to the stems on k, g, x): thin - the thinnest. The prefix nai- is often added to this form: the most beautiful, the thinnest. From the adjectives small, bad, good, the superlative form is formed by changing the root: smaller, worse, better.

The superlative compound form is formed in several ways:

1) by adding to the form of the positive degree the auxiliary word most: the smartest;

2) by adding to the form of the positive degree the auxiliary words most, least: most intelligent, least capable;

3) by adding to the simple form of the comparative degree the auxiliary word all (if the characterized object is inanimate) or all (if the characterized object is animate): The smartest thing was the investigation conducted by a private detective; The student Ivanov turned out to be the most capable.

The most common compound form is the most intelligent type, used as both a predicate and a definition. Forms like smartest/all are used only as a predicate. Forms of the most/least capable type have the broadest meaning, denoting both the highest and lowest degree of manifestation of a trait, however, these forms are used primarily in book speech (in business, scientific, newspaper and journalistic styles).

Modern Russian literary language/ Ed. P. A. Lekanta - M., 2009

Relieving us of the need to memorize endings, English adjective over time (namely centuries) it ceased to change in numbers, gender and cases. But, as you understand, all the difficulties have not yet disappeared: the Degrees of Comparison have not gone away and continue to “delight” students. Why are they needed? Are they really the richest? speech means won't they allow us to do without all these additional forms?

Yes, they won't allow it. All our lives we compare people and objects: someone is taller, someone is more beautiful, someone has a more powerful car. And all these thoughts need to be able to express in English. Every day we choose the best, most interesting and exciting. The use of degrees of comparison is relevant in any language, because we are constantly looking for superiority. If you have already started studying this foreign language, then this topic must be mastered 100%.

So, first, remember that there are adjectives quality (Qualitative) And relative (Relative). And only the first group can be used in our rule.

Three degrees of comparison of adjectives in English: positive, comparative, superlative degrees.

Sometimes we use an adjective simply as a characteristic. So, we use a positive degree. If you say that a certain quality is expressed more in one object than in another, then you will need a comparative. And in the superlative we want to show that the object acts as the very-most. Let's look at examples.

Positive or absolute is the usual form in which the adjective appears in the dictionary:

interesting – big – clever

This house is big.

Comparative degree of adjectives in English (comparative) used when it is necessary to compare two or more objects or persons. In Russian it sounds like this: bigger, more beautiful, more interesting, older.

bigger, colder, more difficult.

This house is bigger than that. This house is bigger than that one.

Superlative degree in English (superlative) shows that an object or person has the highest quality characteristics. In Russian it sounds like this: the best - the best; the kindest - the kindest; the smallest is the smallest. In English it is always accompanied by the article “the” and is also formed in two ways:

the biggest, the most interesting.

This house is the biggest. This house is the biggest.

Education

Now is the time to consider the formation of degrees of comparison in English. How to add? When? How to write correctly?

Only two of them are worth considering here. After all, the positive completely coincides with its dictionary form. The comparative and superlative degrees in English are formed taking into account certain features and rules. Divide all adjectives mentally into groups: monosyllabic plus disyllabic, ending with –y, -er, -ow, -ble(this will be the first), disyllabic And polysyllabic(second).

1. Simple (monosyllabic)

For comparison, add the suffix "er" to the base of the word, and to indicate superior quality - article the+ adjective + “est”.

short - shorter - the shortest

short - shorter - the shortest

When adding suffixes there are some writing features:

a. If at the end of a word there is "y", and there is a consonant before it, then "y" changes to "i":

Lovely - lovelier - the loveliest

dear - cuter - the cutest

But if "y" preceded by a vowel, then no changes need to be made, just adding a suitable suffix.

b. If at the end of a word there is "e" then when adding suffixes "er" or “est”, only one is saved "e":

Simple - simpler - the simplest

simple - simpler - the simplest/simplest

c. If a word ends with a consonant and is preceded by one short vowel, that is, it has a stressed short syllable, then we double the last letter:

Hot - hotter - the hottest

hot - hotter - the hottest

And everything would be cloudless if not for exceptions to this rule. Therefore, when studying this topic, it is important not only to understand, but also to stretch your brain a little.

Exceptions

Good – better – the best ( good is better- the best)

Bad – worse – the worst (bad – worse – the worst)

Little – less – the least (small – less – the smallest)

Many – more – the most (numerous – more – the largest) – by quantity

Near – nearer – the nearest (close – closer – closest) – by distance

Near – nearer – the next (close – closer – next in line, in time, in order)

Far – farther – the farthest (far – more distant – the farthest) – by distance

Far – further – the furthest (far – further – the farthest) – according to information, actions

Old – older – the oldest (old – older – the oldest)

Old – elder – the eldest (old – older – the oldest) – about family members

Late – later – the latest (later – later / later – last – latest in time / newest)

Late – the latter – the last

2. Complex (more than two syllables in a word)

To compare two or more qualitative characteristics, you must use "more", and characterizing the highest qualities – “the most”. In this case, the adjective remains unchanged.

popular - more popular - the most popular

popular - more popular - most popular

The English language is filled with various exceptions. There is more than one thing in this rule. So, you need to remember a few more words that can form degrees of comparison in English two ways, i.e. using “er” and “est”, “more” and “the most”/”the least”:

Angry, common, friendly,cruel, gentle, narrow,handsome, polite,pleasant, serious, quite,simple, clever, sour.

In conclusion, I would like to remind you that the English adjective is very sensitive to what you add to it and from what side. Therefore, in addition to studying theory, engage in thorough practice, because only exercises will help you bring your knowledge to automaticity. Improve your language: use comparative and superlative adjectives and make your speech more literate, richer and more interesting.

Which acts as the initial form: kind - kinder, more/less kind, kindest, kindest, kindest of all.

Expresses the attribute of a given object without comparison with the attribute of another object; it is neutral in relation to the degree of manifestation of the attribute.

comparative

Comparative forms indicate:

1. A characteristic that is manifested to a greater extent in one object than in another.

• Elbrus higher Kazbek.
• This first sound was followed by another, harder And lingering...
• (I. S. Turgenev)
• Further experiments were more complex than the previous ones.
• (Academician I.P. Pavlov)

2. A sign that in the same object in different time manifests itself unequally, is contained sometimes to a greater or lesser extent.

• I am now more modest became in desires,
• My life or you I dreamed of...
• (S. A. Yesenin)
• Faith has become more reserved what it was.

The comparative degree can be simple(consist of one word) and composite(consist of two words).

Comparative degree education

Adjective initial form	Comparative degree means of education	Comparative adjective
spicy interesting nonsensical	Simple form -her (-to her)	sharp her (to her) interesting her more pointless
Adjectives with stems g, k, x, d, t, st hot quiet Expensive young steep	-e+ alternation of final consonant stem	hot e hush e dear e younger e steep e
Adjectives with suffixes - To -, -OK -(-ek -) bottom to th high ok	-e+ truncation of suffixes - To -, -OK -(-ek -)	bottom e higher e
long thin	-she+ truncation of the final consonant of the stem g, k	share she tone she
high big	By - + -she(-e)	on higher for more
good bad small	from other bases	better worse less
solid weak sweet	Compound form words more, less	harder less weak sweeter

Qualitative adjectives with suffixes do not have a simple comparative form - sk -, -ov -, -l -, -n -(they don’t even have short forms!): friendly, mass, blood, emaciated, etc. This also includes adjectives with the suffix - To - such as fusible, bulky, heavy, individual non-derivative words (flat, decrepit, proud, sloping) and words denoting the colors of animals: brown, savrasy, etc.

Superlative

Superlative forms indicate:

1. A characteristic that is manifested in a given object to the highest degree or more than in all other objects.

• Elbrus - highest from the Caucasus mountains.
• In this group Ivanov - the most capable And hardworking student.
• you today the best.

2. The maximum degree of quality without comparison with other items, including as part of set expressions: kindest soul, worst enemy .

• Arrived the most important stage in your life.
• Everything needs to be figured out the smallest details.

Superlative education

Adjective initial form	Educational means of superlatives	Superlative adjective
strict brief quiet high	Simple form -aish -+ alternation of final consonant stem	watchman aishiy kratch aishiy hush aishiy high aishiy
brave wonderful	-eish -	brave eishiy wonderful eishiy
high ok Beautiful	nai -+ -sh- (truncation of suffix - OK -) nai - + -eish -	highest the most beautiful
good bad small	from other bases	best worst less
solid accessible	Compound form the word is the most	the hardest the most affordable
loyal funny	words most, least	most faithful least fun
sad smart interesting	compare step. adj. + genitive case of the pronoun all - all	saddest of all smarter than everyone else the most interesting of all

Qualitative adjectives with suffixes do not form a simple superlative form - sk -, -n -, -ov -(-ev -), -To -, -ast -, -ist -: native, businesslike, loud, vociferous, colorful, spreading, thoroughbred, many words with suffixes - Liv -, -chiv -, -ovat - (-evat -): turbulent, talkative, whitish.

This topic is very simple, it is easy even for those who have recently started learning English. If you already know several adjectives in English, then after studying the material in this article, you will be able to easily form degrees of comparison.

But first, let's figure out how many degrees of comparison there are and why they are needed.

There are three degrees of comparison for adjectives. First degree - positive. This is a simple adjective, as you study it: interesting, beautiful, good and so on.

Next degree - comparative. If you have two objects and you compare them on one basis or another, then you will talk about it in a comparative manner: bigger, smaller, more interesting, more beautiful and so on.

And the third degree that adjectives can have is excellent. When you compare several items on any basis, one of them will be superior to the others. About him we say that he is the best: the most interesting, the biggest, the best.

In English, everything is exactly the same: there are three degrees of comparison, which are formed according to their own rules.

The first degree is positive. This is a common adjective. As an example, let's remember some adjectives in English that you probably know:

Small - small
big - big
easy - light, simple
interesting - interesting
popular - popular

If we describe one thing without comparing it with anything else, then a simple adjective is used, without suffixes. But as soon as the second item appears, for comparison, it becomes necessary to use comparative degree.

To form it, you need to look at the adjective: how many syllables it has, how long it is. This will determine the method you will use to complete your degree. If the adjective is short (1-2 syllables), then you need to add a suffix to it - er:

Small (small) - smaller (less)
big (large) - bigger (more)
easy (simple) - easier (simpler)

If your adjective is long (more than two syllables), then if you load it with a suffix, it will be impossible to pronounce it. Therefore, to form the comparative degree of such adjectives, the word is used more(more), which is placed before the adjective, just like in Russian:

Interesting - more interesting (more interesting)
popular - more popular (more popular)

If you are comparing two objects or phenomena in a sentence, then you will also need the word than(than) to indicate what you are actually comparing and with what:

My room is smaller than my brother's. - My room is smaller than my brother's.
His dog is bigger than mine. - His dog is bigger than mine.
This rule is easier than that one. - This rule is easier than that one.
Detectives are more interesting than historical novels. - Detective stories are more interesting than historical novels.
Is Lady Gaga more popular than Madonna? - Is Lady Gaga more popular than Madonna?

Now let's move on to superlatives. If you have several objects in front of you that you need to compare and choose one based on some characteristic, then you need to use not the comparative, but the superlative form.

How you form this degree will depend on how many syllables your adjective has. If the adjective is short (1-2 syllables), then a suffix is ​​added - est:

Small - the smallest
big - the biggest
easy - the easiest

If the adjective is long (more than two syllables), then the superlative degree should be formed using the word most(most):

Interesting - the most interesting
popular - the most popular

Prepositions IN and OF.

It was already mentioned above that when you compare two objects, you need to use the word than in the comparison.

Prepositions are used with superlative adjectives in And of. The choice of preposition is determined by what you are comparing and what information comes after the comparison.

If you are talking about a place (country, city, world), then use a preposition in:

This is the oldest building in our town. - This is the most an old house in our city.
He is the most popular singer in the country. - He is the most popular singer in the country.
What is the highest mountain in the world? - Which one is the best? high mountain in the world?

The preposition is also used when we're talking about about a group of people, organization:

I am the youngest pupil in the class. - I'm the most junior student in class.

Pretext on used when talking about a period of time:

Today is the longest day of the year. - Today is the longest day of the year.
It was the happiest day of my life. - It was the happiest day of my life.

Article the.

You may ask why the article is used in the examples with the word most the. We remember that this article is used to indicate something specific that is known to the interlocutors. When we talk about superlatives, we single out one item from a group as the only one or unique of its kind and it becomes defined:

He is the cleverest boy in the class. - He is the smartest boy in the class. (There is only one smartest student in the class)

This is the oldest house in the town. - This is the oldest house in the city. (There is only one oldest house in the city)

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the article the is not always used with superlative adjectives. If adjectives are preceded by a word that answers the question Whose?/Whose? (or a noun in), then the article the is not needed:

This is my smallest bag. - This is my smallest bag.
She is Maria's youngest daughter. - She is Maria's youngest daughter.

Changes in spelling.

When forming comparatives and superlatives of adjectives, you should remember that additions of suffixes in English are often accompanied by changes in spelling.

There are two basic rules to remember with adjectives:

1. If a short adjective ends in -y, then when adding a suffix -y changes to i and the suffix is ​​added:

Easy - easier - the easiest
noisy (noisy) - noisier - the noisiest
busy (busy) - busier - the busiest

2. If a short adjective ends in a consonant preceded by a vowel under stress (closed stressed syllable), then the last consonant is doubled:

Big - bigger - the biggest
fat (fat) - fatter - the fattest

If the adjective ends in two consonants, or in a consonant preceded by a combination of vowels, then nothing is doubled, but the required suffix is ​​simply added:

Strong (strong) - stronger - the strongest
cold (cold) - colder - the coldest
weak (weak) - weaker - the weakest

Exceptions.

In English there are exception adjectives, the comparative and superlative degrees of which are not formed according to the rule, without adding suffixes:

good - better - the best- good / better / the best

bad - worse - the worst- bad / worse / the worst

far - farther - the farthest- farthest / farthest / furthest

little - less - the least- small/less/smallest

To compare two objects in English, you can also use the construction as...as (not as...as), with which adjectives are used in the positive degree. Read more about this design.

Try to avoid common mistakes, remember that if you have already added a suffix to the adjective, then you do not need to use the words more or most.

Now you can easily compare objects, people and phenomena and talk about it in English. To consolidate the material you have covered, remember as many adjectives as possible and try to form degrees of comparison from them, and it will be even more effective to make sentences with them. Leave comments, ask questions, good luck in learning English!