Adjectives

What is an adjective?

        An adjective is a word that we use to describe a quality of a noun.

very often an adjective is used just before a noun and adjectives are used in the predicate also but after a "Be" verb.

Ex:- The class monitress is a beautiful girl.

         The class monitress is beautiful.

In the above two sentences the adjectives "beautiful" occurs. but in the second sentence it is used in a predicate without a noun.

         Here are some adjectives which we use in day to day use.

small                                        kind

big                                           ancient

tall                                           tiny 

short                                        weak

long                                         foolish

short                                        easy

pretty                                       blind

hot                                           deaf

cute                                         difficult

clever                                      black

intelligent                                high

very often the words ending in -ful , -ous , -ble,  -cal , -tive , -sive , -tive and -nal can be adjectives.

Adjectives basic worksheet

Comparative Superlative Adjectives

what is comparative adjectives?

One way of describing a person or thing is by saying that they have more of a particular quality than someone or something else.

Ex:- Amal is taller than Anura

 

       She is smaller than her brother.

we use comparative adjectives, which are formed either by adding -er at the end of the adjective

Now let's see what is superlative adjectives?

To describe someone or something by saying that they have more of a particular quality than any other of their kind. 

Ex:-  Kamal is tallest boy in our classroom.

        

         Mahaweli River is longest river in Sri Lanka.

which are formed by adding -est at the end of the adjective.

Some rules about forming comparatives and superlatives.

1. One syllable adjectives generally form the comparative by adding -er and the superlative by adding -est,

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
Soft	softer	the softest
cheap	cheaper	the cheapest
sweet	sweeter	the sweetest

• Note that if a one-syllable adjective ends in a single vowel letter followed by a single consonant letter, the consonant letter is doubled,

 e.                 Ex:- thin – thinner/thinnest, big – bigger/biggest.

• If an adjective ends in -e, this is removed when adding -er/-est,

 e                  Ex:- wide – wider/widest.

• If an adjective ends in a consonant followed by -y, -y is replaced by -i when adding -er/-est,

                     Ex:-dry – drier/driest.

2. Two-syllable adjectives which end in -y usually form the comparative by adding -er and the superlative by adding -est, (note the change of -y to-i in the comparative/superlative).

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
lucky	luckier	the luckiest
pretty	prettier	the prettiest
tidy	tidier	the tidiest

3.Two-syllable adjectives ending in -ed, -ing, -ful, or -less always form the comparative with more and the superlative with most. 

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
worried	more worried	the most worried
careful	more careful	the  most careful
boring	more boring	the  most boring

As a general rule, most other two-syllable adjectives also form comparatives and superlatives with more and most, apart from those ending in -y (see point 3 above). However, a few two-syllable adjectives can take either -er/-est or more/most.

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
narrow	narrower / more narrow	the narrowest / most narrow
simple	simpler / more simple	the simplest / most simple
quite	quiter / more quiet	the quietest / most quite

5. Adjectives which have three or more syllables always form the comparative and superlative with more and most.

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
dangerous	more danger	the most dangerous
difficult	more difficult	the most difficult
exciting	more exciting	the most exciting

 

The only exceptions are some three-syllable adjectives which have been formed by adding the prefix un- to another adjective, especially those formed from an adjective ending in-y. These adjectives can form comparatives and superlatives by using more/most or adding -er/-est. 

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
unhappy	unhappier/ more unhappy	the unhappiest / most unhappy
unfriendly	unfriendlier/more unfriendly	the unfriendliest  / most unfriendly

6.The following adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms.

Adjectives	Comparative	Superlative
good	better	the best
bad	worse	the worst
far	farther / further	the farthest / the furthest

worksheet for comparative and superlative adjectives