Comprehensive Notes on Chapter 9: Comparisons
Chapter 9: Comparisons
9-1 Introduction to Comparative Forms of Adjectives
Comparatives compare one thing to another (this to that, these to those).
Form: Use "-er" or "more" to form comparative adjectives.
A comparative is always followed by "than".
One-syllable adjectives: Add "-er" (e.g., old -> older, wise -> wiser).
Two-syllable adjectives: Generally use "more" (e.g., famous -> more famous, pleasant -> more pleasant).
Exceptions: Some two-syllable adjectives can use either "-er" or "more": able, angry, clever, common, cruel, friendly, gentle, handsome, narrow, pleasant, polite, quiet, simple, sour.
Two-syllable adjectives ending in "-y": Change the "-y" to "-i" and add "-er" (e.g., busy -> busier, pretty -> prettier).
Adjectives with three or more syllables: Use "more" (e.g., important -> more important, fascinating -> more fascinating).
Irregular adjectives: "good" becomes "better", and "bad" becomes "worse".
The opposite of "more" is "less" (e.g., less important, less fascinating).
9-2 Introduction to Superlative Forms of Adjectives
Superlatives compare one member of a group to all others in the group.
Form: Use "-est" or "most" to form superlative adjectives.
A superlative is always preceded by "the".
One-syllable adjectives: Add "-est" (e.g., old -> the oldest, wise -> the wisest).
Two-syllable adjectives: Generally use "most" (e.g., famous -> the most famous, pleasant -> the most pleasant).
Exceptions: Some two-syllable adjectives can use either "-est" or "most": able, angry, clever, common, cruel, friendly, gentle, handsome, narrow, pleasant, polite, quiet, simple, sour.
Two-syllable adjectives ending in "-y": Change the "-y" to "-i" and add "-est" (e.g., busy -> the busiest, pretty -> the prettiest).
Adjectives with three or more syllables: Use "most" (e.g., important -> the most important, fascinating -> the most fascinating).
Irregular adjectives: "good" becomes "the best", and "bad" becomes "the worst".
The opposite of "most" is "least" (e.g., the least important, the least fascinating).
Spelling Note: When a one-syllable adjective ends in one vowel + a consonant, double the consonant and add -er/-est (e.g., sad, sadder, saddest) except for adjectives that end in -e (wide, wider, widest).
When an adjective ends in two vowels + a consonant, do NOT double the consonant: cool, cooler, coolest.
9-3 Completing Comparatives and Superlatives
In formal English, a subject pronoun follows "than" (e.g., I'm older than he is).
In informal spoken English, an object pronoun may follow "than" (e.g., I'm older than him).
A possessive noun (e.g., Kate's) or pronoun (e.g., mine) may follow "than" (e.g., Ann's hair is longer than Kate's, Jack's apartment is smaller than mine).
Typical completions when a superlative is used:
Superlative + in a place (the world, this class, my family, the company, etc.) (e.g., Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world).
Superlative + adjective clause (e.g., David is the most generous person I have ever known).
Superlative + of all (e.g., These two are quite good, but this one is the best of all).
Note the pattern with one of:
One of can also begin a sentence.
A singular verb is used with one of (e.g., One of the best students in this class is Ali).
9-4 Making Comparisons with Adverbs
Adverbs modify verbs and most end in "-ly".
Adverbs can be used in comparisons.
Comparative and superlative forms of some adverbs like "fast" and "hard" do not end in "-ly".
Frequently, an auxiliary verb follows the subject after "than".
(e.g., He works harder than I do = than I work; I arrived earlier than they did = than they arrived).
-Ly adverbs: Use "more" and "most" (e.g., carefully -> more carefully, the most carefully; slowly -> more slowly, the most slowly).
One-syllable adverbs: Use "-er" and "-est" (e.g., fast -> faster, the fastest; hard -> harder, the hardest).
Irregular adverbs: "well" becomes "better", "the best"; "badly" becomes "worse", "the worst"; "far" becomes "farther/further", "the farthest/the furthest".
Both "farther" and "further" are used to compare physical distances (e.g., I walked farther than my friend did. OR I walked further than my friend did).
As an adjective, "further" also means "additional" (e.g., I need further information). "Farther" cannot be used when the meaning is "additional."
Exception: "early" is both an adjective and an adverb. Forms: earlier, earliest.
9-5 Repeating a Comparative; Using Double Comparatives
Repeating a comparative gives the idea that something becomes progressively greater (i.e., it increases in intensity, quality, or quantity) (e.g., Because he was afraid, he walked faster and faster, Life in the modern world is getting more and more complicated).
A double comparative has two parts; both parts begin with "the." The second part of the comparison is the result of the first part (e.g., The harder you study, the more you will learn., The warmer the weather is, the better I like it.).
Common expressions: "The more, the merrier" (It is good to have more people) and "The sooner, the better" (We should leave as soon as we can).
9-6 Modifying Comparatives with Adjectives and Adverbs
"Very" often modifies adjectives and adverbs (e.g., Tom is very old, Ann drives very carefully).
"Very" is NOT used to modify comparative adjectives and adverbs.
"Much", "a lot", or "far" are used to modify comparative adjectives and adverbs (e.g., Tom is much/a lot/far older than I am, Ann drives much/a lot/far more carefully than she used to).
Another common modifier is "a little/a little bit" (e.g., Ben is a little (bit) older than I am).
9-7 Negative Comparisons
Example: I've never taken a harder test. (This means, "It was the hardest test I've ever taken.")
9-8 Using As… As to Make Comparisons
"As … as" is used to say that the two parts of a comparison are equal or the same in some way.
as + adjective + as
as + adverb + as
Negative form: "not as … as". "Quite" and "nearly" are often used with the negative.
not quite as … as = a small difference
not nearly as … as = a big difference
Common modifiers of "as … as" are "just" (meaning "exactly") and "nearly/almost".
9-9 Using Less… Than and Not As … As
The opposite of -er/more is expressed by "less" or "not as … as".
"Less" and "not as … as" are used with adjectives and adverbs of more than one syllable.
Only "not as … as" (NOT "less") is used with one-syllable adjectives or adverbs.
9-10 Using More with Nouns
When "more" is used with nouns, it often has the meaning of "additional." It is not necessary to use "than".
"More" is also used with nouns to make complete comparisons by adding "than".
When the meaning is clear, the noun may be omitted and "more" can be used by itself.
9-11 Using The Same, Similar, Different, Like, Alike
"The same", "similar", and "different" are used as adjectives.
"The" always precedes "same".
"The same" is followed by "as"; "similar" is followed by "to"; "different" is followed by "from".
A noun may come between "the same" and "as".
Note:
In addition to following "be", "like" also follows certain verbs, primarily those dealing with the senses.
Alike may follow a few verbs other than be (e.g., Most four-year-olds act alike).