A - Comparison with -er/-est clean - cleaner - (the) cleanest We use -er/-est with the following adjectives: 1) Adjectives with one syllable Positive comparative superlative lean cleaner cleanest new newer newest cheap cheaper cheapest 2) Adjectives with two syllables and the following endings: 2 - 1) Adjectives with two syllables, ending in -y positive comparative superlative dirty dirtier dirtiest easy easier easiest happy happier happiest pretty prettier prettiest. 2 - 2) Adjectives with two syllables, ending in -er positive comparative superlative clever cleverer cleverest 2 - 3) Adjectives with two syllables, ending in -le Positive comparative superlative ple simpler simplest 2 - 4) Adjectives with two syllables, ending in -ow positive comparative superlative narrow narrower narrowest 3) Spelling of the adjectives using the endings -er/-est. positive comparative superlative comment large larger largest leave out the silent -¢ big bigger biggest Double the consonant after short vowel sag sadder saddest iny dirtier dirtiest Change -y to +i (consonant before -y) shy ster yet Here -y s not changed to ~, (although consonant before -y)B- Comparison with more - most positive comparative ‘superiative ciffieutt more difficult (the) most dificult all adjectives with more than one syllable (except some adjectives with two syllables - see 2-1to2-4) C= Irregular adjectives Positive comparative superlative comment ‘g006 better best. bod worse worst much more most uncountable nouns many more most countable nouns little less least little smaller smallest D- Special adjectives ‘Some adjectives have two possible forms of comparison (-er/est end more/most). positive comparative superlative clever dleverer / more clever everest / most clever common ‘commoner / more common ‘commonest / most common likely lkelier / more likely licaiast / most likely pleasant pleasanter / more pleasant pleacantest / most pleasant polite politer / more polite politest / most polite quiet ‘quieter / more quiet ‘uietest / most quiet simple simpler / more simple simplest / most simple stupid stupider / more stupid stupidest / most stupid subtle subtler / more subtle ‘subtlest / most subtle sure surer / more sure surest / most sure E - Difference in meaning with adjectives: positive comparative superlative comment tarthor ferthest ditance fr rhe furthest distance or iter latest, late ater x x lat we OMe dest people and things sicer laest people tariy) searer nearest distance x next orderSPELLING INVESTIGATIONS. 3 Comparatives and superlatives = Teacher’s notes Lesson starter ‘After reading the passage, ask the pupils to Ideatify the effect of the ‘poetical young gentleman's’ superlaives: grandest, greatest, lflicst, lowtiest, moanost, mightiest, most itifud, noblest, obscurest and test, Which fone would be more likely to be formed by preceding the word with raost rather than by fading the suffix -032 The Activity Sheet will help, Diseuss when to use mast oF the suffix -est to form a superiative. Ask the pupils to give the base or absolute and the comparative for of each superiative: for example, groat/ Greater greatest, lowly /iotolier lowliest. Discuss the changes in spelling of the base form ‘when vonel suffixes are added and why these changes are necessary: for pronunciation purpeses (nobloest would have an unwanted ec Sound and bigest would have a unwanted log, {and soft q), or because the resulting word. ‘would look awkward Gumnyer/fimmyest), The Activity Sheet will help (sce also Useful rules or strategies) Useful vies or strategies ‘The focus is how the addition of vowel suffixes to form comparatives and superlatives affects, the spellings of adjectives, and the rules for those spollings. Change a final y to 4 (for instance, lefty/loftier/loftiest); double the final ‘consonant if itis preceded by a short vowel phoneme, where the stress Is on the last syllable (for example, fat/fattor/fattest) drop 2 final e (for example, vile/viler/vilest); there is no change in adjectives ending in bv0 consonants Extensions Other spelling activities + Investigate the formation and spelling of adjectives ending in -al: Jorma, poetical, punctual, and others which are not in the passage, such as bestia, incidental, usual Point out that adjectives never end in le, hich sounds like -al ‘+ Examine the formation of nouns ending in ity: formality, opportunity, and others not in the passage, such a8 charity, chastity, domesticity, cquatity, fraternity, velocity. ‘ora single consonant preceded by a long vowel phoneme (for example, grund/arancer/ grandest, mean/moaner/ meanest). TRE unis are also asked to form comparatives and Superlatives by adkiing more and most, to write rules for forming comparatives and superlatives, and to form the eomparatives and superlatives of adverbs. Development ‘The puplls are asked to consider decreasing” comparatives and superlatives: happy/loss happy /teast happy. They are also askes 10 «examine hove the formation of comparatives and Superlatives has ehanged! aver time, Modern, practice is to use more and maost for adjetives ‘of oxo syllables or more, such as beatiful pleasant and propor; there are relatively few adjectives to which er and -est are added, ‘whereas in the eightoenth and nineteenth ‘centuries it was common to add -er and -es¢ 10 most adjectives. The popils could also look for adjectives which can have no ¢0 ‘superlative and explain why: for example, alive, oad, equal, only, paratiel, single. [Exakaationm —EEEE Use this session for monitoring and assessment. Bring the group together. Invite the pupils to compare the results from their work ard say ‘what they have discovered about the formation ‘of comparatives and superintives. Invite them 10 share the rules which have emerged. Can they find any exceptions to the rules? Collect and display any useful words or enter them into an electronic database. Useful words Dad, worse, worst; calm, calmer, calmest; dose, closer, closest; far, farther, farthest further, ‘urthest; ft, iter, test: friendly, frendier friendliest; good, better, best; healthy, healthies, healthiest; kind, kinder, kindest; lovely, lovelies, loveliest; noisy, nvisier, noisiest; polite, poiter, Dollies; Strange, scranger, strangest; Well Detter, best; wet, wetter, wettest