MODIFIERS

ADJECTIVES: COMPARATIVE
AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS
COMPARATIVES
We use comparatives when we talk about two things:
 Alexander of Macedonia was greater than Napoleon.
 Elizabeth I of England was as great as Catherine of Russia.

We form comparatives four ways:

> If the adjective has one syllable (great), we add -er to it {greater) and follow
the word with than (greater than).
> If the adjective has two syllables and ends in -y (friendly), we change the y to i
and add -er (friendlier) and follow the word with than (friendlier than).
> If the adjective has two or more syllables (interesting), we put more before it
(more interesting) and follow the word with than (more interesting than).
>• If two or more things are the same, we put as before and after the adjective
(as great as).
SUPERLATIVES
We use superlatives when we talk about three or more things:
 Of the five bosses I've worked for in my career, Mr. Honeywell is
the friendliest.
We form superlatives in 3 ways:
> If the adjective has one syllable (great), we put the before it and
add -est to it (the greatest).
> If the adjective has two syllables and ends in y (friendly), we put
the before it, change the y to I, and add -est to it (the friendliest).
> If the adjective has two or more syllables (interesting), we put the
most before it (the most interesting).
 Some adjectives in English have irregular comparative
and superlative forms:

Adjective Comparative Superlative

good better best
bad worse worst
far farther/further farthest/furthest
little less (noncount)/few (count) Least/fewest
many/more more most
Practice A
DIRECTIONS: Mark the choice that best completes the
sentence.
1. The size ten envelopes are_______for sending documents than those small ones.
(A) better
(B) more better
(C) best
(D) the best
2. You can buy the slightly _____pens this time. We don't need the most expensive ones.
(A) cheap
(B) cheaper
(C) cheapest
(D) the cheapest
3. Paul is _____ candidate for that position. He hates speaking in public.
(A) the bad
(B) worse
(C) worst
(D) The worst
ADVERBS OF FREQUENCY
SINGLE WORDS
• Adverbs of frequency can be single words such as always, seldom, or never.
> We put adverbs of frequency after the verb be.
 They are rarely late for meetings.
> We put adverbs of frequency between the subject and the verb.
 She never acts rude, even when she has a lot of stress.
> We put adverbs of frequency after the first auxiliary.
 She can usually be reached on her cell phone.

PHRASES
• Adverbs of frequency can also be phrases such as on occasion or from time to
time.
 On occasion, the whole office likes having lunch together.
 The whole office likes having lunch together from time to time.
Practice B
DIRECTIONS: Mark the choice that best completes the
sentence.
1. We _____ look at resumes sent by e-mail. You must deliver it by mail or in person.
(A) sometimes
(B) rarely
(C) never
(D) always
2. I ______ buy a cup of coffee at w^ork, but I usually bring one from home.
(A) always
(B) sometimes
(C) usually
(D) often
3. It is our policy to give employees at least one warning. We ______fire a person after only one
minor mistake.
(A) sometimes
(B) never
(C) rarely
(D) frequently
VERBAL ADJECTIVES: PRESENT
AND PAST PARTICIPLES
PRESENT PARTICIPLE
We use the present participle adjective to describe a person or thing that is responsible
for doing an action or causing a feeling {burning food / a frightening movie).
We form the present participle by adding -ing to a verb (interesting).

PAST PARTICIPLE
We use the past participle adjective to describe a person or thing that receives an action
or feeling (the burned food / the frightened moviegoers).
We form the past participle in three ways:
> If the verb is regular, it looks just like the simple past: wre add -d or -ed to it (boiled).
> If the verb ends in -ay, it looks like the simple past: we change the y to i and then add
-d (paid).
> If the verb is irregular, it is the third form of that verb (see, saw, seen).
Practice c
DIRECTIONS: Mark the choice that best completes the
sentence.
1. The _______ photocopier is sitting on the floor underneath the table.
(A) break
(B) broken
(C) breaking
(D) broke
2. We're interested in the woman _______in the last chair of the first row.
(A) seat
(B) seated
(C) seating
(D) sat
3. I found this _____ piece of paper on your desk.
Why did you destroy the document?
(A) tearing
(B) tear
(C) torn
(D) to tear