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Simmons.
 Degree

Am I Or the
smarter? smartest?
 This
presentation
covers
appropriate
comparative
and
superlative
forms of
adjectives
and adverbs.
A degree item on an objective
test might look like this . . .
 Sample Item

Roxanne is the __________ member of her

family.

A.
A.smartest
smartest
B.most smartest
C.more smart
D.least smartest Which choice
Smartest is
fills the blank
the correct
with the
superlative
correct form of
form.?
smart
 Comparative

• Forms include -er adjectives and the words

better, worse, more, and less.
• Use with two items.
Between those two friends, Yolanda
Yolanda is taller.
is tallest.

Not the tallest!

Use -er when you
have only two!
 Superlative

• Forms include -est adjectives and the words

best, worst, most, and least.
• Use with three or more items.
Of all of her friends, Yolanda
Yolanda is the most
is more
gregarious
gregarious. .

What can I
say — I’m a
people
person!
 Do not use a double
comparative or superlative!

We saw that Thomas made an A on the difficult test.

mosthappiest
He is the most happy student
student in
in Professor
Professor Orsini’s
Orsini’s
class.

Most happy or
happiest — not
both!
 Know the correct forms.

One-syllable
words usually
take -er or -est:
Nice, nicer, Words with
nicest! three or more
syllables use
more, most,
less, and least.
Two-syllable For example,
words vary: more
lazier but interesting or
more least
handsome. interesting.
 Quick Test, Part 1

Directions: In the items that follow, choose

the option that corrects an error in the
underlined portion. If no error exists, choose
“No change is necessary.”

The ball’s in
your court.
Show us what
you can do.
 Item 1

My standard poodle Jack is the biggest

biggestofofmy
my two
two dogs.
dogs.

A.
A.bigger
bigger
B.more bigger
C.most big
D.No change is necessary.
 Item 2

Joseph’s parents have three sons. Joseph is the

most daring while Jason is the more
more cautious
cautiousofof
the three.

A.cautiouser
B.more cautiouser
C.most
most cautious
cautious
D.No change is necessary.
 Item 3

Raphael, our new roommate, is lazy. Of the

truckload of boxes, Chuck and I had to carry the
heavier ones.
heavier ones.

A.
A.heaviest
heaviest
B.more heavy
C.more heavier
D.No change is necessary.
 Item 4

Professor Zuromski read my essay in front of the

entire class. Obviously, I am the better
better writer
writer
among her many students.

A.
A.best
best
B.most great
C.greater
D.No change is necessary.
 Quick Test, Part 2

Directions: In the items that follow, choose

the word or phrase that best completes the
sentence.

Now try
some
different
items.
 Item 5

Roxanne can frost cupcakes __________ than

anyone else in the cake-decorating class.

A.quickest
B.more
more quickly
quickly
C.most quickly
D.quicker
 Item 6

Of all our friends, Thomas is the __________

person we know.

A.more sad
B.sadder
C.saddest
saddest
D.most saddest
 Item 7

No one drives __________ than Grandmother

Ruth.

A.slowest
B.more slowest
C.more slower
D.more
more slowly
slowly
 Item 8

Cameron spent four hours cleaning our tiny

apartment. Now he is __________ than he was
when the place was a pigsty.

A.
A.less
less grouchy
grouchy
B.less grouchier
C.grouchiless
D.the least grouchy
 Item 9

David smiled and bowed; Glen offered a single

red rose; and Fred farted and picked his nose. Of
the three of us, poor Cheryl certainly has the
__________ date.

A.worse
B.more worse
C.worst
worst
D.more terrible
 Item 10

After Mrs. McKnight found 44 errors in his last

essay, Albert decided to proofread his next paper
__________.

A.slower
B.more
more carefully
carefully
C.most carefully
D.carefuller
The End.