File 1B Adjectives

Theory slides
KSS EN Third grade
What is wrong with these adjectives?
1 It’s a snake poisonous.
2 They’re very powerfuls people.
3 I’m more old than my brother.
4 Rome isn’t as expensive than Paris.
5 It’s the difficultest exercise in the book.
What is wrong with these adjectives?
1 It’s a poisonous snake poisonous.
2 They’re very powerfuls people.
3 I’m more old older than my brother.
4 Rome isn’t as expensive than as Paris.
5 It’s the difficultest most difficult exercise in the book.
The grammar of adjectives
What are comparative and superlative adjectives?
1) Comparatives (germ. Steigerungsform)
 with -er added to it, or
 more or less in front of it

• This car is certainly better, but it's much more expensive.

• I'm feeling happier now.
• We need a bigger garden.
The grammar of adjectives
What are comparative and superlative adjectives?
2) Superlatives (germ. zweite Steigerungsform, Superlativ)
 with -est on the end of it, or
 most or least in front of it

• Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

• That’s the best film I have seen this year.
• I have three sisters: Jan is the oldest and Angela is the youngest.
Comparative and superlative adjectives
Pattern 1: Most one-syllable adjectives
Rule  Add -er and -est

Adjective Comparative Superlative

cheap cheaper (the) cheapest
fast faster (the) fastest
young younger (the) youngest
tall taller (the) tallest
Comparative and superlative adjectives
Pattern 2: One- or two-syllable adjectives that end in -ed
Rule  Add more and most

Adjective Comparative Superlative

bored more bored (the) most bored
worried more worried (the) most worried
changed more changed (the) most changed
interested more interested (the) most interested
Comparative and superlative adjectives
Pattern 3: One-syllable adjectives ending in a short vowel
and a consonant (in the comparative form)
Rule  Double the consonant and add –er and –est.

Adjective Comparative Superlative

big bigger (the) biggest
fat fatter (the) fattest
dim dimmer (the) dimmest
hot hotter (the) hottest
Comparative and superlative adjectives
Pattern 4: Two-syllable adjectives ending in a -y
Rule  Change the -y into -i and add –er and –est*

Adjective Comparative Superlative

angry angrier (the) angriest
busy busier (the) busiest
happy happier (the) happiest
lucky luckier (the) luckiest

*The Y-rule
Comparative and superlative adjectives
Pattern 5: Two-syllable adjectives or adjectives with more
than two syllables
Rule  Add more/most
Adjective Comparative Superlative
common (two syll.) more common (the) most common
handsome (two syll.) more handsome (the) most handsome
expensive more expensive (the) most expensive
intelligent more intelligent (the) most intelligent
Comparative and superlative adjectives
Note: Some two-syllable adjectives …
… can form the comparative and superlative with either
–er and –est or more and most.

 In many cases, the likelier (or: more likely) and better

safer choice is using more and most.

Two-syllable adjectives that can do both:

• likely, shallow, narrow, polite, quiet
Comparative and superlative adjectives
Less and least:
Rule  We can use less or least with adjectives of any
number of syllables.

In other words: With less/ least it does not matter how

many syllables the adjective has.

I’m less busy next week.

I’m the least interesting person in this building.
Go to page 133, read the grammar section
and complete the two tasks (a) and (b)