ADJECTIVES -COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

In English the adjective normally goes before the noun. When there is more than one adjective the more precise adjective is nearest the noun.

The order of adjectives is important and is as follows:

Determiner + your opinion + dimension (size, weight) + age + shape + colour + origin + material + purpose

E.g:

A big black English sheep dog.

Some short blue denim jeans.

A horrible old door mat.

Two beautiful small glass vases.

Exceptions

Adjectives describing measurements come after the measure:

He is 2 metres tall.

The boat is 75 feet long.

The swimming pool is 5 metres wide and 10 metres long.

Some adjectives (e.g. alone, afraid, alive, awake) come after the verb – never before a noun.

I don’t like living alone.

He is afraid of dogs.

I feel alive and wide awake.

Adjectives are often followed by an infinitive + to

It is difficult to read English.

The instructions are easy to follow.

Adjectives ending in –ed come after a verb like be and seem or before a noun, and describe a person’s feelings.

She seems worried about him.

It is a frightened dog that barks.

Adjectives ending in –ing come after a verb or before a noun, and describe the person or thing that produces those feelings.

It is very interesting.

It is a worrying time for all of us.

COMPARATIVES

Comparatives are used to compare two things with each other.

We form the comparative by:

Adding –(e)r to adjectives of 1 syllable. Long – longer, small –smaller

We double the consonant if the word ends in vowel + consonant. Big – bigger, fat - fatter

Adding –ier to adjectives ending in y (the y is dropped). Happy – happier, pretty – prettier

Using more + adjective to adjectives of more than two syllables

More comfortable, more interesting

The word ‘than’ always follows a comparative:

This apple is greener than that one.

My sister is thinner than my brother.

The armchair is more comfortable than the sofa.

SUPERLATIVES

Superlatives are used to compare two or more things but to say why one is exceptional.

We form the superlative by:

Adding –(e)st to adjectives of 1 syllable. Long – longest. Small – smallest

We double the consonant if the word ends in vowel + consonant. Big – biggest. Fat-fattest.

Adding –iest to adjectives ending in y (the y is dropped). Happy – happiest, pretty – prettiest.

Using the most + adjective for adjectives of more than two syllables.

The most comfortable. The most interesting.

Other constructions

We can use as + adjective + as for positive comparisons.

He is as strong as a horse.

And not as/so + adjective + as for negative comparisons.

He is not so / as clever as his sister.

Exceptions

Good - Better – Best

Bad – Worse – Worst

Much/Many – More – Most

Far – farther/Further – Farthest/Further

Old – Older/Elder – Oldest/Elder

Some adjectives with two syllables can form their comparative and superlative in two ways: either by adding –er, -est or by using more, most.

Sally is cleverer/more clever than her brother.

The commonest/most common cause of road death is driving too fast.

EXERCISES

Put the adjectives in the right order:

1. a hair drier German blue small.

2. a leather flat black small wallet.

3. a Japanese fountain pen beautiful red.

4. a French writing desk, wood, antique.

5. a ceramic white round table lamp.

6. a square red silk Chinese scarf.

7. a leather light brown suitcase new.

Complete the following sentences using an opposite adjective in either the comparative or superlative.

1. Bob is more stupid than his brother.

No he’s not, he is..............................................

2. I’m the tallest in the class.

No you are not. You’re ...........................................

3. My homework was worse than yours.

No it wasn’t. It was............................................

4. The weather today is colder than yesterday.

No it is............................................................

5. She bought the cheapest watch in the shop.

No she didn’t. She bought......................................

6. Jack is meaner than John.

No, Jack is....................................................

7. Janet arrived later than Paul.

No she didn’t. She arrived...................................

8. This is the easiest exercise I have ever done!

No it isn’t. It’s..............................................

Rewrite the following sentences with as...........as, or not as/so..................as.

1. Jill is more intelligent than Bill.

Bill ....................................................

2. The sun is much hotter than the moon.

The moon ................................................

3. Are you and your husband the same age?

Are you...................................................... your husband?

4. You can read more quickly than I can.

I cannot read...................................................

5. Harry won more money than Bill.

Bill did not win...................................................

6. Is Switzerland bigger than Spain? No it isn’t.

Is Switzerland....................................Spain? No it isn’t.

7. Eva’s job is better than mine.

My work.............................................

8. Dogs are friendlier than cats.

Cats..........................................................

Write the comparative and superlative of the following adjectives.

Beautiful

Happy

New

Lovely

Hot

Good

Handsome

Mean

Generous

Thin

Busy

Patient

Young

Bad

Comfortable

Rude

Fit

ADVERBS OF FREQUENCY

Adverbs of Frequency

Adverbs of Frequency tell us "How often" or "How frequently" we do something or something happens.

In terms of frequency, the adverbs used are:

100%-51% 50%-21% 20%-0%

Always Often Infrequently

Constantly Frequently Seldom

Normally Occasionally Rarely

Generally Sometimes Hardly ever

Usually

Repeatedly

Adverbs of frequency normally come before the main verb except when the main verb is "to be" when they come after the present and past forms of the verb (am, are, is, was, were). In the case of tenses that use an auxiliary verb (have, has, had, (is and are + -ing), can, could, would, will, etc) we put the adverb between the auxiliary and the main verb.

• We usually go shopping on Saturday.
• I have often done that.
• She was never on time.
• I can hardly ever sleep during the day.
• They are always arguing.

Occasionally, sometimes, regularly, often, frequently and usually can also go at the beginning or end of a sentence:

• Sometimes they look after our dog for us.
• I play basketball occasionally.

Rarely and seldom can also go at the end of a sentence (often with "very"):

• We go to the cinema rarely.
• Francis eats fish very seldom.

The following tables show the possible positions of adverbs of frequency in affirmative, negative, interrogative, and imperative sentences

Affirmative Sentences
Subject	Auxiliary	Adv. of Frequency	Main Verb	Rest of the sentence
The mosquitos		usually	bite	after dark.
I		sometimes	have	problems speaking English.
John		often	went	to the beach for the summer.
Patricia	has	never	been	to the United States.
Bob	has	always	wanted	to own motorbike.
I	will	always	be	available if you need me.

Affirmative Sentences with the verb be
Subject	BE	Adv. of Frequency	Rest of the sentence
The train	is	usually	full at this time of day.
Some people	are	never	happy.

Negative Sentences
Subject	Auxiliary	Adv. of Frequency	Main Verb	Rest of the sentence
Sheila	doesn't	usually	have	breakfast.
It	doesn't	often	rain	here during the summer.
I	don't	ever	read	on the toilet!

Negative Sentences with the verb be
Subject	BE + not	Adv. of Frequency	Predicate
Coats	aren't	usually	necessary in Brazil.
Graham	isn't	often	late for work.

Interrogative Sentences
Auxiliary	Subject	Adv. of Frequency	Main Verb	Rest of the sentence
Does	Emily	usually	have	Lunch at home?
Do	you	always	read	In bed?
Did	Clare	ever	play	the violin?
Don't	you	ever	shut up?

Interrogative Sentences with the verb be
BE	Subject	Adv. of Frequency	Rest of the sentence
Are	you	always	grumpy in the morning?
Isn't	Tom	normally	here by six o'clock?

Imperative Sentences
Adv. of Frequency	Verb	Rest of the sentence
Always	eat	your greens!
Never	cross	the road without looking!
Always	be	kind to others!

Possibilities for the use of Adverbs of Frequency.
Adv. of Frequency	Affirmative	Negative		Interrogative	Imperative
Always	X	X	X		X
Usually/ Constantly/ Normally/ Generally / Regularly/ Routinely/ Repeatedly/ Often / Frequently	X	X	X
sometimes/ occasionally	X		X
rarely/seldom/hardly ever/scarcely ever/ scarcely/ infrequently	X
never	X				X
ever		X	X

Exercises:

1. Put the adverb of frequency in the correct position in the following sentences:

1) He goes to the cinema. (often)............................................................................

2) They play tennis on Sundays. (sometimes)..........................................................

3) Peter does his homework. (never)......................................................................

4) Tamzin is very busy. (usually)..............................................................................

5) I don’t put sugar in my coffee. (ever)...................................................................

6) Ramon and Francisco are fighting over girls. (often).............................................

7) My mother goes for a walk in the afternoon. (always).........................................

2. Ask the following questions using the adverbs of frequency.

1. Do you go to the cinema at the weekends? (usually)

2. Do you feel tired at work? (sometimes)

3. Have you been to Disneyland? (ever)

4. Do you watch television? (often)

5. Can you do crosswords? (normally)

6. Is the weather good in July? (always)

7. Has he wanted to be a fireman? (ever)

8. Does she go to the hairdressers? (regularly)

3. Put the following sentences into the correct order.

1. never I am late for work ......................................................................

2. brother always his can come to help....................................................

3. We the share rarely housework............................................................

4. often you go out the evening the do in ?..............................................

5. do to the gym you how often go ?........................................................

6. weekend always do at go you fishing the ?...........................................

7. after school usually do my I homework ...............................................

8. is with being stupid friends always he his ............................................

9. political ask we questions never ..........................................................

10. Is often angry she ?..............................................................................