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Prep One Upstream Book A2/Hello Book Unit 4 (Grammar)

Comparative adj: adj to compare between

2 things/ persons

This tree is taller than that.

I am shorter than you.

Superlative adj: adj to compare one person / thing

to a group

super = the most:

she’s the cleverest student.

she’s the cleverest of the students.

super x the least: she’s the least careful student in

the class

The General Rule:

One-Syllable Adjectives

Comparative adj: adj + er than

Superlative adj: adj + est in+ place → He is the best in this class.

of +persons/ things → He is the best one of the students.

Adjective Comparative Superlative

soft softer tan the softest

cheap cheaper tan the cheapest

sweet sweeter tan the sweetest

thin thinner tan the thinnest

Examples:

adj + er+ than

Ahmed is taller than Ali

He is 20 cm taller than Ali

Sohais 10 kg lighter than me.

the + adj + est

Mona is the shortest girl in the school (in + place)

Mona is the shortest of the girls. (of + persons or things)

SPELLING RULES

• One-syllable adj ending in –e: (e) is removed when adding -er/-est

r + adj+ than the +adj.+ st

large larger than the largest

wide wider than the widest

nice nicer than the nicest

• One-syllable adj ending in a vowel + a consonant letter: the consonant letter is doubled

thin → thinner, big → biggest.

no. of vowel sounds = no. of syllables

one or two syllables add (er) add (est)

more than two syllables

use more/ less use the most/ the least

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One-syllable adj or two-syllable adj ending in –y:

change -y to i + er

i +est

One-syllable adj ex: dry: drier than the driest

REGUALR TWO-SYLLABLE

ADJ EXAMPLES:

CONFUSING BUT REGULAR ADJ. :

Two-syllable adj. ending in ow/ le / er

Narrow: narrower than the narrowest

Gentle: gentler than the gentlest

Tender: tenderer than the tenderest

Clever: cleverer than the cleverest

Bitter bitterer than the bitterest

Slender slenderer than the slenderest

Slender: tall and thin in an attractive way

IRREGULAR TWO-SYLLABLE ADJ.

• Two-syllable adjectives ending in -ed, -ing, -ful, –less

- Comparative adj: more/less + adj + than - Superlative adj: the most/ the least +adj

Adjective Comparative adj. Superlative adj

worried more worried than

less worried than

the most worried

the least worried

boring more boring than

less boring than

the most worried

the least worried

careful more careful than

less careful than

the most careful

the least careful

useless more useless than

less useless than

the most useless

the least useless

THREE-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES OR MORE TAN THREE:

- Comparative: more/less + adj+ than - Superlative: the most/ the least+ adj

Adjective

dangerous

Comparative adj

more dangerous than

less dangerous than

Superlative adj

the most dangerous

the least dangerous

Adjective Comparative adj. Superlative adj.

lucky luckier than the luckiest

pretty prettier than the prettiest

tidy tidier the tidiest

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Farther: for distance

Further = more

as adj as = so adj as

I am as happy as you.

I am so happy as you.

My dress is as expensive as hers.

My dress is so expensive as hers.

not as adj as = not so adj as

I am not as happy as you.

I am not so happy as you.

My dress is not as expensive as hers.

My dress is not so expensive as hers.

Much + (comparative adj.)

This student is much (smarter than) the other.

This student is much (smarter than) the other.

Much + ( comparative adj.)

The lion is much (more dangerous than) the cat.

The lion is much (more dangerous than) the cat.

Notes:

Long (adj): for: -Distance: long road/ way

- Horizontal things: long lake/ nile

- Body parts + clothes: long hair/ arm/ leg/ long dress/ garment

-Time: long hours/ How long have you stayed there?

- Words and sentences: It's a long word/ sentence

Tall (adj): for: - People: a tall girl/ boy - Animals: a tall giraffe - Plants: a tall tree

- Vertical things: the drinks were served in tall glasses/ tall bottles/ tall cans

High (adj): for: - Buildings/ towers