Irregular Forms Comparative and Superlative Adjectives and Adverbs

Irregular FormsIrregular Forms

Comparative and Comparative and Superlative Adjectives Superlative Adjectives

and Adverbsand Adverbs

The Basics of ComparisonComparative Form

• You compare TWO things by adding – er or using the word “more” or “less”

• Examples:

• Your cookie is big.

• My cookie is bigger.

• Of these two cookies, mine is bigger.

• His story is impressive.

• My story is more impressive than his.

• Of the two stories, mine is the more impressive.

Superlative Form

• You compare MORE than two things by adding –est or using the word “most” or “least”

• She is happy. He is happier. I am happiest.

• Among the three of them, Sally is the happiest of all.

• That ring is exquisite. Mine is more exquisite, but hers is the most exquisite of all.

When do you use er, est and when do you use more/less, most/least?One syllable words use –er, - est.Two syllable words do not form the

degrees of comparison in a consistent way!

Three syllables or more in a word…the comparative and superlative forms are created using less/more, least/most.

What Makes Them What Makes Them “Irregular?”“Irregular?”

• Some comparative and superlative Some comparative and superlative forms do not follow any rules or forms do not follow any rules or patterns.patterns.

• Instead of the typical –er or –est Instead of the typical –er or –est suffix, irregular forms often change suffix, irregular forms often change the root word entirely.the root word entirely.

HereHereAre Some Are Some

Irregular AdverbsIrregular Adverbs


WordWord ComparativeComparative SuperlativeSuperlative

BadlyBadly



BadlyBadly WorseWorse



BadlyBadly WorseWorse WorstWorst




MuchMuch




MuchMuch MoreMore




MuchMuch MoreMore MostMost





LittleLittle





LittleLittle LessLess





LittleLittle LessLess LeastLeast






WellWell






WellWell BetterBetter






WellWell BetterBetter BestBest

Now ForNow For

The Irregular The Irregular Adjectives!!Adjectives!!

Irregular AdjectivesIrregular Adjectives


GoodGood



GoodGood BetterBetter



GoodGood BetterBetter BestBest




BadBad




BadBad WorseWorse




BadBad WorseWorse WorstWorst





MuchMuch





MuchMuch MoreMore











LittleLittle






LittleLittle LessLess













WellWell







WellWell BetterBetter















ManyMany








ManyMany MoreMore








ManyMany MoreMore MostMost

Oops!!Oops!!• I forgot to mention one more I forgot to mention one more irregular adjectiveirregular adjective to to

add to your list!add to your list!

• farfar

• ComparativeComparative = farther = farther

• Superlative Superlative = farthest= farthest

• Orlando is Orlando is far far away.away.

• Key West is Key West is fartherfarther away than Orlando.away than Orlando.

• Dave drove to Orlando. Jeff drove to Key West. Of Dave drove to Orlando. Jeff drove to Key West. Of the two, Jeff drove the the two, Jeff drove the farthestfarthest..– Farther refers to the “increased distance” between two cities.Farther refers to the “increased distance” between two cities.– Farthest states that between the two men, Jeff drove the “greatest” Farthest states that between the two men, Jeff drove the “greatest”

length.length.

Let’s See Some Let’s See Some ExamplesExamples

• Nathan made stew.Nathan made stew.


• Nathan madeNathan made Good Good Stew.Stew.

• Molly’s stew was .Molly’s stew was .



• Molly’s stew was Molly’s stew was BetterBetter..

• Ezra made the stew of all.Ezra made the stew of all.



• Molly’s stew was Molly’s stew was BetterBetter..

• Ezra made the Ezra made the BestBest stew of all. stew of all.

Double NegativesDouble Negatives

Occurs when a negative word or Occurs when a negative word or contractioncontraction is used in the same is used in the same sentence as another negative word.sentence as another negative word.

Negative ContractionsNegative Contractions

Isn’tIsn’t = is not= is not Haven’t = have notHaven’t = have not

Wasn’t = was notWasn’t = was not Hadn’t = had notHadn’t = had not

Weren’tWeren’t = were not= were not Wouldn’t = would Wouldn’t = would notnot

Won’t = won’tWon’t = won’t Shouldn’t = should notShouldn’t = should not

Can’t Can’t = cannot= cannot

Couldn’t Couldn’t = could not = could not

Don’t Don’t = do not= do not

Didn’t Didn’t = did not= did not

When a negative contraction is placed in When a negative contraction is placed in the same sentence or clause as another the same sentence or clause as another negative word (such as never, nobody, negative word (such as never, nobody, none, no one, nothing, nowhere, none, no one, nothing, nowhere, scarcely, or hardly) it creates an scarcely, or hardly) it creates an ungrammatical statement known as a ungrammatical statement known as a double negativedouble negative

Ex: Ex: The car The car couldn’t hardlycouldn’t hardly roll up the roll up the hill.hill.

Ex: Ex: Kevin Kevin won’t neverwon’t never make the team. make the team.

Ex: Ex: He was so annoying, no one He was so annoying, no one couldn’t couldn’t standstand to be around him! to be around him!

To correct a double negative, you need To correct a double negative, you need to replace the negative word with an to replace the negative word with an affirmativeaffirmative word. word.

Affirmative words are words like:Affirmative words are words like:

Ever, always, anybody, somebody, Ever, always, anybody, somebody, one, all, some, any, everyone, one, all, some, any, everyone, someone, something, anything, someone, something, anything, somewhere, anywhere.somewhere, anywhere.

Let’s practice!Let’s practice!

How would you correct the following How would you correct the following sentences?sentences?

Ex:Ex: Justin didn’t know Justin didn’t know nobodynobody at the at the party.party.

Ex:Ex: Carla couldn’t Carla couldn’t nevernever get in touch get in touch with her doctor.with her doctor.

Ex: Ex: Can’t nothingCan’t nothing keep me from going! keep me from going!

Ex:Ex: He He hasn’t neverhasn’t never been been nowherenowhere..

Double ComparisonsDouble Comparisons

Occur when “-er,” “more,” “-est,” or Occur when “-er,” “more,” “-est,” or “most” is added to a word that is already “most” is added to a word that is already a comparison.a comparison.

Ex: Ex: She is much She is much more wiser more wiser these days.these days.

Ex: Ex: Adam is Adam is more better more better than Alex, in my than Alex, in my opinion.opinion.

Ex: Ex: Chicago is Chicago is less windierless windier than I thought than I thought it would be.it would be.

Ex: Ex: She is the She is the most prettiest most prettiest girl I have girl I have ever seen!ever seen!

GoodGoodvs.vs.

WellWell

Sometimes it’s hard to tell Sometimes it’s hard to tell if a word is an if a word is an Adjective Adjective or or an an AdverbAdverb• One troublesome pair of words isOne troublesome pair of words is

““Good” and “Well”Good” and “Well”

GoodGoodIs always an Is always an adjective!!adjective!!

It refers to quality or appearance.It refers to quality or appearance.

For Example:For Example:

Good = Good = AdjectiveAdjective

• That was a That was a goodgood job Amber.job Amber.

• Good describes jobGood describes job. . It describes theIt describes the quality of the job. Amber did a good quality of the job. Amber did a good job.job.

Good = Good = AdjectiveAdjective

• Rebecca has Rebecca has good good posture.posture.

• Good describes posture. It tells us Good describes posture. It tells us more about Rebecca’s appearance more about Rebecca’s appearance and how her posture looked.and how her posture looked.

WellWellCan be used as an Can be used as an

adjective adjective or an or an adverb!!adverb!!

Well = adjectiveWell = adjective• Well Well can be used as an adjective can be used as an adjective

when it is used to mean when it is used to mean healthy.healthy.

• Example:Example:

• Johnny had the mumps. Now he is Johnny had the mumps. Now he is well.well.

• Well Well is used here as a is used here as a Predicate Predicate adjective. adjective. It describes Johnny.It describes Johnny.

Well = Well = adverbadverb• Well Well is usually and is usually and adverb. adverb. It is used It is used

to describe how an action is to describe how an action is performed.performed.

• Example:Example:

• How did Amber do the Job? She did it How did Amber do the Job? She did it well.well.

• Well Well is an is an adverb adverb that describes how that describes how the action was done. the action was done.

NOWNOWLet’s Practice!Let’s Practice!

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Irregular Forms Comparative and Superlative Adjectives and Adverbs