1. COMPARISONS USING MODIFIERS

2. DEGREES OF COMPARISON
Adjectives and adverbs have three different forms (called degrees) which depend on how many items are being described or compared.
POSITIVE DEGREE = one thing being described (This is what we have been discussing.)
COMPARATIVE DEGREE = two things being compared
SUPERLATIVE DEGREE = three or more things being compared

3. EXAMPLES
POSITIVE DEGREE: The players think Coach Smith is a good player.
COMPARATIVE DEGREE: The players think Coach Smith is a better player than his daughter.
SUPERLATIVE DEGREE: The players think that Coach Smith is the best coach in the league.

4. RULES FOR MOST COMPARISONS
COMPARATIVE
SUPERLATIVE
Add –er or –est
to one-syllable words
to many two-syllable words
tougher
happier
toughest
happiest
Use more or most
with some two-syllable words to avoid awkward sounds
with words of more than two syllables
with adverbs ending in
-ly
more helpless (not helplesser)
more important
more quickly
most helpless (not helplessest)
most important
most quickly

5. WATCH OUT! Never use the superlative degree when only
two things are being compared. (You must
use the comparative degree.)
WRONG: Of the two sandwiches, which did you like best?
RIGHT: Of the two sandwiches, which did you like better?
ex. On a test question with only two choices, you must choose the BETTER answer, not the BEST.

6. IRREGULAR COMPARISONS
ADVERB OR ADJECTIVE
COMPARATIVE DEGREE
SUPERLATIVE DEGREE
GOOD (adj.)
better
best
WELL (adv.)
FAR (adv.)
farther, further
farthest, furthest
BAD (adj.)
worse
worst
MUCH (adj.)
more
most
MANY (adj.)
LITTLE (adj.)
less, lesser
least
Lesser: He is a lesser man than I.
Least: He gave the least amount of money. (adj.)
Least: He is the least skilled member of the team. (adv.)
Much: He ate much cake. (adj.)
Much: He is much heaver than I.

7. PROBLEMS WITH COMPARISONS
Double Comparisons: Do not use –er
and more to form the comparative
degree. Do not use –est and most to
form the superlative degree.
WRONG: His eyes were more bluer than yours.
WRONG: That was the most hardest test I’ve ever taken!

8. ILLOGICAL COMPARISONS
When you are comparing something
that is part of a larger group to the
group itself, use the word other or the
word else to avoid an illogical
comparison.
WRONG: I think a werewolf is more mysterious than any monster.
RIGHT: I think a werewolf is more mysterious than any other monster.
RIGHT: You are more annoying than anyone else I know.

9. WHAT’S WRONG WITH EACH SENTENCE?
He ran the course quicker than I did.
Do you like Alias or Lost best?
When speaking of coyotes and bears, coyotes are smartest.