How to write a letter in English. How to write a message: the rule of writing a letter in English. Letter to a friend about your family in English

Having saved us from the need to memorize endings, the English adjective has ceased to change in numbers, genders and cases over time (namely, centuries). But, as you understand, all the difficulties did not have time to disappear: the degrees of comparison (Degrees of Comparison) have not gone away and continue to "please" students. Why are they needed? Will not the richest speech means allow us to do without all these additional forms?

Yes, they won't. All our life we ​​compare people and objects: someone is taller, someone is more beautiful, someone has a more powerful car. And all these thoughts need to be able to express in English. Every day we choose the best, the most interesting and exciting. The use of degrees of comparison is relevant in any language, because we are constantly looking for superiority. If you have already started studying this foreign language, then this topic should be mastered by 100%.

So, for starters, remember that adjectives are quality (Qualitative) and relative (relative). And only the first group can be used in our rule.

Three degrees of comparison of adjectives in English: positive, comparative, superlative degrees.

Sometimes we use an adjective simply as a description. So we use a positive degree. If you say that a certain quality is more pronounced in one subject than in another, then you need a comparative one. And in the superlative, we want to show that the subject acts as the very-most. Let's look at examples.

Positive (Positive or absolute) represents the usual form, such as in which the adjective is presented in the dictionary:

interesting - big - clever

This house is big.

Comparative degree of adjectives in English (comparative) is used when it is necessary to compare two or more objects, faces. In Russian, it sounds like this: bigger, more beautiful, more interesting, older.

bigger, colder, more difficult.

This house is bigger than that. This house is bigger than that one.

Superlatives in English (superlative) shows that an object or person has the highest quality characteristics. In Russian, it sounds like this: the best is the best; the kindest - the kindest; the smallest is the smallest. In English, it is always accompanied by the article “the” and is also formed in two ways:

the biggest, the most interesting.

This house is the biggest. This house is the largest.

Education

Now is the time to consider the formation of degrees of comparison in English. How to add? When? How to write correctly?

Here it is worth considering only two of them. After all, the positive completely coincides with its dictionary form. Comparative and superlative degrees in English are formed taking into account certain features and rules. Divide all adjectives mentally into groups: monosyllabic a plus disyllabic ending in -y, -er, -ow, -ble(this will be the first one) disyllabic and polysyllabic(second).

1. Simple (monosyllabic)

Add a suffix for comparison “er” to the basis of the word, and to indicate the superiority of quality - article the + adjective + “est”.

short - shorter - the shortest

short - shorter - shortest

When adding suffixes, there are some writing features:

a. If at the end of a word “y”, and before it is a consonant, then “y” changes to "i":

Lovely - lovelier - the loveliest

cute - cuter - cutest

But if “y” preceded by a vowel, no change is needed, just the appropriate suffix is ​​added.

b. If at the end of a word "e", then when adding suffixes “er” or “est”, only one is kept "e":

Simple - simpler - the simplest

simple - simpler - simplest / simplest

c. If the word ends in a consonant, and it is preceded by one short vowel, that is, it has a stressed short syllable, then we double the last letter:

Hot-hotter-the hottest

hot - hottest - hottest

And everything would be cloudless, if not for exceptions to this rule. Therefore, when studying this topic, it is important not only to understand, but also to strain the gyrus a little.

Exceptions

Good - better - the best (good - better - the best)

Bad - worse - the worst (bad - worse - the worst)

Little - less - the least (small - less - smallest)

Many - more - the most (numerous - more - the largest) - by number

Near - nearer - the nearest (close - closer - closest) - by distance

Near - nearer - the next (close - closer - next in line, in time, in order)

Far - farther - the farthest (farthest - farthest - farthest) - by distance

Far - further - the furthest (far - farthest - furthest) - according to information, actions

Old - older - the oldest (old - older - oldest)

Old - elder - the eldest (old - older - the oldest) - about family members

Late - later - the latest (later - later / later - latest - latest in time / newest)

Late - the last - the last

2. Complex (more than two syllables in a word)

To compare two or more qualitative characteristics, it is necessary to use “more”, and characterizing the highest qualities - "the most". However, the adjective remains unchanged.

popular - more popular - the most popular

popular - more popular - most popular

The English language is full of exceptions. This rule has more than one. So, you need to remember a few more words that can form degrees of comparison in English two ways, i.e. with “er” and “est”, “more” and “the most”/”the least”:

Angry, common, friendly, cruel, gentle, narrow, handsome, polite, pleasant, serious, quite, simple, clever, sour.

In conclusion, I would like to remind you that the English adjective is very scrupulous about what you will add to it and from which side. Therefore, in addition to studying the theory, engage in thorough practice, because only exercises will help you bring your knowledge to automatism. Improve your language: use comparative and superlative adjectives and make your speech smarter, richer and more interesting.

Adjectives in English have two degrees of comparison: the comparative degree ( comparative form) and superlatives ( superlative form).

comparative (comparative form) is used when comparing one person or object/phenomenon with another. For example, "colder than".

Superlatives (superlative form) is used when comparing one person or object / phenomenon with other people or objects of the same group. The superlative degree is translated using the word "most". For example, "the coldest".

Table of formation of degrees of comparison of adjectives

Note: Some disyllabic adjectives have TWO forms for the comparative degree and two forms for the superlative degree. For example: happy, clever, common, narrow, pleasant, quiet, simple, stupid.They are shaped like -er, -est, and the form with more/most.

Examples:
She is happier than him. She is the cleverest person Lady Connie knows. ⇒ She is happier than him. She is the smartest person Lady Connie knows.
Lady Connie is more happy than John. Lady Connie is the happiest woman in the world. ⇒ Lady Connie is happier than John. Lady Connie is the happiest woman in the world.

In monosyllabic adjectives ending in a vowel followed by a consonant, the final consonant is doubled:
big-big ger - the big gest

In disyllabic adjectives that end in a consonant followed by -y, -y is replaced by -i:
crazy - crazy ier - the crazy iest

Further and farther indicate distance:
Balmora is six miles further/farther.
But further(but not farther) can also mean "in addition":
There is no further books. ⇒ Besides these books, there are no more here.

The words elder/eldest used before nouns only with family members:
my elder sister/brother/son, my eldest son, she is the eldest(but not she is elder than me).

Older/oldest used in relation to people and objects / phenomena:
Connie is older than Kate. This sword is older. ⇒ Connie is older than Katya. This sword is older.

Lesser formed from less, but this is not a true comparative degree. We cannot use than after it: It means "not so good." It is usually used in phrases like:
the lesser of two evils.⇒ the lesser of two evils.

Forming sentences with comparisons

as ... asUsed in affirmative and interrogative sentences. It translates as "so (oh) the same ... as":
The game is as interesting as the film. ⇒ The game is as interesting as the movie.

twice as ... as,
three times as … as
…
It translates as "two / three times ...":
His sword is twice as big as mine. ⇒ His sword is twice the size of mine.
Bitcoin is three times as expensive as it was a few months ago.
She is twice as old. ⇒ Bitcoin is three times more expensive than it was a few months ago. She is twice as old.

half as much/many- twice smaller
half the size- twice smaller
half my age- twice as young
half the weight- twice as easy
Examples:
The box is half the size of previous. ⇒ The box is half the size of the previous one.
Lady Connie is half my age. ⇒ Lady Connie is half my age.
My trunk is half the weight of yours. ⇒ The chest is twice as light as yours.

not so/as … as
It translates as "not the same ... as":
Lady Connie is not so fat as her father. ⇒ Lady Connie is not as fat as her father.

much, far, a great deal, a lot- much, much, much
a bit, a little- a little
The book is far more interesting than the film. ⇒ The book is much more interesting than this movie.
Your website is a great deal better than mine. ⇒ Your site is much better than mine.

the most- most
most- extremely, very
most- majority, most
Examples:
This is the most interesting book. ⇒ This is the most interesting book.
Most young people are fond of vapes. ⇒ Many of the young people are vape fans.
This is most expensive book. ⇒ This is the most expensive book.

the the+ comparative adjective
It translates as "than ..., so ...":
The harder game, the better I play. ⇒ The tougher the game, the better we play.

the same … as
It translates as "the same ... as":
Lady Connie is same age as the witcher. ⇒ Lady Connie is the same age as the witcher.

than/as me/him/her/them/us
Lady Connie taller than me. ⇒ Lady Connie is taller than me.

Comparative adjectives are used to compare two or more objects with each other: objects, people, animals, etc. Bigger, smaller, prettier, faster, cheaper, better, smarter, braver, smarter, more daring- these are all comparative degrees of adjectives in Russian.

In English, adjectives also have a comparative degree ( comparative adjectives or simply comparative): bigger, less, more beautiful, faster, cheaper, better, cleverer, braver, more intelligent, more daring

The rules for the formation of comparative adjectives are very easy to understand, and to develop fluency you need experience, you need to repeat them more often, and it is better to repeat phrases, phrases or whole sentences. How to remember better, you can read in the article.

In this article, we will give many examples of the formation and use of the comparative degree of adjectives in English.

Comparative adjectives. Education rules. Examples.

Look at the table:

1. Examples for comparative adjectives formed from monosyllabic ones:

This coffee is very weak. I like it a bit stronger. (This coffee is very weak. I like a little stronger)
Going by bus is cheaper than by train. (The bus ride is cheaper than the train ride)
The weather is very cold today. I expected it to be warmer.(The weather is cold today. I expected it to be warmer)
The water is colder today than it was two days ago. (The water is colder today than it was two days ago)
Mike studies harder than his brother. (Mike studies harder than his brother)
This building is higher than that one. (This building is taller than that one)
My daughter is thinner than her. (My daughter is thinner than her)
My sister is older than me. (My sister is older than me)
Can we walk a bit faster? (Can we go a little faster?)

Pay attention to the following subtleties:
1. After the comparative degree of adjectives, the union is often used than(than), emphasizing the object for comparison.
2. If a one-syllable adjective ends in -e, then in a comparative degree only -r: large - larger, late - later, wide - wider.
3. If a one-syllable adjective ends one vowel + one consonant, then the comparative degree duplicates the consonant: big-bigger, wet-wetter, thin-thinner

2. Examples of comparative adjectives formed from disyllabic adjectives ending in -y:

Yesterday I woke up earlier than usual (Yesterday I woke up earlier than usual)
you look happier today (You look happier today)
My bag seemed to get heavy as I carried it (My bag seemed to be heavier when I carried it)
We were busier at work today than usual (We were busier at work today than usual)

3. Examples of the comparative degree of adjectives formed from disyllabic and more adjectives

I think Hungarian is more difficult than Spanish. (I think Hungarian is harder than Spanish)
For lanuage learners, enthusiasm is more important than talent. (For language learners, enthusiasm is more important than talent)
I expected the hotel to be more expensive. (I expected the hotel to be more expensive)
I'd like to do something more interesting(I would like to do something more interesting)
Why don't you phone me more often? (Why don't you call me more often?)
I'd like to have a more reliable car (I would like to have a more reliable car)
unfortunately his illness more serious than we thought at first. (Unfortunately, his illness was more serious than we thought at first)

4. Exceptions.

Some words do not follow the general rules and form their comparative adjectives in a special way. They are called wrong IRREGULAR:

A holiday by the sea is better than a holiday in the mountains. (A holiday by the sea is better than a holiday in the mountains)
The warmer the weather the better I feel. (The warmer the weather, the better I feel)
I can't walk any further. (I can't go on)
The traffic is worse than usual today. (Traffic worse than usual today)
The weather got worse and worse. (weather gets worse and worse)
His English is becoming better from day to day. (His English is getting better day by day)