COMPARATIVE DEGREE OF ADJECTIVES

Adjectives are used to describe some quality of the person, place, or thing that we are talking about. So
sometimes, the extent—or the degree—of that quality needs to be mentioned in comparison with that same
quality in another object.

Adjectives have three degrees of comparison:

 Positive degree: This is the adjective in its simple form. It is used simply to denote the existence of a
particular quality in the person, place or thing that we are talking about.
▪ My suitcase is heavy.

 Comparative degree: This is the form of the adjective that describes a higher degree of that
particular quality than the positive degree. It is used when two objects are being compared.
▪ My suitcase is heavier than yours.

 Superlative degree: This is the form of the adjective that describes the highest degree of that
particular quality. It is used when more than two objects are being compared.
▪ My suitcase is the heaviest of all.

[ The article ‘the’ is always added before the superlative degree.

▪ Rahul is the tallest boy in the class.

[ Sometimes the comparative degree is formed by using the word ‘more’ before the positive degree.

▪ Some girls were more beautiful than the others.

Similarly, the superlative degree is sometimes formed by using the word ‘most’ before the positive degree.
▪ The most beautiful girl was declared the winner.
[ If the words ‘many/much’, ‘more’ or ‘most’ are used before a noun, they are themselves adjectives
qualifying that noun.

▪ more homework, more sandwiches, most marks, many times

[ If the words ‘more’ and ‘most’ are used before an adjective, they are adverbs but doing the work of an
adjective by qualifying that adjective.

▪ more honest, more energetic, most popular, most delicious

[ Some adjectives are compared irregularly, that is, their comparative and superlative degrees are not
formed from their positive degree.

Positive Comparative Superlative

good better best

bad worse worst

many/much more most

little less least

old older/elder oldest/eldest

late later/latter latest/last

1
Exercise 16: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate kinds of adjectives indicated in the brackets.
1 Is there ________ water in the jar? (Quantity)
2 ________ pen is mine. (Demonstrative)
3 There are ________ eggs in the bowl. (Number)
4 Do you have a ________ box? (Quality)
5 ________ is your name? (Interrogative)

Exercise 17: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate degree of comparison—positive, comparative or
superlative—of the adjectives provided in the box. Write the degree of comparison in the brackets
alongside each sentence.
-high -highest -greater -many -greatest -young -mighty -well

1 I have a __________ fever. ( __________ )

2 Mount Everest is the __________ mountain in the world. ( __________ )
3 Shakespeare is __________ than any other English poet. ( __________ )
4 The pen is __________ than the sword. ( __________ )
5 My sister is the __________ member of our family. ( __________ )

ADJECTIVE OPPOSITE ADJECTIVE OPPOSITE ADJECTIVE OPPOSITE

careful careless healthy sick shy outgoing

fat thin lazy hard-working smart stupid

friendly unfriendly old young special ordinary

funny serious polite impolite strong weak

happy sad rich poor tall short

Exercise 18: Fill in the blanks below to complete the sentences. Use the words in the box above.

1. My friend likes to exercise and eat fruits and vegetable, so he’s ___________.
2. A: Are you a lazy person? B: No, in fact, I’m very ___________.
3. My son Thomas is very ___________. He’s only five years old.
I AM ONLY
4. He should play basketball because he is ___________. He’s not short.
HUMAN
5. My sister isn’t very ___________. She’s shy and doesn’t like to meet new people.
AFTER ALL
6. He worked very hard his whole life and saved lots of money. He’s ___________.
7. I went on a diet last year and lost five kilograms, so now I’m ___________.
8. Sarah always says, “Thank you”. She’s a ___________ person.
9. Of course, I’m very ___________! I got an A+ on all of my exams!
10. My uncle loves to tell jokes to make us laugh. He’s ___________.

2
ORDER OF ADJECTIVES

 Opinion adjectives go before fact adjectives.

 A nice, silk dress.

 When there are two or more fact adjectives in a sentence, they usually go in the following order:

Size Age Shape Colour Origin Material Noun

a small old square purple French silk scarf

 We don’t usually have a long list of adjectives before a single noun. A noun is usually described by one,
two or three adjectives at the most.
 She bought an expensive, red, Persian carpet last week.

Adjectives ending in -ed/-ing ;

 Adjectives ending in -ing Express what  Adjectives ending in -ed Express how we
something is like. feel about something.
 The film was boring.  We were bored.
(What was it like? Boring.) (How did we feel? Bored.

Exercise 19: Underline the correct adjective.

1 We had a very relaxing/relaxed holiday in France.

2 He was exciting/excited when we got to Paris.
3 We saw some amezed/amazing sights in the city.
4 We found the tour of the Louvre extremely interesting/interested.
5 Climbing up the Eiffel Tour was very tiring/tired but the view from the top was worth it.
6 My mum didn’t come with us because she is very frightened/frightening of heights.

Exercise 20: Fill in the gaps with the adjectives provided.

-polite -hesitant -lucky -afraid -rude -sorry -disappointed -proud -glad -suprised

1 She was __________ to survive the earthquake.

2 I was __________ to go to the movies with you.
3 It is __________ to interrupt people.
4 I am __________ to stay home alone.
5 Were you __________ to see your father on television?
6 Gary was __________ to hear the bad news.
7 I’m __________ to play as a goalkeeper in my football team.
8 Matthew is __________ to run in the marathon.
9 I was __________ to lose the contest.
10 It’s __________ to open the door for someone.

3
 Exercise 21: Put the adjectives in the correct order.

1 a yellow/bright/plastic bucket.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2 a red/new/shiny sports car

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3 a(n) green/glass/antique jug.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4 a(n) round/Italian/big pizza.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

5 a white/young/cute puppy.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Exercise 22: Fill in the blanks with the correct degree of comparison using the adjectivesprovided in the
brackets.
1 What is the__________ news? (late)
2 Amit is the __________ of the two brothers. (older/elder)
3 Amit is my __________ brother. (older/elder)
4 Today is the __________ day of submitting the forms. (last)
5 The patient is in a __________ condition today than she was yesterday. (bad)
6 The encyclopaedia contains __________ information. (many/much)
7 There is __________ excitement on the last day of the term. (many/much)
8 I have two __________ brothers. (elder/older)

Exercise 23: Fill in the gaps with the correct words derived from the words in bold

-Use -Probable -Imagine -Ill -Differ -Reliable -Advance -Research -Drive -Interest

In the future our lives might be very 1- __________ from today. Advances in technology will
2- __________ make our lives easier and more 3- __________. Computers will be more 4- __________ than
ever and may even replace people in certain jobs. It doesn’t take much 5- __________ to picture factories
without workers and buses without 6- __________ Services will never be 7- __________ again because
everything will be done by robots.

Travel, housing and medicine will be much more 8- __________ the future. We may use strange means
of transport or live in space-age houses and a cure for every 9- __________ in the world may have been found
by 10- __________. Some of these changes are good, but others may prove to be the opposite.

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND <3

ANSWER KEY
4
EXERCISE 1 1 hoil
2 drought
1 A
3 frost
2 C
4 flood
3 C
5 lightning
4 A
6 fog
EXERCISE 2
EXERCISE 7
1 He used it to pierce the clouds and make
1. at
it rain.
2. of
2 All dried up.
3. of
3 Kenyan people thought, Mkunga dropped
4. about
his rob and it is rainbow.
5. with
EXERCISE 3
EXERCISE 8
1 beg
1. drizzle
2 grow
2. lightning
3 pierce
3. flood
4 light up
4. thunder
5 destroy
5. raindrops
6 fall
6. sunshine
7 dry up
7. snowfall
8 drop
8. showers
EXERCISE 4
EXERCISE 9
1 behind
1. clear
2 happy
2. strong
3 worried
3. cool
4 fall
4. bright
5 destroy
5. violent
6 bring
7 stop EXERCISE 10
8 quickly
PREFIXES
9 came out
10 beautiful RE- again Replay
UN- not Unhappy
EXERCISE 5
NON- not None
1 the god of thunder’s HALF- 50% of Half past
2 Kenyan people something
3 Kenyan people SUFFIXES
4 the rain
-ER makes nouns Player
5 the rains -LESS makes Useless
adjectives
-NESS makes nouns Darkness
-LY makes adverbs Slowly

EXERCISE 11
EXERCISE 6
1. out

5
 2. around 2. B
3. up 3. C
4. together 4. A
5. on 5. B
6. A
EXERCISE 12
7. C
1. was picking up John 8. C
2. was calling the London
EXERCISE 16
3. was ordering lunch
4. was buying groceries 1. any
5. was meeting Alexander 2. this/that
6. was having dinner 3. 1,2,3,4,5 ...
4. useful
EXERCISE 13
5. what
1. The children were painting at 5
EXERCISE 17
yesterday.
2. Erica was reading a book at 5 yesterday. 1. high (adjective)
3. Brian was waiting for a bus at 5 2. highest (superlative)
yesterday. 3. well (comparative)
4. Sophie was surfing The net at 5 4. mighty (adjective)
yesterday. 5. young (adjective)
5. Mark was cycling to work at 5 yesterday.
EXERCISE 18
EXERCISE 14
1. healthy
A-) 2. hard-working
3. young
1. was shining
4. tall
2. was blowing
5. outgoing
3. were playing
6. rich
4. was running
7. thin
5. was pushing
8. polite
6. was climbing
9. smart
B-) 10. funny

1. was riding EXERCISE 19

2. was trying
1. relaxing
3. was eating
2. excited
4. was enjoying
3. amazing
5. was testing
4. interesting
6. were having
5. tiring
6. frightened

EXERCISE 15 EXERCISE 20

1. C 1. lucky

6
 2. glad
3. rude
4. afraid
5. suprised
6. sorry
7. proud
8. hesitant
9. disappointed
10. polite

EXERCISE 21

1. bright, yellow, plastic

2. new,shiny, red
3. antique, green, glass
4. big, round, Italian
5. cute, young, white

EXERCISE 22

1. later
2. elderly
3. old
4. last
5. worse
6. many
7. more
8. old

EXERCISE 23

1. different
2. probably
3. interesting
4. useful
5. imagination
6. drivers
7. unreliable
8. advanced
9. illness
10. researchers