Adjectives: Comparative and Superlative

Making Comparisons with Adjectives

Making comparisons is a major function of adjectives. There are two aspects to this: gradability, and the comparative and superlative degree. Adjectives which are capable of showing degrees of comparison (which can be modified by adverbs) are known as gradable adjectives. Most adjectives are gradable.

Examples of Gradability

• Each of the different wavelengths is refracted by a slightly different amount. (Rawlings 2022)
• Orangutans are very slow breeders (Meijaard, Voigt, and Wich 2018)
• Because jellyfish are 95% water, they are extremely sensitive to their surroundings. (Beach 2023)

Some adjective are not gradable. These include adjectives which describe absolutes such as "infinite", and most classifiers (e.g. additional, external, main, single). They may be modified by other (non degree) adverbs.

• So Latin isn’t really dead — it evolved into these modern languages. (Manns and Burridge 2020)

Adjectives which are gradable can also show the comparative and superlative degree.

The Comparative and Superlative Degree

Adjectives which are gradable can also show the comparative and superlative degree. These are marked by inflection (-er, -est) or by adverbs (more, most). Most short gradable adjectives use inflection but longer adjectives use adverbs.

Examples

• The heavier elements, like iron and nickel, sank into the centre of the planet (the core). (Tostevin 2019)
  Adjectives ending in "-y" change the "-y" into "-i": heavy - heavier - heaviest.
  
  
• The biggest huddles ever observed had about 5,000 penguins! (Younger 2019)
  Adjectives ending in a single final consonant preceded by a vowel is doubled: big - bigger - biggest.
  
  
• Print is easier on the eyes. (Baron 2016)
  Adjectives of two syllables ending in -y are usually in inflected for degree: easy - easier - easiest
  
  
• Australia has the deadliest snakes in the world. (Nimmo, Michael, and Wassens 2020)
  Adjective ending in -ly take both inflection and degree adverbs. This example uses inflection "deadliest" : deadly - deadlier - deadliest.
  
  
• Australia has the most animals with the most deadly venom. (Gentle 2020)
  Adjectives ending in -ly take both inflection and degree adverbs. This example uses the degree adverb "most".
  
  
• Real life tends to be more challenging. (Velez 2021)
  Participial adjectives (formed with -ed and -ing), adjectives longer than two syllables, and adjectives ending in -al, -ful, -ive, -les, and -ous usually use degree adverbs. This is an example of a participial adjective.