The adjective is a word expressing a quality of a substance.
The adjective has the following morphological characteristics:
Degrees of Comparison
Most adjectives have degrees of comparison: the comparative degree and the superlative degree.
NOTE: Some adjectives have no degrees of comparison.
The comparative degree denotes a higher degree of quality. She is taller than her sister.
My box is smaller than hers.
The superlative degree denotes the highest degree of quality.
She is the tallest of the three sisters.
Her box is the smallest of all our boxes.
The noun modified by an adjective in the superlative degree has the definite article because the superlative degree of the adjective always implies limitation.
Adjectives form their degrees of comparison in the following way:
- by the inflexion – er, – est (synthetical way);
- by placing more and most before the adjective (analytical way).
Monosyllabic adjectives usually form their comparatives and superlatives in the first way, and polysyllabic adjectives in a second way.
The following polysyllabic adjectives, however, generally form their comparative and superlative degrees inflexionally:
1. Adjectives of two syllables that end in – y, – ow, -er, and – le.
| happy | happier | (the) happiest |
| narrow | narrower | (the) narrowest |
| clever | cleverer | (the) cleverest |
| simple | simpler | (the) simplest |
2. Adjectives of two syllables that have the stress on the last syllable:
| complete | completer | (the) completest |
| concise | conciser | (the) concisest |
Some adjectives have irregular forms of degrees of comparison, e. g.:
| good | better | best |
| bad | worse | worst |
| many/much | more | most |
| little | less | least |
| far | farther/further | farthest/furthest |
| old | older/elder | oldest/eldest |
Spelling rules
If the adjective ends in a consonant preceded by a stressed short vowel the consonant is doubled before – er, – est.
| sad | sadder | (the) saddest |
| big | bigger | (the) biggest |
If the adjective ends in – y preceded by a consonant, у is changed into I before – er and – est.
| busy | busier | (the) busiest |
| happy | happier | (the) happiest |
If the adjective ends in –e the e is dropped before –er and –est.
| brave | braver | (the) bravest |
| tine | finer | (the) finest |
Function
The adjective has the following syntactical characteristics: In a sentence, the adjective may be used as an attribute or as a predicative.
A little fat chap thrust out his underlip and the tall fellow frowned. (Mansfield) (ATTRIBUTES)
Laura was terribly nervous. (Mansfield) (PREDICATIVE)
The air was motionless… (Mansfield) (PREDICATIVE)