COMPARISONS

By: Group 4
Nurjanna Rahmawati (041010030 Riza Umami Syofwatun Ngulya Putri Pratiwi (041010030 (04101003025) (04101003026)

Nursing Science Study Program Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University 2012

COMPARISONS
I. The Definition Comparison is the grammar whereby adjectives and adverbs are inflected or modified to produce forms which indicate the relative degree of the designated properties. It means that there are the modification of adjectives and adverbs to express relative degree.

II. The Uses 1. Comparison of Adjectives

A . Comparison with -er/-est We use -er/-est with the following adjectives: 1). Adjectives with one syllable positive clean new cheap comparative cleaner newer cheaper superlative cleanest newest cheapest

2). Adjectives with two syllables and the following endings: Adjectives with two syllables, ending in y

a.

positive dirty easy happy pretty

comparative dirtier easier happier prettier

superlative dirtiest easiest happiest prettiest

Beware: Do not confuse adjectives and adverbs. 2-syllable adverbs ending in -y must be compared with the word more. Example: I drive more quickly (quicklier) than my brother.

b. Adjectives with two syllables, ending in er

positive cleaver

comparative cleaverer

superlative cleaverest

c. Adjectives with two syllables, ending in le

positive simple

comparative simpler

superlative simplest

d. Adjectives with two syllables, ending in -ow positive narrow comparative narrower superlative narrowest

3). Spelling of the adjectives using the endings -er/-est positive large big sad dirty shy comparative larger bigger sadder dirtier shyer superlative largest biggest saddest dirtiest shyest
Here -y is not changed to -i. (although

comment leave out the silent -e Double the consonant after short vowel Change -y to -i (consonant before -y)

consonant before -y) B. Comparison with more most

positive difficult

comparative More difficult

superlative Most difficult

all adjectives with more than one syllable (except some adjectives with two syllables - see 2. a to 2.d) C. Irregular Adjectives positive Good comparative Better superlative Best

Bad Much Many Little Little

Worse More More Less Smaller

Worst Most Most Least Smallest

D. Special adjectives Some adjectives have two possible forms of comparison (-er/est and more/most). positive clever common likely pleasant polite quite simple stupid subtle sure comparative cleverer / more clever commoner / more common likelier / more likely pleasanter / more pleasant politer / more polite quieter / more quiet simpler / more simple stupider / more stupid Subtler / more subtle Surer / more sure superlative cleverest / most clever commonest / most common likeliest / most likely pleasantest / most pleasant politest / most polite quietest / most quiet simplest / most simple stupidest / most stupid subtlest / most subtle Surest / most sure

E. Difference in meaning with adjectives:

positive far

comparative farther further

superlative farthest furthest latest x last oldest eldest nearest next

comment distance Distance or time

late

later latter x

old

older elder

People and things People (family) distance order

near

nearer x

2.

Comparison of Adverbs A. ly Adverb positive carefully slowly comparative More carefully More slowly superlative Most carefully Most slowly

B. One-Syllable Adverbs positive fast hard comparative faster harder superlative fastest hardest

C. Irregular Adverbs positive well badly comparative better worse superlative best worst

III. Modifying Comparison 1. A big difference much, a lot, far a. We can modify comparative adjectives to show that there is a big difference between things. Examples: Sales in July were much higher than sales in June. Shes a lot taller than you. This ones far more expensive than the blue one.

b. We can also say that things are completely or totally different from each other. Example: They may be twins but theyre completely different from each other.

2 . A small difference slightly, a little, a bit, not much We can show there is a small difference. Examples:

Sales in August were slightly lower than sales in July. Youre a bit younger than me. These are not much more expensive than those.

3. No difference exactly, more or less, roughly We can show that there is no difference or almost no difference. Examples: Hes exactly the same age as me. ( No difference) The figures for December are more or less the same as the figures for November. (a tiny difference)

REFERENCES

Sofendi. 2012. English for Academic Purposes for students of natural sciences. Palembang. Universitas Sriwijaya.

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-reference/comparing-and-contrasting%E2%80%93-modifying-comparatives

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/adjektive_steig.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_(grammar)

http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/rules/comp.htm