Spelling rules

THE ADJECTIVE

The adjective is a word which gives more information about a thing or a person.

According to their meaning and grammatical characteristics adjectives fall under two classes: qualitative adjectives and relative adjectives.

Qualitative adjectives denote qualities such as size, shape, colour, physical and mental qualities, qualities of general estimation. E.g. little, large, high, soft, hard, warm, white, blue, strong, beautiful, important, necessary.

Relative adjectives denote qualities of a substance through their relation to materials (e.g. silken, wooden), to place (e.g. Italian, Asian), to time (e.g. monthly, weekly), to some action (e.g. preparatory).

Most adjectives can be used to modify nouns or after link verbs. Those which modify nouns are called attributive adjectives and those used after link verbs (be, become, look, remain, seem etc.) are called predicative adjectives.

DEGREES OF COMPARISON

Qualitative adjectives have the positive, the comparative and the superlative degrees.

All one-syllable adjectives, adjectives of two syllables ending in -y, -er, -le, -ow and those having the stress on the second syllable form their comparatives and superlatives by means of the endings -er and -est. E.g.:

cold – colder – the coldest

heavy – heavier – the heaviest

polite – politer – the politest

Adjectives of three or more syllables and many adjectives of two syllables form their degrees of comparison by placing more and most, less and least before the adjective. E.g.:

difficult – more difficult – the most difficult

interesting – less interesting – the least interesting

The noun modified by an adjective in the superlative degree has the definite article because the superlative degree always implies limitation.

Spelling rules

1. If the adjective ends in a consonant preceded by a stressed short vowel the consonant is doubled before -er, -est. E.g.:

sad – sadder – the saddest

big – bigger – the biggest

2. If the adjective ends in y preceded by a consonant, y is changed into i before -er, -est. E.g.:

busy – busier – the busiest

happy – happier – the happiest

3. If the adjective ends in -e the e is dropped before -er and -est:

brave – braver – the bravest

fine – finer – the finest

Some adjectives have irregular degrees of comparison:

good – better – the best

bad – worse – the worst

little – less – the least

far – farther (further) – the farthest (furthest)

# The comparative degree can be emphasized by means of the words (very) much, far, still, a lot, a little (bit), rather. E.g. This film is much better. It is still colder today.

# When equal degrees of a quality are compared, the adjective in the positive degree is placed within as … as. E.g. February was as cold as January.

# To express a smaller degree of a quality the adjective in the positive degree is placed within not as (so) … as. E.g. June is not so hot as July.

# To describe that something is increasing or decreasing the following structure is used: The weather is getting colder and colder. Things are becoming more and more expensive.

# To describe the relations between the increase or decrease of two qualities the following structure is used:

The less we learn, the less we forget. The less we forget, the more we know.

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