Introduction
Adjectives describe nouns and adverbs describe verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. The trickiest part for exam candidates is the degrees of comparison, including irregular forms and the pairs that take to instead of than. This lesson gives the complete set of rules in one place.
Degrees of comparison
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| good, well | better | best |
| bad, ill | worse | worst |
| much, many | more | most |
| little | less | least |
| far | farther, further | farthest, furthest |
| old | older, elder | oldest, eldest |
| late | later, latter | latest, last |
| near | nearer | nearest, next |
Farther refers to distance. Further means additional. Elder and eldest are for family members. Later is about time, latter is about order.
Rules of comparison
- One-syllable adjectives add -er and -est (tall, taller, tallest). Longer adjectives take more and most (beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful).
- Never use a double comparative or double superlative: more better, most unkindest are wrong.
- Use than after a comparative: He is taller than I. The Latin comparatives (senior, junior, superior, inferior, prior, preferable) take to.
- Compare like with like: The climate of Dhaka is hotter than that of Sylhet. (not than Sylhet).
- When comparing one item with the rest of its group, use any other: Dhaka is larger than any other city in Bangladesh.
- For two things use the comparative with the: He is the taller of the two. For more than two, use the superlative: He is the tallest of the three.
- One of the + superlative + plural noun: She is one of the best students.
- The + comparative ..., the + comparative ...: The more you read, the more you know.
- As ... as is for equality. Not so ... as is for inequality in negatives: He is not so tall as his brother.
- Some adjectives cannot be compared because they are absolute: perfect, unique, complete, round, empty.
Adjective order
When several adjectives come before a noun, the usual order is: opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, noun. Example: a lovely small old round red Chinese wooden box.
Adverbs
| Word | As an adjective or adverb | Different word with -ly |
|---|---|---|
| hard | He works hard. | hardly means almost not: He hardly works. |
| late | He came late. | lately means recently: I have not seen him lately. |
| near | He lives near. | nearly means almost: He nearly fell. |
| high | The bird flew high. | highly means very: He is highly educated. |
| deep | He dug deep. | deeply means intensely: She was deeply moved. |
| close | Come close. | closely means carefully: Watch closely. |
| free | Entry is free. | freely means without restriction. |
| most | the most beautiful | mostly means mainly. |
Position and use
- Enough follows an adjective or adverb but comes before a noun: fast enough, enough time.
- Too has a negative sense: too weak to walk. Very is positive: very strong.
- So is used without a noun (so hot that). Such is used with a noun (such a hot day that).
- Much goes with comparatives (much better) and past participles (much admired). Very goes with adjectives (very good).
- Quite a nice day and such a nice day keep the article after quite and such.
Common exam traps
- He is more smarter than me. Wrong. Use smarter than I.
- He is senior than me. Wrong. Use senior to me.
- Rahim is the taller of the three. Wrong. For three, use the tallest.
- He worked very hardly. Wrong. Use hard.
- Dhaka is larger than any city in Bangladesh. Wrong. Use any other city.
- It was too good news. Wrong. Use very good news.
Memory tips
- Two, comparative. Three or more, superlative.
- Any other for a group. When the subject belongs to the group, add other.
- Hard and hardly are different. So are late and lately, near and nearly.
- So without a noun, such with a noun.
Solved examples
Example 1. Bangladesh is one of the ____ countries in the world. Options: denser, densest, most dense. Answer: densest or most dense. Both are grammatical, and one-syllable adjectives normally take -est.
Example 2. He is ____ intelligent than his brother. Answer: more.
Example 3. Correct: This is the most best solution. Answer: This is the best solution.
Example 4. Correct: The climate of Sylhet is wetter than Dhaka. Answer: ...wetter than that of Dhaka.
Practice problems
- Correct: She is the cleverest of the two sisters.
- Fill in: He arrived ____ for the meeting. (late / lately)
- Correct: He is the most tallest boy.
- Correct: I prefer walking than riding.
- Fill in: This is the ____ of the two roads. (shorter / shortest)
Answers: 1. the cleverer of the two sisters. 2. late. 3. He is the tallest boy. 4. I prefer walking to riding. 5. shorter.
Practice MCQs with solutions
Note: these are practice questions written in the style of past NTRCA/BCS preliminary papers. Please cross-check with the official question bank.
Question 1. Rahim is the ____ of the two brothers.
- (a) tall
- (b) taller
- (c) tallest
- (d) more tall
Correct answer: (b) taller
Explanation: For two persons, use the comparative with the.
Question 2. This book is ____ than that one.
- (a) good
- (b) best
- (c) better
- (d) more good
Correct answer: (c) better
Explanation: Good has the irregular comparative better.
Question 3. He is ____ than any other boy in the class.
- (a) taller
- (b) tallest
- (c) the tallest
- (d) more tall
Correct answer: (a) taller
Explanation: Any other needs the comparative.
Question 4. She is ____ for the job.
- (a) enough qualified
- (b) qualified enough
- (c) enough qualifying
- (d) quality enough
Correct answer: (b) qualified enough
Explanation: Enough follows an adjective.
Question 5. He works ____; he seldom rests.
- (a) hardly
- (b) hard
- (c) harder
- (d) hardest
Correct answer: (b) hard
Explanation: Hard is both an adjective and an adverb. Hardly means almost not.
Question 6. This is one of the ____ novels I have read.
- (a) good
- (b) better
- (c) best
- (d) most best
Correct answer: (c) best
Explanation: One of the takes a superlative and a plural noun.
Question 7. My ____ brother is a doctor.
- (a) elder
- (b) more old
- (c) oldest
- (d) older than
Correct answer: (a) elder
Explanation: Elder is used for family members.
Question 8. The ____ you practise, the better you become.
- (a) more
- (b) most
- (c) much
- (d) many
Correct answer: (a) more
Explanation: The pattern is the more..., the better...
Question 9. It was ____ a hot day that we stayed home.
- (a) so
- (b) such
- (c) very
- (d) too
Correct answer: (b) such
Explanation: Such a + adjective + noun + that expresses result.
Key takeaways
- Two things take the comparative; three or more take the superlative.
- Never double a comparative or superlative.
- Senior, junior, superior, inferior and prefer take to.
- Learn adverb pairs: hard and hardly, late and lately, near and nearly, high and highly.