Adjectives

• An adjective describes a person, a place, a thing, or an idea.

• An adjective modifies, or describes, a noun or a pronoun.

Ex. Five boys hiked the tall mountain.

• A predicate adjective is an adjective that follows a linking verb and modifies the subject of a sentence.

Ex. The artist was skillful and creative.

 • An adverb is a word that modifies, or describes, a verb,

Ex. The architect worked carefully on his design. an adverb,

Ex. When the bell rang, the children left quite suddenly. or an adjective.

Ex. The library is a very large building on campus.

• The comparative form of an adjective compares two things, groups, or people.

• The superlative form of an adjective compares more than two things, groups, or people.

Ex. The yellow salsa is hot. (adjective)

The light red salsa is hotter. (comparative)

The dark red salsa is hottest. (superlative)

• The comparative form of an adverb compares two actions.

• The superlative form of an adverb compares more than two actions.

Ex. He left early for the game. (adverb)

His roommate left earlier. (comparative)

Their friend left earliest. (superlative)

• Rule 1: To form the comparative or superlative of a word with more than one vowel or ending with more than one consonant, add –er or –est.

Ex. tall taller tallest

neat neater neatest

deep deeper deepest

• Rule 2: To form the comparative or superlative of a word ending in e, add –r or –st.

Ex. wide wider widest

fine finer finest

cute cuter cutest

• Rule 3: To form the comparative or superlative of a word with one vowel and one consonant at the end, double the consonant, and add -er or -est.

Ex. Sad sadder saddest

big bigger biggest

fat fatter fattest

 • Rule 4: To form the comparative or superlative of a word ending in y, change the y to i, then add -er or -est.

Ex. happy happier happiest

jolly jollier jolliest

lazy lazier laziest

• For most adjectives and adverbs with two or more syllables, the comparative and superlative are formed by adding more or most before the adjective or adverb.

Ex. The new couch was more comfortable than the old one.

Ex. The leather couch was the most comfortable.

• To form a negative comparative or superlative, use less or least.

Ex. I go to the gym less often than my roommate.

Ex. He was the least involved of all of the team members.