Adjectives are tricky. In my article about adjectives, I explained what an adjective is and how to locate one. Now, we will cover degrees of adjectives. This may sound scary, but I promise it is painless. Keep reading to see how easy it can actually be.
Degrees of Comparison
Adjectives fall into one of three categories, positive, comparative and superlative. They can also be considered regular and irregular. For now, we will stick to the regular. Examples of regular adjectives are: beautiful- positive, more beautiful – comparative, and most beautiful – superlative.
Irregular adjectives would sound silly if we tried to use their current form to create these three categories. A great example of this is the word “good.” If we were to use it in it’s current form to create these three categories it would sound like this, good, more good, most good. This would make our sentences sound horrible. Instead we use this form: good – positive, better – comparative, best – superlative.
Adjectives Without Comparative Degrees:
There are quite a few adjectives that do not have comparative degrees. These adjectives would sound completely horrible if you tried, so you will know exactly which one’s they are if you were trying to use them. I will give you a few examples though.
Unique
sufficient
unbroken
perpetual
Try turning these into comparative degrees in your head. You will realize quickly why they do not have a comparative degree.
Pre-modifiers with Degrees of Adjectives:.
A pre-modifier intensifies the degree of the adjective. These can be used in the comparative and superlative forms. Pre-modifiers can also decrease the degree of the adjective.
Sometimes this modifier can come in the form of a phrase. This would be something like: “The package would have come a whole lot sooner if he had put the right address on it.”