B2 Grammar: All about adjectives and adverbs

Adjectives with –ed and –ing

·         Adjectives with –ed express how the person feels about something: She was terrified as Dracula approached her.

·         Adjectives with –ing are used to describe the person or thing which produces the feeling: There’s a surprising article in today’s newspaper (I felt surprised when I read it).

·         Not all of these types of adjective have both forms, e.g. elated but not elating.

Comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs

Comparative forms Adjective/adverbs + -er                  + than                    Tennis is cheaper than golf. More + adjective/adverb                                              Golf is more expensive than tennis. Superlative forms The + adjective/adverb + -est                                       Chess is one of the cheapest hobbies. The most + adjective/adverb                                        Playing team sports is the most sociable                                                                                      free-time activity.

Comparison of adjectives

Add –er and –est with: ·    One-syllable adjectives: Fiona is fitter than last year. ·    Two-syllable adjectives ending in –y and –ly, e.g. happy, friendly: My brother’s the friendliest person in my family.	Use more and most with: ·    Adjectives of two syllables or more (except two-syllable adjectives ending in –y or –ly): Biking is the most dangerous activity.
These adjectives form irregular comparisons: good – better – best                                          bad – worse – worst much – more – most                                         many – more – most little – less – least                                             far – farther/further / farthest/furthest old – elder – eldest (for brothers and sisters)
Spelling When there is just one vowel before one final consonant, the final consonant is doubled: hot – hotter, fat – fatter (BUT clean – cleaner, safe  – safer.) Final –y becomes –i: easy – easier, healthy – healthier.
To say two things are the same, use as + adjective + as: She finds doing aerobics as interesting as playing team sports (this means: she finds doing aerobics and playing team sports equally interesting). To say that one thing is less than another, use: ·    Not so/as + adjective + as: Window shopping is not so/as enjoyable as clubbing. ·    Less/least + adjective: Playing chess is less healthy than playing team sports. Clubbing is the least healthy.

Comparison of adverbs

Add –er and –est with: ·    One-syllable adverbs, e.g. hard, fast, straight: My mum works harder than my dad.	Use more and most with: ·    Two-syllable adverbs including adverbs ending in –ly: Maria read the text more quickly than Susanna. She visits me more often than in the past.
These adverbs form irregular comparisons: Well – better – best                                badly – worse – worst
To say two things are the same, use as + adverb + as: Julia finished the exercise as quickly as Mark (Julia and Mark finished the exercise equally quickly). To say that we do one thing differently from another, use: ·    Not so/as + adverb + as: Sophie doesn’t speak Spanish so/as well as Gordon.