Comparison of-adverbs

1. UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CHIMBORAZO
FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS DE LA EDUCACIÓN HUMANAS Y
TECNOLOGÍAS
CARRERA DE IDIOMAS – INGLES
GRAMMAR V
COMPARISON OF ADVERBS
Names:
Darío Amancha
Patricio Castillo
Elvis Guaranga

2. COMPARISON OF ADVERBS
Adverbs, like adjectives, have three degrees of comparison – the positive, the comparative
and the superlative. The different degrees of comparison are formed in different ways:
Adverbs of comparison are used to show what one thing does better or worse than the
other.
Adverbs ending in –ly
Adverbs which end in –ly take more for the comparative and most for the superlative.
With adverbs ending in -ly , more used to form the comparative.
Adverb Comparative Superlative
quietly more quietly most quietly
slowly more slowly most slowly
seriously more seriously most seriously
Examples
 The teacher spoke more slowly to help us to understand.
 Could you sing more quietly please?
 "After her poor test results, Jill did her homework more frequently."
In informal English some adverbs are used without -ly (e.g. cheap, loud, quick).
There are two forms of comparison possible, depending on the form of the adverb:
 cheaply → more cheaply → most cheaply
 cheap → cheaper → cheapest

3. Examples:
Softly (positive), more softly (comparative), most softly (superlative)
Happily, more happily, most happily
Swiftly, more swiftly, most swiftly
Ably, more ably, most ably
Truly, more truly, most truly
Greedily, more greedily, most greedily
Efficiently, more efficiently, most efficiently
Certainly, more certainly, most certainly
Painfully, more painfully, most painfully
Joyfully, more joyfully, most joyfully
Adverbs with one syllable add -er
Short adverbs having just one syllable form the comparative and the superlative by the
addition of –er and –est to the positive.
The rule for forming the comparative of an adverb is if it has the same form as an adjective
add the suffix -er to the end.
For example:-
 "Jack did his homework faster."
Examples:
Hard (positive), harder (comparative), hardest (superlative)
Soon, sooner, soonest
Fast, faster, fastest
Late, later, latest
Loud, louder, loudest
Clean, cleaner, cleanest
Clear, clearer, clearest
Low, lower, lowest
High, higher, highest
Note that almost all adverbs which are also used as adjectives belong to this class.

4. Irregular Adverbs
The following irregular adverbs are exceptions to this rule:
 'well' becomes 'better'
 'badly' becomes 'worse'
 'little' becomes 'less'
For example:-
 "Jill's test results were better."
 "Jack's test results were worse."
 "To lose weight you need to eat less."
The adverb early is an exception to this rule.
Early (positive), earlier (comparative), earliest (superlative)
Some adverbs form their comparative and superlative degrees in an irregular manner:
Examples:
Far (positive), farther, further (comparative), farthest, furthest (superlative)
Late (positive), later (comparative), last, latest (superlative)
Well (positive), better (comparative), best (superlative)
Badly, worse, worst
Little, less, least
Much, more, most
Notes
It should be noted that only adverbs of time, degree and manner have three degrees of
comparison.
Adverbs such as now, then, once, there, where, why, how, not, never, ever etc., cannot
be compared and hence they do not have the three degrees of comparison.

5. When comparing things you need to put than between the adverb and what is being
compared.
For example:-
 "Jack did his homework faster than Jill."
 "Jill did her homework more frequently than Jack."
Form of Comparison
Comparison (-er/-est)
Comparative ending
in -er
Superlative ending in -
est
one-syllable adverbs (hard) harder hardest
adverbs with the same
form as adjectives (early)
earlier earliest
Comparison (more / most)
Comparative formed with
more
Superlative formed with
most
adverbs ending in -ly
(happily)
more happily most happily
Irregular comparisons
positive form comparative superlative
well better best
badly worse worst
ill worse worst
little less least
much more most
far (place + time) further furthest
far (place) farther farthest
late (time) later latest

6. Exercise on Comparison of Adverbs
Fill in the correct adverb form (comparative or superlative) of the adjectives in brackets.
1. I speak English more fluently now than last year.
2. She smiled more happily than before.
3. Could you write more clearly ?
4. Planes can fly higher than birds.
5. He had an accident last year. Now, he drives more carefully than before.
6. Jim can run faster than John.
7. He worked harder than ever before.
Bibliography
LEO Network. (1999-2015). Recuperado el 09 de 06 de 2015, de
http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/adverbcomp.html
EGO4U. (2001-2015). Recuperado el 09 de 06 de 2015, de
https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/adjectives-adverbs/adverbs
edufind. (2013). Recuperado el 09 de 06 de 2015, de http://www.edufind.com/es/english-
grammar/comparative-and-superlative-adverbs/
ENGLISH PRACTICE. (2015). Recuperado el 09 de 06 de 2015, de
http://www.englishpractice.com/improve/comparison-adverbs/