Positive Comparative Superlative
bad } evil } worse worst ill }
far farther farthest good } better best well }
fore former { foremost
{ first
late { later { latest { latter { last little less least many } more most much }
near nearer { nearest
{ next
old { older { oldest
{ elder { eldest
The following words are used as adverbs or prepositions in the positive degree, and as adjectives in the other two degrees:—
(forth) further furthest
(in) inner { innermost { inmost
(out) { outer { outermost
{ utter { utmost
{ uttermost
(up) upper { upmost { uppermost
+48. Cautions concerning the Use of Adjectives.+
1. When two or more adjectives modify the same noun, the article is placed only before the first, unless emphasis is desired: [He is an industrious, faithful pupil].
2. If the adjectives refer to different things, the article should be repeated before each adjective: [She has a white and a blue dress].
3. When two or more nouns are in apposition, the article is placed only before the first: [I received a telegram from Mr. Richards, the broker and real estate agent].
4. This, these, that, and those must agree in number with the noun they modify: [This kind of flowers; those sorts of seeds].
5. When but two things are compared, the comparative degree is used: [This is the more complete of the two].
6. When than is used after a comparative, whatever is compared should be excluded from the class with which it is compared: [I like this house better than any other house; not, I like this house better than any house].
7. Do not use a after kind of, sort of, etc.: [What kind of man is he? (not, What kind of a man)]. One man does not constitute a class consisting of many kinds.
+49. Constructions of Adjectives.+—Adjectives that merely describe or limit are said to be attributive in construction. When the adjective limits or describes, and, at the same time, adds to the predicate, it is called a predicate adjective.Predicate adjectives may be used either as attribute or objective complements: [The sea is rough to-day (attribute complement), He painted the boat green (objective complement)].
+50. Equivalents for Adjectives.+—The following are used as equivalents for the typical adjective:—
1. A noun used in apposition: [Barrie’s story of his mother, “Margaret Ogilvy,” is very beautiful].
2. A noun used as an adjective: [A campaign song].
3. A prepositional phrase: [His little, nameless, unremember’d acts of kindness and of love].
4. Participles or participial phrases: [We saw a brook running between the alders. Soldiers hired to serve a foreign country are called mercenaries].
5. Relative clauses: [This is the house that Jack built].
6. An adverb (sometimes called the locative adjective): [The book here is the one I want].