Humble Silly Pregnant Fresh Intelligent Cocky

Q2
In the English language, the internal structures that

distinguish adjectives from other grammatical forms include
degrees of modification. Prototypical English adjectives
express three degrees of modification: positive, comparative,
and superlative.
Positive Adjectives
The first degree of modification that all English adjectives can
express is the positive degree. Positive adjectives are
identical to the dictionary form of the adjective. For example,
the following italicized adjectives are positive:
 The humble man silenced the silly girl.

 The pregnant woman ate the fresh banana.
 The intelligent student outsmarted the cocky villain.
All adjectives in English have a positive form.
Comparative Adjectives
The second degree of modification that prototypical English
adjectives can express is the comparative degree.
Comparative adjectives compare only two nouns. The
comparative form of adjectives is formed by adding the
suffix -er to the adjective by adding the adverb more to the
adjective phrase. Adjectives with one syllable or with two
syllables in which the last syllable is -y, -le, or -er take the -
er suffix. All other adjectives take the adverb more. Some
adjectives have irregular comparative forms as
in good and better or bad and worse. For example, the
following italicized adjectives are comparative:
 The humbler man silenced the sillier girl.
 The more intelligent student outsmarted
the cockier villain.
 Espen is bigger than Princess.
Only prototypical adjectives in English express comparative
degrees of modification. For example, the
adjectives pregnant and purple traditionally do not have
comparative forms because one is either pregnant or not or
something is either purple or not. Note, however, that such
adjectives can take comparative endings as in This woman is
more pregnant than that woman meaning figuratively that one
woman is further along in pregnancy than another.
Superlative Adjectives
The third degree of modification that prototypical English
adjectives can express is the superlative degree. Superlative
adjectives compare three or more nouns. The superlative form
of adjectives is formed by adding the suffix -est to the
adjective by adding the adverb most to the adjective phrase.
Adjectives with one syllable or with two syllables in which the
last syllable is -y, -le, or –er take the -est suffix. All other
adjectives take the adverb most. Some adjectives have
irregular superlative forms as
in good and best or bad and worst. For example, the
following italicized adjectives are superlative:
 The humblest man silenced the silliest girl.
 The smartest student won the largest trophy.
 The pudding cup is the most delicious dessert here.
Like with comparative forms, only prototypical adjectives in

English express superlative degrees of modification. Note,
however, that some adjectives like pregnant do take
superlative endings as in Among the cousins, my sister is
most pregnant meaning figuratively that my sister is furthest
along in her pregnancy in comparison to all her pregnant
cousins.
Spelling Changes
One-Syllable Adjectives
For one-syllable adjectives spelled either with a final
consonant preceded by either two vowels or additional
consonants or with a final y or w preceded by a vowel,
simply add the -er or -est suffix. For example:
 bold – bolder – boldest
 gay – gayer – gayest
 new – newer – newest
 small – smaller – smallest
For one-syllable adjectives spelled with a final consonant
preceded by a single vowel, double the final consonant and
add the -er or -est suffix. For example:
 big – bigger – biggest
 fat – fatter – fattest
 mad – madder – maddest
 wet – wetter – wettest
For one-syllable adjectives spelled with a final e preceded by
a consonant, remove the e and then add the -er or -
est suffix. For example:
 cute – cuter – cutest
 fierce – fiercer – fiercest
 large – larger – largest
 wise – wiser – wisest
One- or Two-Syllable -y Adjectives
For one- or two-syllable adjectives spelled with a
final y preceded by a consonant, change the y to an i and
then add the -er or -est suffix. For example:
 dry – drier – driest
 happy – happier – happiest
 juicy – juicier – juiciest
 tiny – tinier – tiniest
Two-Syllable -le and -er Adjectives
For two-syllable adjectives spelled with a final le, remove
the e and then add the -er or -est suffix. For example:
 gentle – gentler – gentlest
 humble – humbler – humblest
 little – littler – littlest
 simple – simpler – simplest
For two-syllable adjectives spelled with a final er, simply add
the -er or -est suffix. For example:
 bitter – bitterer – bitterest
 eager – eagerer – eagerest
 somber – somberer – somberest
 tender – tenderer – tenderest
Note that -le and -er adjectives are currently experiencing
the process of linguistic change. In all but the most
prescriptive registers, both the -er/-est suffixes and
the more/most adverbs produce grammatically acceptable
comparative and superlative forms -le and -er adjectives. For
example:
 gentle – gentler/more gentle – gentlest/most gentle
 humble – humbler/more humble – humblest/most humble
 bitter – bitterer/more bitter – bitterest/most bitter
 tender – tenderer/more tender – tenderest/most tender
Anomalous Adjectives
Some English adjectives have irregular, or anomalous,
comparative and superlative forms. For example:
 bad – worse – worst

 far – further – furthest
 far – farther – farthest
 good – better – best
 little – less – least
 many – more – most
 old – elder – eldest
 well – better – best
Note that the superlative form of irregular adjectives in English
almost always appears with a determiner the as in He is a
good man, I am a better man, and You are the best man.
Other Two-Syllable or More Adjectives
All other adjectives in English require the
adverbs more and most in the comparative and superlative
forms. For example:
 adorable – more adorable – most adorable
 foolish – more foolish – most foolish
 important – more important – most important
 outgoing – more outgoing – most outgoing
The adverbs more and most function as adjective phrase
modifiers within the adjective phrases of comparative and
superlative adjectives.
Pronunciation Changes
More most English adjectives that take the -er/-est suffixes in
the comparative and superlative, the addition of the suffix
does not change the pronunciation. For example:
 bright [braiyt] – brighter [braiytər] – brightest [braiyt ɛst]
 damp [dӕmp] – damper [dӕmpər] – dampest [dӕmpɛst]
 jolly [ĵali] – jollier [ĵaliər] – jolliest [ĵaliɛst]
However, for adjectives pronounced with a final ng [ŋ] sound,
a g [g] sound is inserted between the positive form of the
adjective and the comparative or superlative suffix. For
example:
 long [laŋ] – longer [laŋgər] – longest [laŋgɛst]
 strong [straŋ] – stronger [straŋgər] – strongest [stra ŋg ɛst]
 young [yəŋ] – youngest – [yəŋgər] – youngest [yəŋg ɛst]
Adjectives are words that describe nouns. The internal
structures that distinguish adjectives from other grammatical
forms include degrees of modification. Prototypical English
adjectives show all three degrees of modification: positive,
comparative, and superlative.

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Q2

In the English language, the internal structures that

 The humble man silenced the silly girl.

Like with comparative forms, only prototypical adjectives in

 bad – worse – worst

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