comparative
noun[C]
languagespecializeduk/kəmˈpær.ə.tɪv/us/kəmˈper.ə.t̬ɪv/A2
theformof anadjectiveoradverbthatexpressesadifferenceinamount,number,degree, orquality:
（形容词或副词的）比较级"Fatter" is the comparativeof"fat".fatter 是 fat 的比较级。
"Moredifficult" is the comparativeof"difficult".more difficult 是 difficult 的比较级。
- 'Older' is the comparative, not thesuperlative, of 'old'.
- Not alladjectivesformthe comparative byadding'er' - some areirregular.
- Forhomeworkwe have alistof comparatives andsuperlativestolearn.
- Yes, the comparative of 'quick' is 'quicker', but the comparative of theadverb'quickly' is 'morequickly'.
- Thisdictionaryshowscomparatives andsuperlativesif they areirregular, like 'better' (the comparative of 'good').
- 'Better' is the comparative of 'good'.
Linguistics: grammatical terms
- ablative
- apposition
- appositive
- appositively
- attributively
- concord
- demonstrative
- feminine
- intensifier
- nominal
- nominative
- predicatively
- premodifier
- quantifier
- regularity
- singular
- stative
- syntactic
- syntax
- uncountable
Grammar
Anyand comparatives
We use any with comparative adjectives and adverbs:…Comparison: adjectives (bigger,biggest,more interesting)
Comparative adjectives compare one person or thing with another and enable us to say whether a person or thing has more or less of a particular quality:…Comparative and superlative adjectives
Comparative adjectives compare one person or thing with another and enable us to say whether a person or thing has more or less of a particular quality:…Comparative and superlative adjectives: form
To form the comparative, we use the -er suffix with adjectives of one syllable:…Comparative adjectives: usingmuch,a lot,far, etc.
We can strengthen or emphasise a comparative adjective using words such as much, a lot, far, even or rather, or by using than ever after the adjective:…Comparative adjectives: usingthan
We use than when we mention the second person or thing in the comparison. If the second person mentioned takes the form of a personal pronoun, we normally use the object form of the pronoun (me, you, him, her, us, them):…Comparative adjectives: -erand-er,more and more
To talk about how a person or thing is changing and gaining more of a particular quality, we can use two -er form adjectives connected by and, or we can use more and more before an adjective. We don’t follow such comparisons with than:…Comparative adjectives:the -er, the -erandthe more …, the more…
If a person or things gains more of a particular quality and this causes a parallel increase of another quality, we can repeat the + a comparative adjective:…Reduced forms after comparatives
After than, we often don’t repeat subject pronouns with impersonal subjects, or auxiliary verbs with passive voice verbs:…Lessandnot as/not sowith comparatives
We use less with longer adjectives (interesting, beautiful, complicated), but we don’t normally use less with short adjectives of one syllable (big, good, high, small). Instead we use not as … as …, or not so … as … Not as is more common than not so:…Prepositions after superlative adjectives
We don’t normally use of before a singular name of a place or group after a superlative adjective:…Thewith superlative adjectives
When a superlative adjective is followed by a noun, we normally use the:…Other determiners with superlative adjectives
Before a superlative adjective, we can use a possessive determiner (my, his, their), or the + a number (two, three, first, second), or a possessive determiner + a number:…Emphasising superlative adjectives
We can make a superlative adjective stronger with by far, easily or of all:…To-infinitives after superlative adjectives
We can use a to-infinitive after a superlative adjective, with a meaning similar to a relative clause with who, which or that:…Comparative adjectives: typical errors
A comparative adjective is followed by than, not that or as:…Comparison: adverbs (worse, more easily)
Adverbs do not normally change in form, but a few have comparative and superlative forms. These are usually short adverbs and so they normally have comparative and superlative forms with -er and -est.…Adverbs: comparative and superlative forms
Adverbs do not normally change in form, but a few have comparative and superlative forms. These are usually short adverbs and so they normally have comparative and superlative forms with -er and -est.…Adverbs withmoreandmost
Adverbs with two or more syllables form the comparative and superlative with more and most:…Wellandbadly
The adverb well has the same comparative and superlative forms as the adjective good (better, best). The adverb badly has the comparative and superlative forms worse, worst:…Comparative adverbs: usingthan
When we mention the second person or thing in the comparison, we use than. We do not use that or as. If the second person mentioned takes the form of a personal pronoun, we normally use the object form of the pronoun (me, you, him, her, us, them):…Comparison: clauses (bigger than we had imagined)
The second part of a comparison (underlined) is often a clause:…Comparison: comparisons of equality (as tall as his father)
…Comparative forms
Farther and further are comparative adverbs or adjectives. They are the irregular comparative forms of far. We use them to talk about distance. There is no difference in meaning between them. Further is more common:…Superlative forms
Farthest and furthest are superlative adjectives or adverbs. They are the irregular superlative forms of far. We use them to talk about distance. There is no difference in meaning between them. Furthest is more common than farthest:…comparative
adjective
uk/kəmˈpær.ə.tɪv/us/kəmˈper.ə.t̬ɪv/comparativeadjective(EXAMINING DIFFERENCES)
C1
comparingdifferent things:
比较的，对比的She'scarryingout a comparativestudyofhealthininnercitiesandruralareas.她正在对市中心区和乡村地区的健康问题进行比较研究。
comparative comfort/freedom/silence, etc.
C2
asituationthat iscomfortable,free,silent, etc. whencomparedto anothersituationor what isnormal:
相对的舒适（自由，安静等）Ienjoyedthe comparativecalmof hisflatafter thebusyoffice.在办公室忙碌一天之后，我喜欢他公寓房里相对的安静。
Comparing and contrasting
- analogy
- antithesis
- apple
- as againstidiom
- balance
- balancesomethingagainstsomething
- competitive
- competitively
- contradistinction
- contrast
- contrastive
- gold standard
- measure
- nonrelative
- perspective
- relative
- relatively
- relativist
- stack
- stack up
comparativeadjective(WORD FORM)
languagespecialized
relatingto theformof anadjectiveoradverbthatexpressesadifferenceinamount,number,degree, orquality:
（形容词或副词的）比较级的The comparativeformof "slow" is "slower".slow 的比较级形式是 slower。
Linguistics: grammatical terms
- ablative
- apposition
- appositive
- appositively
- attributively
- concord
- demonstrative
- feminine
- intensifier
- nominal
- nominative
- predicatively
- premodifier
- quantifier
- regularity
- singular
- stative
- syntactic
- syntax
- uncountable
Grammar
Anyand comparatives
We use any with comparative adjectives and adverbs:…Comparison: adjectives (bigger,biggest,more interesting)
Comparative adjectives compare one person or thing with another and enable us to say whether a person or thing has more or less of a particular quality:…Comparative and superlative adjectives
Comparative adjectives compare one person or thing with another and enable us to say whether a person or thing has more or less of a particular quality:…Comparative and superlative adjectives: form
To form the comparative, we use the -er suffix with adjectives of one syllable:…Comparative adjectives: usingmuch,a lot,far, etc.
We can strengthen or emphasise a comparative adjective using words such as much, a lot, far, even or rather, or by using than ever after the adjective:…Comparative adjectives: usingthan
We use than when we mention the second person or thing in the comparison. If the second person mentioned takes the form of a personal pronoun, we normally use the object form of the pronoun (me, you, him, her, us, them):…Comparative adjectives: -erand-er,more and more
To talk about how a person or thing is changing and gaining more of a particular quality, we can use two -er form adjectives connected by and, or we can use more and more before an adjective. We don’t follow such comparisons with than:…Comparative adjectives:the -er, the -erandthe more …, the more…
If a person or things gains more of a particular quality and this causes a parallel increase of another quality, we can repeat the + a comparative adjective:…Reduced forms after comparatives
After than, we often don’t repeat subject pronouns with impersonal subjects, or auxiliary verbs with passive voice verbs:…Lessandnot as/not sowith comparatives
We use less with longer adjectives (interesting, beautiful, complicated), but we don’t normally use less with short adjectives of one syllable (big, good, high, small). Instead we use not as … as …, or not so … as … Not as is more common than not so:…Prepositions after superlative adjectives
We don’t normally use of before a singular name of a place or group after a superlative adjective:…Thewith superlative adjectives
When a superlative adjective is followed by a noun, we normally use the:…Other determiners with superlative adjectives
Before a superlative adjective, we can use a possessive determiner (my, his, their), or the + a number (two, three, first, second), or a possessive determiner + a number:…Emphasising superlative adjectives
We can make a superlative adjective stronger with by far, easily or of all:…To-infinitives after superlative adjectives
We can use a to-infinitive after a superlative adjective, with a meaning similar to a relative clause with who, which or that:…Comparative adjectives: typical errors
A comparative adjective is followed by than, not that or as:…Comparison: adverbs (worse, more easily)
Adverbs do not normally change in form, but a few have comparative and superlative forms. These are usually short adverbs and so they normally have comparative and superlative forms with -er and -est.…Adverbs: comparative and superlative forms
Adverbs do not normally change in form, but a few have comparative and superlative forms. These are usually short adverbs and so they normally have comparative and superlative forms with -er and -est.…Adverbs withmoreandmost
Adverbs with two or more syllables form the comparative and superlative with more and most:…Wellandbadly
The adverb well has the same comparative and superlative forms as the adjective good (better, best). The adverb badly has the comparative and superlative forms worse, worst:…Comparative adverbs: usingthan
When we mention the second person or thing in the comparison, we use than. We do not use that or as. If the second person mentioned takes the form of a personal pronoun, we normally use the object form of the pronoun (me, you, him, her, us, them):…Comparison: clauses (bigger than we had imagined)
The second part of a comparison (underlined) is often a clause:…Comparison: comparisons of equality (as tall as his father)
…Comparative forms
Farther and further are comparative adverbs or adjectives. They are the irregular comparative forms of far. We use them to talk about distance. There is no difference in meaning between them. Further is more common:…Superlative forms
Farthest and furthest are superlative adjectives or adverbs. They are the irregular superlative forms of far. We use them to talk about distance. There is no difference in meaning between them. Furthest is more common than farthest:…