Simple comparative form of adjectives. Comparison of adjectives

It Is Very Unimportant

Pronunciation - Pronunciation

Letter r gives longitude to a vowel sound.

b or n, h or n, p or t, l or d, m or ning, sh or t, rep or t

b ar k, b ar n, c ar t, d ar k, d ar t, sh ar k, sm ar t, t ar t

h er, t er m, b ir d, d ir ty, sh ir t, s ir, sk ir t, t ur n, l ear n

Question - Question

Just started the lesson and already have questions? What is it? Does the name of the lesson sound strange? Does the title of the lesson sound strange? Adjective unimportant we remembered in connection with that noisy trial in Wonderland - in the case of stealing pies ... The Rabbit, the court secretary, gives the King clues in this scene.

King:	What do you know about this business?	What do you know about this case?
Alice:	Nothing.	Nothing.
King:	Nothing whatever?	Nothing at all?
Alice:	Nothing whatever.	Nothing at all.
King:	That is very important.	It is very important.
Rabbit:	Unimportant, your majesty.	It doesn't matter, your majesty.
King:	Unimportant, of course, I mean.	It doesn't matter, of course, I mean.

Both words are important to us - and important, and unimportant, and besides them all other adjectives: big(big), small(small), strange(strange)...

Grammar - Grammar

The adjective is placed before or after the noun.

I like hot tea. I like when my tea is hot.
He is a funny man. His jokes are funny.

Have English adjectives there is no number, no gender, they do not change in cases.

In a cup hot water... - There is hot water in the cup.
Hot tea in the cup. - There is hot tea in the cup.
Buy hotcakes. - Buy some hot pies.

Let's compare the "thickness" of the Dorkins. They are fat. We put fat comparatively by adding the suffix -er... We use the union to construct "comparative" phrases than(how).

Albert is fatter than Herbert. - Albert is fatter than Herbert.
A lion is stronger than a wolf. - The lion is stronger than the wolf.
You are taller than me. - You are taller than me.
Is she older than you? - Is she older than you?

Now we put the adjective in superlative degree with the suffix -est... Let's clarify who is the fattest of the Dorkins. The definite article is essential.

Who is the fattest of the Dorkinses? - Who is the fattest of the Dorkins?

Fattie is the fattest in the family. - The fat man is the fattest in the family.

Not is the fattest man in the village. - He is the fattest man in the village.

Albert is the second fattest of them. - Albert is the second fattest of them all.

Hot, strong, tall, fat- adjectives from one syllable. Most disyllabic adjectives form degrees of comparison in the same way, using -er and -est... For example, those ending in -y, -ow, -er, -le.

happy - happi er- the happi est
narrow (narrow) - narrow er- the narrow est
tender (gentle) - tender er- the tender est
simple (simple) - simpl er- the simpl est

In comparative and superlative degrees, sometimes it is necessary to slightly change the spelling. For example, the final consonant is doubled - so that the syllable remains closed, so that the vowels continue to sound short. Single -y at the end of the stem changes to i.

big - bigger - the biggest
fat - fatter - the fattest
dry - drier - the driest
funny - funnier - the funniest
silly - sillier - the silliest

There are exceptions, but very few of them. First of all, you need to remember better and best, special forms of the adjective good.

good - better - the best
bad - worse - the worst
far (far) - farther - the farthest

Not always Russian bad translated into english bad and vice versa. Compare:

I feel bad. - I "m not well. Or: I "m unwell.
He's a bad swimmer. - Not a poor swimmer.
I have a strong headache... - I have a bad headache.
Smoking - bad habit... - Smoking is a bad habit.

Reading - Reading

Winnie the Pooh, impressed by the constant jumping of the Tigers, reflects on what would happen if ...

If rabbit
Was bigger
And fatter
And stronger,
Or bigger
Than Tigger;
If Tigger
Was smaller,
Then Tigger "s
Bad habit
Of bouncing at Rabbit
Would matter
No longer,
If rabbit
Was taller.

(Here) if the Rabbit
There was more
And thicker
And stronger
Or larger
Than the Tiger;
If the tiger
Was smaller
Then a bad habit
Tigers
Jump on the rabbit
Would not have anymore
Doesn't matter
If the Rabbit
Was higher.

Notes - Notes

1. Winnie the pooh says: If Tigger was smaller(If the Tiger was smaller). Comparative and superlative instead of little used by small.

Tim has a little sister. - Tim has a younger sister.
She is smaller than Tim. “She’s smaller than Tim.
She is the smallest in their family. “She is the smallest in their family.

2. In the following examples, the comparative degree is paired with get(in meaning become).

It gets warmer. - It is getting warmer. Or: It is getting warmer.
It gets darker. - It's getting darker. Or: It gets dark.
The wind is getting stronger. - The wind is getting stronger.

Word - Word

Verb matter["mætǝ] often occurs in colloquial English speech... Translation: to matter... Typically, it is used in interrogative and negative sentences. Matter can also be a noun.

Does it matter? - Does it matter?

It does not matter to me what she does. “It doesn't matter to me what she does.

It does not matter any longer. “It doesn't matter anymore.

What "s the matter with you? - What's the matter with you?

Grammar - Grammar

When discussing adjectives, we forgot the word with which we began today's lesson - unimportant(unimportant). Forgotten on purpose, because for "long" words, in which there are three or more syllables, another rule applies: they form a comparative degree with the help of the word more(more), and the superlative using most(most).

important - more important - the most important
amazing - more amazing - the most amazing

Quotation - Quote

In the Gospel of Matthew (ch. 19) we find an "illustrative" example with the adjective easy(light). There we also get acquainted with the prediction, in which adjectives are played out. high(high) and low(short)

I tell you that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. - I tell you that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.

Many who have the highest place in life now will have the lowest place in the future. And many who have the lowest place now will have the highest place in the future. - Many who today occupy the highest position in life will occupy the lowest position in the future. And many who are in the lowest position today will be in the highest position in the future.

There was a saying with an adjective important.

Life is more important than food. And the body is more important than clothes. - Life more important than food... And the body is more important than clothes.

Reading - Reading

Remember, Mr. Bliss was stopped on the forest road by "raiders" - three bears. Mr Bliss was stopped in the woods by three bears. Bears threaten: We shall eat you up! Of course, here you will give both bananas and a car ... However, the bears are joking. They are teasing.

A hold-up
Plaque

Of course the bears are only teasing. But they roll their yellow eyes, and growl, and look so fierce that Mr Bliss is frightened (and so are Mr Day and Mrs Knight). So they give the bears the cabbages and the bananas.

Archie and Teddy pile them on the donkey and take them away to their house in the wood. Bruno stays and talks to Mr Bliss. In fact he is watching Mr Bliss and Mr Bliss cannot drive away.

When Archie and Teddy come back they say, "Now we want a ride in your car!"

"But I am going to see the Dorkinses," says Mr Bliss, "and you do not know them.

"Never mind," say the bears, "we can know them."

They start off again. The road runs uphill and down on the other side. They come out of the wood to the top of the hill and begin to go down.

Mr Bliss is so squeezed by Mrs Knight that he cannot put on the brakes. Soon they begin to whizz and the donkey, who is tied behind the car, is flying in the air. Faster and faster they run, and then they crash into the wall of the Dorkinses "garden. They all shoot out of the car head first and fly over the wall. All except the donkey, who turns a somersault into the car ...

And then, as you remember from the text without punctuation marks, the whole honest company landed on the neat lawn of the Dorkins.

Words - Words

tease- tease; roll- rotate; growl- growl; fierce- ferocious; watch- guard, guard; squash- crush; squeeze- squeeze, squeeze; hardly["hɑ: dli] - hardly; steer- to steer; brakes- brakes; whizz- rush ( whistling); crash- bump into; shoot[ʃu: t] (out) - fly out (out); somersault["sʌmǝso: lt] - somersault ( in the air), somersault.

Notes - Notes

Pretext by reports on the situation about, nearby with anything: by the river(by the river), by the road(by the road). We also know about the use of by in stable expressions of the following type: by car(by car), by plane(by plane, by plane), by sea(by sea).

In other cases by indicates the person who performs the action: self by is not translated, but the noun denoting the doer is put in the instrumental case in Russian.

Adjectives (Adjectives) are words that express the qualities, signs of objects. They answer the question which?... In a sentence, they usually define a noun. In English, they do not change by gender, or by number, or by case:

a little girl - a little girl

a little boy - a little boy

little children - little children

With a little boy - with a little boy.

Adjectives change only by degrees of comparison (Degrees of Comparison). There are three degrees of comparison of adjectives: Positive Degree, Comparative Degree, Superlative Degree.

Rules for the formation of degrees of comparison of adjectives.

Adjectives in the positive degree do not have any endings, for example: quick (fast), slow (slow), old (old), new (new). Comparative and superlative degrees are formed using the suffixes -er and -est or by adding the words more (more) and most (most). The choice of method depends on the original form of the adjective.

Monosyllabic and some disyllabic adjectives form the comparative degree with the -er suffix, and the superlative degree with the -est suffix. Using the suffixes -er, -est, two-syllable adjectives ending in -er, -ow, -y, -le (clever, narrow, early, simple) are formed.

Here are some examples:

Monosyllabic and disyllabic adjectives

Positive degree	comparative	Superlative degree
high - high	higher - higher, higher	highest - the highest
small - small	smaller - less	smallest - smallest, smallest
strong - strong	stronger - stronger, stronger	strongest - the strongest
cheap - cheap	cheaper - cheaper, cheaper	cheapest - the cheapest
quick - fast	quicker - faster	quickest - the fastest
new - new	newer - newer	newest - the newest
clean - clean	cleaner - cleaner, cleaner	cleanest - the cleanest
cold - cold	colder - colder, colder	coldest is the coldest
short - short	shorter - shorter, shorter	shortest - shortest
great - great, great	greater - more	greatest - the greatest, the greatest
weak - weak	weaker - weaker	weakest - the weakest
deep - deep	deeper - deeper, deeper	deepest - the deepest
low - low	lower - lower	lowest - the lowest
clever - smart	cleverer - smarter, smarter	cleverest - the smartest, the smartest
narrow - narrow	narrower - narrower	narrowest - the narrowest
shallow - small	shallower - smaller	shallowest - the smallest

When writing must be respected certain rules spelling.

1. If the adjective has a short vowel and ends in one consonant, then in the comparative degree and in the superlative degree this consonant is doubled:

big - bigger - biggest

large - larger - largest, largest

Fat - fatter - fattest

thick, bold - thicker - thickest

Wet - wetter - wettest

wet, wet - wetter - wettest

Sad - sadder - saddest

sad, sad - sadder - saddest

thin - thinner - thinnest

thin, thin - thinner - thinnest

2. If the adjective ends with a letter -y with a preceding consonant, then in the comparative and superlative degrees the letter y changes to i:

Easy - easier - easiest

light - lighter - lightest, lightest

early - earlier - earliest

earliest - earlier - earliest

dry - drier - driest

dry, arid - drier - driest

But the word shy (shy, shy) does not obey this rule and forms degrees of comparison as follows:

shy - shyer - shyest.

3. If the adjective ends with a letter -e, then in comparative and superlative degrees is added -r, -st:

wide - wider - widest

wide - wider - widest, widest

late - later - latest

late - later - latest

fine - finer - finest

good, beautiful - better - the nicest

simple - simpler - simplest

simple - simpler - simplest

Polysyllabic adjectives, i.e. adjectives consisting of three or more syllables form degrees of comparison using the words more for comparative degree and most for superlative degree. Consider the following examples:

Polysyllabic adjectives

Positive degree	comparative	Superlative degree
interesting - interesting	more interesting - more interesting	most interesting - the most interesting
beautiful - beautiful	more beautiful - more beautiful	most beautiful - the most beautiful
expensive - dear	more expensive - more expensive	most expensive - the most expensive
difficult - difficult	more difficult - more difficult	most difficult - the most difficult
dangerous - dangerous	more dangerous - more dangerous	most dangerous - the most dangerous
important - important	more important - more important	most important - the most important
comfortable - comfortable	more comfortable - more comfortable	most comfortable - the most comfortable

In the same way, i.e. using the words more for comparative degree and most for superlative degree, some two-syllable words that end in -ed and -

Degrees of adjectives comparison - Comparison of adjectives

Adjectives in English do not change in number or case, they change in degrees of comparison. This applies to quality adjectives. Relative adjectives do not have degrees of comparison (about qualitative and relative adjectives - in the material "").

There are three degrees of comparison of qualitative adjectives in English:

1. Positive. The adjective in its usual form.
big big
2. Comparative. Indicates that one object has a bo? a higher degree of quality than another. Often used with the preposition than.
bigger bigger
3. Excellent (superlative). Indicates that the object is of the highest quality.
the biggest

Rules for the formation of degrees of comparison

1. The comparative degree is formed by adding the suffix -er [? R] to the base of the word. Excellent - suffix -est [? St]. A few nuances:
a. In adjectives with one syllable, the last letter is doubled.
hot - hotter - the hottest hot - hottest - hottest
b. If the last letter of the adjective is -y, and there is a consonant in front of it, then it is replaced by -i; if a vowel, then -y remains unchanged.
busy - busier - the busiest
gray - grayer - the grayest gray - grayer - the grayest
v. If the last letter in the adjective is mute -e (that is, it is not pronounced), then when writing it is omitted and merged with -e in a comparative or superlative suffix.
cute - cuter - the cutest
2. If an adjective has two or more syllables, then more is used comparatively before it, and the most is used in the excellent:
beautiful - more beautiful - the most beautiful
3. There are a number of two-syllable adjectives that can be changed according to the first rule and the second:
able able
angry angry
clever smart
common common, common
cruel cruel
frequent frequent
friendly friendly
gentle gentle
handsome handsome, handsome
narrow narrow
pleasant pleasant
polite polite
quiet quiet
serious serious
simple simple
sour sour
4. Adjectives-exceptions:
good / well - better - the best
good - better - best / best
bad - worse - the worst
bad - worse - worst
little - less- the least
small - less - smallest / smallest
much (uncountable) / many (calculus) - more - the most
many - more - most
old - older - the oldest
old - older - oldest
old - elder - the eldest
elder - older - oldest (only about people; for example: my elder brother is my elder brother)
late - later - the latest / the last
latest - later - most recent (new, latest in time)
near - nearer - the nearest
close - closer - closest (distance)
near - nearer - next / the next
close - closer - next (in time or in order)
far - farther - the farthest
farthest - farthest - farthest (distance only)
far - further - the furthest
distant - more distant - most distant (in an abstract sense)

Hello my dear readers.

English grammar rules are pretty easy to understand for both adults and children. To prove it to you, today we will analyze one of the most popular topics: the degree of comparison of adjectives in English.

Bright and memorable tables will not leave you indifferent, and the practical part, consisting of tasks, exercises and, will permanently consolidate the knowledge gained.

Ready to start your lesson?

Let's start simple

You probably know that in English there is 3 degrees of comparison of adjectives: simple, comparative and excellent.

• Remember, or better write down: If you have an English word with one syllable in front of you (hot, big, cool, kind) - just add the ending -er to the end of the adjective and get the comparative degree.

For example:

hot-hotter wide-wider

big-bigger kind-kinder

• But do not forget that there is also a superlative degree (this is when something is the very best \ beautiful \ fast). So, if we still have a word from one syllable, then the superlative degree is formed by adding the article the at the beginning of the word and the ending -est at the end.

For example:

hot-hotter-the hottest wide-wider-the widest

big-bigger-the biggest kind-kinder-the kindest

This is where the simple part of the rule ends.

And the following begins.

Do not forget about the important

• If you haven't noticed, in the examples above we have doubled consonants... This only happens under the following conditions:

1. The word consists from one syllable.
2. The word ends just like this: one vowel + one consonant.

For example,

fat-fatter-the fattest

• I'll talk about the obvious, but sometimes confusing - to words ending in a vowel -e, we add simply -r and -st.(this is also seen in the above examples)
• One more important point! There is a list of short adjectives consisting of two syllables and ending in - y... When we form degrees of comparison with them, then the letter -y is replaced with -i.

For example,

lucky -lucki er-the lucki est.

• There is an unspoken rule that adjectives consisting of two syllables can form degrees of comparison in the second way, about which read below.

Another way of forming degrees of comparison

If you have any questions - leave them in the comments, and I will immediately answer them. And if you want to receive the most useful newsletter, then subscribe below... Continuous improvement of your knowledge awaits you.

Until then, I say goodbye.
See you.

Answers:
Exercise 1.
1. Hot-Hotter-The hottest
2. Beautiful-More beautiful-The most beautiful
3. Happy-Happier-The happiest
4. Brave-Braver-The bravest
5. Fast-Faster-The Fastest
6. Calm-Calmer-The calmest
7. Cool-Cooler-The coolest
8. Loud-Louder-The loudest
9. Short-Shorter-The shortest
10. Strong-Stronger-The strongest
11. Dangerous-More dangerous-The most dangerous
12. Handsome-More handsome-The most handsome
13. Nice-Nicer-The nicest
14. Sarcastic-More sarcastic-The most sarcastic
15. Bad-Worse- The worst

Exercise 2.
1. The safest \ the fastest.
2. Longer \ Shorter
3. Louder
4. Closer
5. Bigger
6. More expensive
7. More beautiful
8. The best
9. The tallest
10. Taller

Exercise 3.
1. The cleverest
2. Worse
3. The kindest
4. The most populated
5. Further
6. (Much) happier
7. The best
8. The most popular
9. Further
10. Worst

Qualitative adjectives have degrees of comparison: positive(original form), comparative(com parative) and excellent(superlative). Grammar category degrees of comparison acts as a grammatical core of the functional-semantic category of graduality, the meaning of which is realized by different-level language means. The meaning of the degrees of comparison is that the comparative degree conveys the intensity of a trait in comparison with the same trait in another subject .

Scientific discussion

From Aristotle to the present, words that convey gradual value (measure, degree, value of a sign, process, phenomenon, object), have been the object of study by many researchers 3. M. V. Lomonosov in his "Russian grammar" considered the degree of comparison of the category subjective assessment... Russian grammarians of the 19th century these aspects brought closer together. Two categories of quality grades have been established - non-relative(oldish, old, oldyonk) and relative(oldest of ..., one older than the other) .

Without naming the phenomena represented by the term graduality, which is used by modern scientists, linguists have described a number of linguistic phenomena that correspond to the very essence of graduality. All theories and descriptions of various quality grades with historical point of view represented an important perspective in the study of graduality. Since the XV century. in the Russian language there are all kinds of forms with a graduated meaning.

Attribute, procedural justice, objectivity in a certain way (to a greater or lesser extent) correlate with the concepts degree, measure... Most of the words of the modern Russian language express variable and measurable ( quality) sign: degree of comparison (adjectives); formations with augmentative and diminutive suffixes (nouns); methods of verbal action with the meaning of measure; gradual oppositions in lexical system language; gradational syntactic constructions; the use of gradation as a stylistic method. As graded and graduated units, such words are considered that, due to their semantic and grammatical features, are able to express one or another degree (measure) of manifestation of a feature: our passions. "

Gradation- functional-semantic category with meaning measures, degree of manifestation sign, process, phenomenon, state, expressed by multilevel linguistic means. Comparative degree ( comparative) denotes such a variable feature that can manifest itself in an object to a greater or lesser extent than in another object. Wed: This question more difficultthe previous one. – This question more difficult,than the previous one. Excellent degree ( superlative) denotes such a variable feature that manifests itself in an object to the greatest or least degree than in another object: it hardestthe question of the topic being studied. - It the most difficultthe question of the topic being studied.

Forms of comparative and superlative degrees can be simple(synthetic) and complex(analytical).

Simple the form comparative degree has indicators - suffixes -e (s), -e: high – highe(alternation s // w at the root of the word + truncation of the stem - suffix -ok-), strong – strongher (strong-her) etc. From adjectives good, bad, small Supplementary forms of a comparative degree are formed: good is better, bad is worse etc. Simple superlative is formed by attaching suffixes -eish-, - aish-: tallaishuh, strongeishui etc. For example: Leo Tolstoy is a geniuseishui fromwriters of the XX century.

Complex the form comparative degree is formed by additional words more / less+ positive degree: more (less)high (kind).

Complex the form excellent degree is formed in several ways:

• a) using an additional (auxiliary) word (particles) most: most difficult, highest etc.;
• b) using additional (auxiliary) words most, least: least difficult etc.;
• c) the combination "simple form of comparative degree + pronoun in the genitive case Total(or of all) ": the most difficult (of all) and etc.;
• d) the combination "amplifying particle all + simple form of comparative degree ": The pain in my heart became allhottere(M. Sholokhov).

In a sentence, a simple form usually performs the function predicate and the compound can be like predicate, so and definition. Wed: She was more beautifulthan he imagined her(L. Tolstoy).

The complex form of comparative and superlative degrees is formed from almost all qualitative adjectives. The simple form has limitations.

Forms of a simple comparative degree are not formed from adjectives:

• - with an absolute qualitative value: bald, blind, lame, dumb, barefoot, deaf etc.;
• - based on [ NS"], [f]: beggar, stout and etc.;
• - with a suffix -sk-: friendscoh, enemyscui etc.;
• - from some verbal adjectives with a suffix -k-: padTouh, moveTooh, shatToui and so on;
• - with a suffix -ov - / - ev-: troubleovoh, boevOh etc.;
• - with a suffix -l-: unyloh, mouthlth etc.;
• - from individual adjectives that stand apart for reasons of a historical nature, for example proud, young and etc.

Simple superlatives are not formed from adjectives:

• - with a suffix -sk-: friendscuh, tragicallyscoh, enemyscui etc.;
• - with a suffix -k-: bastardTooh thunderTooh, ringingToui etc.;
• - with a suffix -ow - / - eu-: rowovoh, strevoh boevOh and etc.;
• - from adjectives proud, young etc.

Excellent degree has two kinds of meaning:

• 1) the manifestation of a sign in the highest degree compared to other items ( superlative): oldest ofworkers etc.;
• 2) expression extreme degree manifestation of the sign regardless of other objects (regardless of the large measure of the sign - elative): Got into stupidestposition, It raresthappening etc.

V grammatical complex forms comparative and excellent degrees are no different from positive(original) degree. Simple forms of a comparative degree are unchangeable, compare: House (houses) (pine (s), building (s)) above,how...

Syntactic(syntagmatic) conditions the use of morphological heterogeneous formations in the Russian language is characterized by the following features.

1. Expressing the relative degree of the presence of a trait, adjective in comparative or excellent degree is used as a gradual syntactic term - predicate or definitions. Wed:

So, reasoning, Selifan wandered at last into the most distant abstraction. Maybe this prompted him another, more substantial reason, the matter more serious, close to the heart ... But the reader will learn about all this gradually and in due time, if only he has the patience to read the proposed story, a very long one, which afterwards has to expand wider and more spaciously as it approaches the end that crowns the case (N. Gogol).

These are complex, analytical formations. The word is used as an exponent more(comparative) and words most or most(superlatively). Superlative exponent most stylistically neutral, and the word most is of a book nature. Wed:

Most typical cases; most simple question. - Disdaining the prudent comfort of castling, he strove to create the most unexpected, the most bizarre ratio of figures (V. Nabokov).

2. Adjectives in comparative degrees serving as definitions can express the result of a subjective assessment.

The shade of the meaning of a subjective assessment can be conveyed by lexical means, for example: elderly person (as opposed to old). Combined with the word more the adjective is used both in full and in short form: this question is more important: important(compound form); this question is more important: more important(simple form). Short form more important conveys a state conceivable in time: At the moment this question more important.

Typical for the Russian language is a simple (synthetic) form of a comparative degree in -he, -e, -e. It is homonymous with the form of the comparative degree of the adverb. Wed: he behaves modestly(adv.); his demands are more modest(adj.).

Excellent The degree of the adjective, which acts as a nominal predicate, has three forms, similar to the forms of the comparative degree: this question is the most (important): most (important): most important of all (of all). If the superlative expresses quality of an inanimate or animate object, preference is given to the forms "most + full form of the adjective":

This suitcase the heaviest; His job the best.- Vronsky is one of the sons of Count Kirill Ivanovich Vronsky and one of the best samples of gilded youth (L. Tolstoy).

• 3. Comparative degree in function predicate predicate used in special comparative constructions in which the comparison object is expressed in one way or another. It is formed in two ways:
• 1) the compound of the simple form of the comparative degree with the genitive comparison: Wilson is more important than any other bird(V. Mayakovsky);
• 2) by combining the compound form of the comparative degree, consisting of the word more and the short form of the positive degree, and the union than: Wilson is more important than any other bird.

The first method should be considered the most common, because the use of "forms of a comparative degree is not limited to simple morphological rules. The types of formation and functioning of degrees of comparison in Russian should be studied and assimilated in close connection with the syntactic and semantic conditions of their use."

All qualitative-evaluative and most qualitative adjectives form degrees of comparison, expressing different degrees of quality. But in some cases they do not have degrees of comparison due to their semantics: adjectives such as dumb, barefoot etc. denote absolute quality and do not logically admit of comparative or superlative degree. It is important to note that comparative and superlative degrees denote different meanings as opposed to meaning positive degree:

"She is at two meetings at once ..."

(V. Mayakovsky)

Forms of comparative degree with a prefix more (smarter, more fun, cheaper etc.), acting as a predicate, acquire the shade of a "softened" comparative degree: He is younger than me; He will be smarter than all of us. -

And the man, from he was quick-witted,

He set off on a bear,

He planted a spear in it

What higher navel, lower liver

• (meaning "slightly higher / lower").
• (A. Pushkin)

Forms of adjectives in -ee, -e, -she with prefix on- indicate the predominance of some quality in one of the compared objects: (the book) is more interesting; (boy) smarter etc.

Combined with the genitive of the attributive pronouns Total or of all(which, but in essence, became formants, indicators of the superlative degree) the comparative degree becomes superb. Such stable combinations carry the meaning of the highest degree of quality through comparative opposition anything other objects in the aggregate and not from the same category. This is a complex form of elative that cannot be combined with forms on -eish-, -eish-. For example:

Most of all he was struck by the fact that from Monday he would be Luzhin (V. Nabokov); And the geese shouted, / disappearing in the sky, / What is the most precious thing / The dear side ... (M. Isakovsky).

All three degrees represent a gradation series: rough: rougher: roughest; coarse: coarser: coarse etc.

In russian language comparative degree is often used in the meaning excellent. Distinguishes this use genitive case of the second element with a comparative degree. It can also be used for superlatives: best of all, richest. In some cases, you may notice a "limited" superlative value - better (...) all others except one (two ...).

Based on the system of degrees of comparison by Otto Jespersen, which excludes from consideration the superlative degree as a kind of comparative, let us single out the graduation steps:

• 1.Superiority (>) more dangerous (better) than ...
• 2. Equality(=) with as dangerous (good) as ...
• 3. Lower degree(less dangerous (good) than ... etc.

It's obvious that the first and the third steps closely related, since

in both cases is expressed inequality. There are two ways of expression with the opposite meaning, which make it possible to reverse the relationship of the first and third steps: worse than = less good than. Based on this, you can install the following equality: older than = less young than. Wed:

Levin himself did not remember his mother, and his only sister was older than him, so that in the Shtcherbatskys' house, for the first time, he saw the very environment of the old noble, educated and honest family, which he was deprived of by the death of his father and mother (L. Tolstoy).

Comparison Sister Levin is older than him does not mean that Sister is old and the comparative degree can therefore mean lesser degree, than positive in expression The sister is old. Similarly the proposal Sister older than Levin says nothing about Levin's old age; on old age Levin will be implied if we add the adverb yet: The sister is even older than Levin. We see that a similar use of the word yet is not self-evident.

When negating a step superiority (1) Sister is not as old as Levin we get the value either equality(2) or lower degree(3). When negating a step equality(2) we get the value lower degree (3): less old than; younger than. Wed: And as old as V. An objection to this statement would be the following: Oh no, not as old as B, but much older.

There are designs proportional match, in which the determinant represents a time span but is not explicitly expressed. In such sentences, the following meanings and features of their expression come to light:

a) repetition of the comparative form:

It was becoming darker and darker (= the longer it has continued, the darker became). He became more and more impatient; Heartache getting hotter(M. Sholokhov);

b) formant all in combination with the comparative degree forms an excellent degree: He said everything is illegible.

V.V. Vinogradov pointed out that adjectives in - the best / - the best can have three meanings in modern Russian:

1) irrespective of large measure (limiting degree) of a sign (elative meaning):

He the smartest man; The weather is wonderful. - In his hearts he began to tear out leaves and flowers and sneezed from the smallest dust (V. Nabokov).

Some superlative forms break away from the paradigm and act in the meaning of elative, i.e. in the meaning of an absolutely greater degree of quality: greatest scientist(does not mean the greatest) ,

• 2) excellent degree: the most faithful of friends, the greatest poet,
• 3) comparative degrees (meaning almost lost in modern Russian, but leaving traces in phraseology): upon closer inspection.

The most common is the use of forms on -his / greatest in the elative meaning. Such forms in free combinations are of an evaluative nature. Wed:

I found myself in the stupidest position; This is the rarest case, etc. - It smartest, most decent and talented man (N. Gogol); But nothing of the kind happened, he listened calmly, and when his father, who was trying to pick up l most experienced, attractive(= "evaluative character") details, said, among other things, that he, as an adult, would be called by his last name, his son blushed, blinked, leaned back on the pillow, opening his mouth and shaking his head ... (V. Nabokov).

Grade-estimated value of the superlative degree of the form on -his / greatest realized by a combination with the preposition from:genius of (musicians), oldest of (workers) etc. For example:

And as in my carriage ... there was a bed with clothes and linen, then in my misfortune I considered myself happiest of mortals (A. Pushkin).

Elative meaning is very close to the category of subjective evaluation. Elative forms express gradual meaning and serve to express the ultimate degree of quality without indicating a relationship to other objects: The smallest specks of dust were in the air; Found a rare specimen.

Consequently, the formal means of expressing the meanings of measure and degree (graduation) in the field of qualitative adjectives (and qualitative adverbs) is morphological the level concerning the properties of morphemes and cases of analytical education. As a grammatical kernel graduation the corresponding category appears degrees of comparison - comparative, superlativeandelative.

• Cm.: Kolesnikova S.M. Semantics of graduality and ways of expressing it in modern Russian. M., 1998; Her. Functional-semantic category of graduation in modern Russian language. M., 2010.S. 78-86.
• See additional: Falev I.A. On the question of the degrees of comparison in the modern Russian language // Language and thinking. Issue 9. M .; L. 1940; Nikulin A.S. Comparison Degrees in Modern Russian. M .; L., 1937; Yu.P. Knyazev On the semantics of degrees of comparison of adjectives // Scientific notes of the Tartu state. un-that. V. 524: Problems of the intrastructural functional description of the language. Tartu, 1980; Kolesnikova S.M. The degree of comparison of adjectives and the intensity of the attribute expressed by them // Russian language at school. 1998. No. 5.
• Wed: Galich G.G. Gradual characteristics of qualitative adjectives, verbs and nouns of the modern German language: author. dis .... cand. philol. sciences. L., 1981; Kharitonchik Z.A. Turansky I. I. Semantic category of intensity in modern English. M., 1990; L. A. Novikov Antonymy in Russian. M., 1973; Arutyunova N. D. Human language and world. M., 1999; Apresyan Yu.D. Lexical semantics. Synonymous language means. M., 1974; Wolf E. M. Functional semantics of evaluation. M., 1985; Ubin I. I. Lexical means of expressing intensity (based on the Russian and English languages): author. dis .... cand. philol. sciences. M., 1974; Turansky I. I. Semantic category of intensity in English. M., 1990; Vorotnikov Yu. L. Quality degrees in modern Russian. M., 1999; Norman V. Yu. Graduation in Russian // Qnantitat und Graduierungals kognitiv-semantische Kategorien. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz verlg, 2001. C. 381-403. Sapir E. Graduation: semantic research // New in foreign linguistics. M., 1986.S. 43; Halina N.V. Graduation category in word and text. Barnaul, 1993; Krzhizhkova E. Quantitative determination of adjectives in Russian (lexico-syntactic + analysis) // Syntax and Norm. M., 1974.S. 122-144; Bolinger D. Degree words. Paris: Mouton, 1972; Studia gramatyezne bulgarsko-polskie. T. 3: Ilosc, gradaeja, osoba. Wroclaw, 1989; Kolesnikova S. M. Gradality: linguistic description (based on the Russian language) // Akademiai Kiado. Budapest, 2011; Repashi D., Sekei G. On graduality in a comparative aspect // Vestnik MGOU. Ser. "Russian Philology". Issue 5.M., 2010.S. 110-117; Kolesnikova S.M. Functional-semantic category of graduality in modern Russian // Modern Nyelvoktatas: A Magyar Alkalmazott Nyelveszek es Nyelvtanarok Egyesfiletenek folyoirata. Xvi. 2010. S. 116-118; Sjostrom S. Spatial relations: Towards a theory of spatial verbs, prepositions, a pronominal adverbs in Swedish. Goteborg: Dept, of linguistics, 1990.
• Kartsevsky S.O. Comparison // Questions of linguistics. 1976. No. 1. S. 112.
• Isachenko A.V. The grammatical structure of the Russian language in comparison with the Slovak language. Bratislava, 1965.S. 201.
• Cm.: Espersen O. Philosophy of grammar: per. from English M., 1958.