Positive Form

Use the positive form of the adjective if the comparison contains one of the
following expressions:
as as
Example: Jane is as tall as John.
not as as / not so as
Example: John is not as tall as Arnie.

Comparative Form and Superlative Form (-er/-est)

one-syllable adjectives (clean, new, cheap)

two-syllable adjectives ending in -y or -er (easy, happy, pretty, dirty, clever)

positive
form

clean

comparative form

cleaner

superlative form

(the) cleanest

Exceptions in spelling when adding -er / -est

silent e is dropped
Example: late-later-latest

final y after a consonant becomes i

Example: easy-easier-easiest

final consonant after short, stressed vowel is doubled

Example: hot-hotter-hottest

Comparative Form and Superlative Form (more/most)

adjectives of three or more syllables (and two-syllable adjectives not ending

in -y/-er)
positive

comparative form

superlative form

form

difficult

more difficult

most difficult

Comparative Form and Superlative Form (irregular comparisons)

positive form

comparative form

superlative form

good

better

best

bad / ill

worse

worst

little (amount)

less

least

little (size)

smaller

smallest

much / many

more

most

far (place + time)

further

furthest

far (place)

farther

farthest

late (time)

later

latest

late (order)

latter

last

near (place)

nearer

nearest

near (order)

next

old (people and things) older

oldest

old (people)

eldest

elder

Adverbs are used to express how something is done (adjectives express how
someone or something is).
Example: The dog sleeps quietly. The dog is absolutely quiet.

Form
In general: adjective + -ly
adjective

adverb

slow

slowly

Exceptions in spelling

exception

example

silent e is dropped in true, due, whole

true truly

y becomes i

happy happily

le after a consonant is dropped

sensible sensibly

after ll only add y

full fully

Adjectives ending in -ic: adjective + -ally (exception: public-publicly)

adjective
fantastic

adverb
fantastically

Adjectives ending in -ly: use in a way / manner or another adverb with

similar meaning
adjective

adverb

friendly

in a friendly way
in a friendly manner

likely

probably

Exceptions
adjective

adverb (meaning) adverb (meaning)

good

well

difficult

with difficulty

public

publicly

deep

deep (place)

deeply (feeling)

direct

direct

directly (=soon)

hard

hard

hardly (=seldom)

high

high (place)

highly (figurative)

late

late

lately (=recently)

most

most

mostly (=usually)

near

near

nearly (=almost)

pretty

pretty (=rather)

prettily

short

short

shortly (=soon)

The following adjectives are daily, enough, early, far, fast, hourly,
also used as adverbs
little, long, low, monthly, much, straight,
(without modification):
weekly, yearly,

Exercise on the form of adverbs

Comparison
Comparison (-er/-est)
Comparative ending in -er

Superlati

one-syllable adverbs (hard)

harder

hardest

adverbs with the same form as adjectives (early)

earlier

earliest

Comparison (more / most)

Comparative formed with more
adverbs ending in -ly (happily)

more happily

Superlative form
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

Adjectives are used to modify nouns:

The dog is loud.

Adverbs are used to modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs:

The dog barks loudly.

Linking Verbs
Some verbs can only be used with adjectives, others might change their
meaning when used with an adverb.
verb
look

used with an adjective

look good (= appearance)

used with an adverb

look well (= healthy)

feel

feel good (= state of health/mind)

feel well (= have a good sense of touch)

smell smell good (= odour)

smell well (= have a good sense of smell)

taste

taste well (= have a good sense of taste)

taste good (= preference)

The following verbs can only be used with adjectives:

be

become

get

grow

keep

remain

seem

sound

stay

turn