A very
large per cent of all adjectives belong to the first class,--_descriptive_
adjectives. Proper adjectives and _participial_ adjectives form a small
part of this large class: [_European_ countries. A _running_ brook].
+45. Limiting or Definitive Adjectives.+--The _limiting_ adjectives
include the various classes of _pronominal adjectives_ (all of which have
been mentioned under pronouns), the _articles_ (_a_, _an_, and _the_),
and adjectives denoting _place_ and _number_.
+46. Comparison of Adjectives.+--With the exception of the words _this_
and _that_, adjectives are not inflected for number, and none are
inflected for case. Many of them, however, change their form to express a
difference in degree. This change of form is called _comparison_. There
are three degrees of comparison: the _positive_, the _comparative_, and
the _superlative_. Adjectives are regularly compared by adding the
syllables _er_ and _est_ to the positive to form the comparative and
superlative degrees. In some cases, especially in the case of adjectives
of more than one syllable, the adverbs _more_ and _most_ are placed before
the positive degree in order to form the other two degrees [long, longer,
longest; beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful].
+47. Irregular Comparison of Adjectives.+--A few adjectives are compared
irregularly. These adjectives are in common use and we should be familiar
with the correct forms.
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.
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