An adverb is a part of speech that modifies a verb, an adjective, and another adverb.
In English grammar, adverbs can also have comparative and superlative forms - just like adjectives. Comparative adverbs are used to compare two things and superlative adverbs are used for comparing three or more things.
Example
Explanation
Can you repeat it more slowly, please?
More slowly is the comparative form of the adverb slowly.
Rule 1: When making comparative and superlative forms of adverbs ending in -ly, we use more to form the comparative, and most to form the superlative.
Here are a few examples:
Adverb | Comparative | Superlative |
---|---|---|
slowly | more slowly | the most slowly |
quietly | more quietly | the most quietly |
responsibly | more responsibly | the most responsibly |
Adverb | Comparative | Superlative |
---|---|---|
slowly | more slowly | the most slowly |
quietly | more quietly | the most quietly |
responsibly | more responsibly | the most responsibly |
Note: With a superlative, we use the article the to indicate there is only one.
Rule 2: Comparative and superlative forms of short adverbs that do not end in -ly are identical to adjectives: use the structure adverb + -er to form the comparative and adverb + -est to form the superlative.
Like this:
Adverb | Comparative | Superlative |
---|---|---|
fast | faster | the fastest |
hard | harder | the hardest |
late | later | the latest |
Adverb | Comparative | Superlative |
---|---|---|
fast | faster | the fastest |
hard | harder | the hardest |
late | later | the latest |
Note: If the adverb ends in e, remove it before adding the ending.
Rule 3: Some adverbs have irregular comparative and superlative forms - we need to memorize them.
Adverb | Comparative | Superlative |
---|---|---|
badly | worse | the worst |
little | less | the least |
far | farther / further | the farthest / the furthest |
well | better | the best |
Adverb | Comparative | Superlative |
---|---|---|
badly | worse | the worst |
little | less | the least |
far | farther / further | the farthest / the furthest |
well | better | the best |
Quiz
1/4
Choose the right form of an adverb. Can you sing ___ (loudly), please?
0
correct answers.