New York State Elementary Test Prep: ELA 4 (Grade 2) Adjectives Used to Compare

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Adjectives Used to Compare
An adjective describes a noun (person, place, or thing).
An adjective tells more about a noun (person, place, or thing).
An adjective makes a sentence more interesting.
An adjective effects the meaning of a sentence.
An adjective can be used to tell what kind and how many.

Adjectives can be used to compare nouns.

RULES, RULES, RULES!!! When using an adjective to compare you must add either "er" or "est" to the adjective. Here are the rules to follow that will help you to know whether to add "er" or "est."


		Rule # 1

When you are comparing two nouns, add "er" to the adjective.
Examples:
	The sun is hotter than the moon.
The sun is being compared to the moon. As you can see, only *two* nouns are being compared, therefore "er" was added to the adjective.

	An apple is sweeter than a carrot.
An apple is being compared to a carrot. As you can see, only *two* nouns are being compared, therefore "er" was added to the adjective.

		Rule # 2

When you are comparing *more than two* nouns, add "est" to the adjective.
		Examples:
		My horse was the fastest of all the horses on the track.
A horse is being compared to all the horses on the track. As you can see, *more than two* nouns are being compared, therefore "est" was added to the adjective.

		This dolphin was the smallest of the dolphins in the ocean.
A dolphin is being compared to the dolphins in the ocean. As you can see, *more than two* nouns are being compared, therefore "est" was added to the adjective.

THINK		and	REMEMBER
		+
compare two add "er"

compare more than two add "est"

PRACTICE TIME!
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