➲Use -er, more, or less to form the comparative degree of many two-syllable modifiers or
describers.
➲ Adverbs that end in -ly always use more or less to form the comparative degree and
most and least to form the superlative degree.
➲ When forming the comparative and superlative degrees of modifiers (adjectives and
adverbs) that have two syllables, ‘‘Let your ear be your gear.’’ In other words, if adding
-er or -est makes the word hard or clumsy to pronounce, use more (or less) and most (or
least) instead.
➲ Modifiers of three or more syllables, such as intelligent, cumbersome, and beautiful,
always form their comparative degrees with more (or less) and their superlative degrees
with most (or least). Examples include less magnificent, more interesting, and most
spectacular.
| Positive Degree | Comparative Degree | Superlative Degree | lovely | more lovely | most lovely | funny | funnier | funniest | crowded | less crowded | least crowded | plentiful | more plentifu | l most plentiful |
