Nouns. adjectives and adverbs
6 Comparison of adverbs Only gradable adverbs, that is adverbs that can be modified, can have comparative and superlative forms. We cannot modify adverbs such as sometimes, never, there, now, almost. Adverbs ending in -ly and a few other adverbs can be put into comparative and superlative forms:
Adverb
Comparative
Superlative
Adverbs ending in -ly
carefully quickly
more carefully more quickly
most carefully most quickly
Adverbs with same form as adjective
fast hard early
faster harder earlier
fastest hardest earliest
Irregulars
badly well little much
worse better less more
worst best least most
She drives more carefully than he does. I think Sarah works the hardest of us all. He helps me less than he used to. Notes
• We can also make adverbial comparisons using: - (not) as + adverb + as: You walk as fast as your brother does. I can't speak English as well as you can. - the + comparative adverb, the + comparative adverb or adjective: The harder I try, the worse I seem to do. The more carefully you do it, the better it will be. - comparative adverb + and + comparative adverb: As the exams got nearer, he worked harder and harder. It's happening more and more regularly. • superlative adverbs are not used very often. We often use comparative + than ever, anyone, anything: You can do the job better than anyone can.
Practice 6a Put the adjectives into the comparative adjective or comparative adverb form. 1 I sleep much .. '!J.L?r.e:.f!~{'.I(!!y'. (heavy) than I used to. 2 She's become much ..I:.qP'P'!~.~. (happy) since she stopped seeing Dominic. 3 He has to work a lot job than he used to in his old one.
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(hard) in this new