Well, as I told here once, grammarians drive me crazy.
2008/9/26 mariappan balraj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Hi, I got the following explanation from the link > http://www.perfectyourenglish.com/grammar/comparative-superlative.htm.<http://www.perfectyourenglish.com/grammar/comparative-superlative.htm> > > When a group only has two members, we sometimes use the comparative > instead of the superlative. > > - John and Tom are clever boys, but I think John is *the > cleverer/cleverest *of the two. > - Take *the shorter/shortest *of the two routes. > - Alice and Mary are rich women. But Alice is *the richer/richest *of > the two. > > Some people feel that a superlative is incorrect in this case. > > Is there any inputs? > > Best Regards > > Mariappan > > On Fri, Sep 26, 2008 at 8:23 PM, mariappan balraj < > [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Hi Li, Thanks for the beautiful explanation. In the following >> sentence, >> >> Raja is the tallest of the two. >> >> Why do we need to use superlative degree? In this sentence two >> boys say Raja and Ram, Raja is taller than Ram. Here comparison is >> only between two boys. >> >> The same sentence can be framed like the following: >> >> Raja is taller boy than Ram. >> >> What is the specific needs to use superlative degree here? >> >> I don't know whether I understood the meaning of the sentence >> correctly. Please correct me. >> >> Best Regards >> Mariappan >> >> >> >> >> On Fri, Sep 26, 2008 at 7:03 PM, Lílian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >>> >>> Hello Mariappan! >>> >>> 1 - Raja is the tallest of the two. >>> 2 - Raja is the worst of the two. >>> >>> Comparatives and Superlatives are special forms of adjectives. They >>> are used to compare two or more things. Generally, comparatives are >>> formed using -er and superlatives are formed using -est. This page >>> will explain the rules for forming regular comparatives and >>> superlatives, and also show some basic ways of using them. >>> >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> Forming regular comparatives and superlatives >>> How these forms are created depends on how many syllables there are in >>> the adjective. Syllables are like "sound beats". For instance, "sing" >>> contains one syllable, but "singing" contains two -- sing and ing. >>> Here are the rules: >>> Adjective form Comparative Superlative >>> Only one syllable, ending in E. Examples: >>> wide, fine, cute Add -R: >>> wider, finer, cuter Add -ST: >>> widest, finest, cutest >>> Only one syllable, with one vowel and one consonant at the end. >>> Examples: >>> hot, big, fat Double the consonant, and add -ER: >>> hotter, bigger, fatter Double the consonant, and add -EST: >>> hottest, biggest, fattest >>> Only one syllable, with more than one vowel or more than one consonant >>> at the end. Examples: >>> light, neat, fast Add -ER: >>> lighter, neater, faster Add -EST: >>> lightest, neatest, fastest >>> Two syllables, ending in Y. Examples: >>> happy, silly, lonely Change Y to I, then add -ER: >>> happier, sillier, lonelier Change Y to I, then add -EST: >>> happiest, silliest, loneliest >>> Two syllables or more, not ending in Y. Examples: >>> modern, interesting, beautiful Use MORE before the adjective: >>> more modern, more interesting, more beautiful Use MOST before the >>> adjective: >>> most modern, most interesting, most beautiful >>> >>> >>> >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> How to use comparatives and superlatives >>> Comparatives Comparatives are used to compare two things. You can use >>> sentences with THAN, or you can use a conjunction like BUT. Examples: >>> >>> Jiro is taller than Yukio. >>> Yukio is tall, but Jiro is taller. >>> >>> Superlatives Superlatives are used to compare more than two things. >>> Superlative sentences usually use THE, because there is only one >>> superlative. Examples: >>> >>> Masami is the tallest in the class. >>> Yukio is tall, and Jiro is taller, but Masami is the tallest. >>> >>> (http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/regcom.htm) >>> (http://www.eflnet.com/tutorials/adjcompsup.php) >>> >>> Regards >>> >>> Lil >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On Sep 26, 4:02 am, "mariappan balraj" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>> wrote: >>> > Hi, >>> > Please correct me in the usage of "degrees of comparison". >>> > >>> > Because comparative degrees can be used for comparing two things. >>> > >>> > 1) Raja is the taller of the two. (I think this usage is correct. >>> but >>> > the article 'the' before taller confuse me) >>> > Raja is the tallest of the two. (Is this true? because >>> comparison is >>> > between two persons) >>> > >>> > 2) Which is the correct? The usage of article 'the' confuses me. >>> > Raja is the worse of the two. >>> > Raja is the worst of the two. >>> > >>> > Best Regards >>> > Mariappan >>> >>> >> > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "English Learner's Cafe" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/english_learners?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
