1. Explanation

The words in Section IV express qualities. We can express three different degrees of a quality. We may say, for example, large, larger, or largest; beautiful, mare beautiful, or most beautiful. In the first case, you see, the suffixes er and est are used to show comparison; but in the second the words more and most are used.

2. Exercises

Find three words in Section IV that you would use er and est with.

Find three words that you would use more and most with.

Try to tell. in a general way when you use er or est and when you use more or most.

3. Finding a Rule. Read these sentences:

1. She is the taller of the two girls.

2. She is the more intelligent of the two girls.

3. She is the tallest girl in school.

4. She is the most intelligent girl in school.

Do you see why taller and more intelligent are used in the first two sentences instead of tallest and most intelligent?

4. Rule

In comparing two things, use the suffix er or the word more; but in comparing more than two things, use the suffix est or the word most.

Fill blanks in sentences, choosing between the forms in parentheses.

1. This is the ------ of the two flowers, (brightest, brighter)

2. This is the------poppy in the bunch, (more brilliant, most brilliant)

3. The------of our team of horses tires out his mate.

(faster, fastest)

4. The------of the two mountains is the------. (farther, farthest) (higher, highest)

5. He is the ------ of that whole group of lawyers.

(more brilliant, most brilliant)

6. Our west chamber is the------room in the house to heat, (harder, hardest)

7. The underside of this cloth is the------. (rougher, roughest)