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The comparative degrees are frequently associated with adjectives and adverbs because these words take the -er suffix or modifying word more or less. (e.g., faster, more intelligent, less wasteful). Comparison can also, however, appear when no adjective or adverb is present, for instance with nouns (e.g., more men than women).
English adjectives, as with other word classes, cannot in general be identified as such by their form, [24] although many of them are formed from nouns or other words by the addition of a suffix, such as -al (habitual), -ful (blissful), -ic (atomic), -ish (impish, youngish), -ous (hazardous), etc.; or from other adjectives using a prefix ...
In the adjective phrase foolish in the extreme, for example, the preposition phrase in the extreme functions as a modifier. Less commonly, certain adverbs (indeed and still) and one determiner (enough) can head phrases that function as post-head modifiers in adjective phrases (e.g., very harmful indeed, sweeter still, and fair enough). [8]
An adjective preceding a noun to which -d or -ed has been added as a past-participle construction, used before a noun: "loud-mouthed hooligan" "middle-aged lady" "rose-tinted glasses" A noun, adjective, or adverb preceding a present participle: "an awe-inspiring personality" "a long-lasting affair" "a far-reaching decision"
If an adjective has two comparative markers, it is known as a double comparative (e.g. more louder, worser). The use of double comparatives is generally associated with Appalachian English and African American Vernacular English , though they were common in Early Modern English and were used by Shakespeare.
Fewer versus less is a debate in English grammar about the appropriate use of these two determiners. Linguistic prescriptivists usually say that fewer and not less should be used with countable nouns, [2] and that less should be used only with uncountable nouns.
Generally speaking, inflection applies in more or less regular patterns to all members of a part of speech (for example, nearly every English verb adds -s for the third person singular present tense), while derivation follows less consistent patterns (for example, the nominalizing suffix -ity can be used with the adjectives modern and dense ...
last (also adjective) least; less (also adverb and preposition) little (also adjective) many; many a; more (also adverb) most (also adverb) much; neither; next (also adjective) no (also interjection) no one; nobody; none; nothing; nowhere; once; one (also noun and pronoun) said (also verb) several (also adjective) some; somebody; something ...