GRAMMAR - ADJECTIVES: TOO ..., (NOT) ... ENOUGH: THEORY & PRACTICE

TOO + ADJECTIVE: DEMASIADO + ADJETIVO

Use:To indicate that the number or quantity of something is excessive.

Examples:

Too dangerous, too small, too risky.

ADJECTIVE + ENOUGH: (LO) BASTANTE + ADJETIVO

Use: To indicate that the number or quantity of something is adequate.

Examples:

Good enough, clean enough, fair enough. (But:  ENOUGH + NOUN: enough money, enough tools).

Pay attention to the contrast between "too..." and "(not) ... enough":

- It is too noisy at this library. I can't study for the exam. = It is not silent enough at this library. I can't study for the exam.

- He is too small. He can’t be a policeman. = He is not tall enough. He can’t be a policeman.

- Your exam is too bad. You have failed it. = Your exam is not good enough. You have failed it.

EXERCISE - Complete the sentences, using "too..." or "(not) ... enough:

1. I can’t go to the cinema because I’m ............................. (busy) helping Jane with her homework.

2. There are seven people in my family, so it is ................................ (noisy) to study at home.

3. This dress is beautiful but it is ………………………………. (expensive) and I can’t afford to buy it.

4. She is hard-working, but she is ……………………………….. (intelligent) to pass all the exams.

5. Tim is fourteen years old. He is …………………………… (old) to look after his 6-year-old brother.

GRAMMAR - COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF ADJECTIVES: PRACTICE

1. Complete with the COMPARATIVE FORM of the adjectives in brackets. Then rewrite the sentences into negative comparisons, making all the necessary changes:

a. Cars are faster than (fast) horses. Horses are less fast than cars.

b. Comics are ________________________ (funny) History books.

c. Vegetables are _________________________ (healthy) hamburgers.

d. Cars are ______________________________ (expensive) bicycles.

e. Football is ________________________ (popular) volleyball.

f. That pullover is _______________________ (large) yours.

2. Complete with the SUPERLATIVE FORM of the adjectives in brackets, using the positive or negative comparison as necessary:

a. New York is the biggest (big) city in USA.  

b. The Vatican is ____________________________ (big) country in the world.

c. In my opinion, cycling is ___________________________ (exciting) sport.

d. Messi is _________________________ (good) football player in the world.

e. Cartagena is ___________________________ (old) city in Spain.
f. Summer is ___________________________ (cold) season.

GRAMMAR - COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF ADJECTIVES: THEORY

1. ADJECTIVES - COMPARATIVE OF SUPERIORITY: 

ADJECTIVES	EXAMPLES	COMPARATIVE FORM (más + adjetivo + que)
SHORT ADJECTIVES ONE-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES TWO-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES ENDING IN "Y"	LONG, NICE, BIG LAZY, EASY	ADJECTIVE + -ER +   THAN
		LONGER   THAN, NICER THAN, BIGGER THAN LAZIER   THAN, EASIER THAN
LONG ADJECTIVES TWO OR MORE SYLLABLES	BORING, INTERESTING	MORE  +  ADJECTIVE  +   THAN
		MORE   BORING   THAN MORE  INTERESTING THAN

Spelling rules:

1. Adjectives ending with a silent e → Add –r: NICE  –  NICER THAN

2. One-syllable adjectives ending with one vowel + one consonant (exceptions: w, x, y) → Double the final consonant: BIG  -  BIGGER THAN 

3. Adjectives ending in l → Double the final l: CRUEL  -  CRUELLER THAN

4. Adjectives ending in consonant + y → Change y to i: HAPPY  -  HAPPIER THAN

IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES
                                                                  

ADJECTIVES	COMPARATIVE FORM (más + adjetivo + que)
GOOD  BAD  FAR  LITTLE	BETTER   THAN WORSE   THAN FA/URTHER  THAN LESS THAN

2. ADJECTIVES - SUPERLATIVE OF SUPERIORITY:

ADJECTIVES	EXAMPLES	SUPERLATIVE FORM (el/la más + adjetivo)
SHORT ADJECTIVES ONE-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES TWO-SYLLABLE ADJECTIVES ENDING IN "Y"	LONG, NICE, BIG LAZY, EASY	THE + ADJECTIVE + -EST
		THE   LONGEST, THE NICEST, THE BIGGEST THE   LAZIEST, THE EASIEST
LONG ADJECTIVES TWO OR MORE SYLLABLES	BORING INTERESTING	THE  +  MOST  +  ADJECTIVE
		THE   MOST   BORING THE   MOST   INTERESTING

Spelling rules:

1. Adjectives ending with a silent e → Add –st: NICE  –  THE NICEST

2. One-syllable adjectives ending with one vowel + one consonant (exceptions: w, x, y) → Double the final consonant: BIG  -  THE BIGGEST

3. Adjectives ending in l → Double the final l: CRUEL  -  THE CRUELLEST

4. Adjectives ending in consonant + y → Change the y to i: HAPPY  -  THE HAPPIEST

IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES
                                                                  

ADJECTIVES	SUPERLATIVE FORM (el/la más + adjetivo)
GOOD  BAD  FAR  LITTLE	THE BEST THE WORST THE FA/URTHEST THE LEAST

3. ADJECTIVES - COMPARATIVE OF EQUALITY:  

AS ... AS (“TAN … COMO”)

AS RICH AS, AS LAZY AS, AS NICE AS, AS BORING AS, AS BAD AS, AS INTERESTING AS.

4. ADJECTIVES - COMPARATIVE OF INFERIORITY:  

LESS ... THAN (“MENOS … QUE”)

LESS RICH THAN, LESS LAZY THAN, LESS NICE THAN, LESS BORING THAN, LESS 
BAD THAN, LESS INTERESTING THAN.


5. ADJECTIVES - SUPERLATIVE OF INFERIORITY:  

THE LEAST ... ("EL/LA MENOS ...")

THE LEAST RICH, THE LEAST LAZY, THE LEAST NICE, THE LEAST BORING, THE LEAST BAD, THE LEAST INTERESTING.