6.30 Comparative and superlative adverbs

You may want to say how something happens or is done in relation to how it happens on a different occasion, or how it was done by someone or something else. You can do this by using adverbs in the comparative or superlative.

• He began to speak more quickly.
• Red-legged partridges are most commonly seen in the eastern counties of England.

Most adverbs of manner (see paragraph 6.36) have comparatives and superlatives.

A few other adverbs also have comparatives and superlatives: some adverbs of time ('early' and 'late', see paragraph 5.70), frequency ('often' and 'frequently', see paragraph 5.114), duration ('briefly', 'permanently', and 'long', see paragraph 5.123), and some adverbs of place ('near', 'close', 'deep', 'high', 'far', and 'low', see paragraphs 6.68 and 6.89).

6.31

The forms and uses of comparative and superlative adverbs are generally similar to those of adjectives. For more information about comparatives and superlatives of adjectives, see paragraphs 2.108 to 2.117.

However, unlike adjectives, the comparative of an adverb is usually formed with 'more' and the superlative with 'most', and not by adding '-er' and '-est'.

• The people needed business skills so that they could manage themselves more effectively.
• First she might have some useful information. More importantly, a damaging precedent could be set.
• ...the text which Professor Williams's volume most closely resembles.
• For me, Haitink is the conductor who re-writes those maps, most often and most convincingly.