a modifying word later to be described called an
adverb.

I saw a very big man,

indicates that the man possessed much bigness, but makes no comparison
with any other man or group of men. Comparison is generally indicated in
two ways, first, by adding to the adjectives the terminations _er_ and
_est_ as _high_, _higher_, _highest_, or, second, by using the words
_more_ and _most_, as _splendid_, _more splendid_, _most splendid_. The
question which of the two methods should be used is not always easy to
decide. It depends somewhat on usage and on euphony or agreeableness of
sound.

Adjectives of three or more syllables use the long form, that is, the
additional word. We should not say _beautifuler_ or _beautifulest_.
Adjectives of two syllables may often be compared either way; for
example, it would be equally correct to say _nobler_ and _noblest_ or
_more noble_ and _most noble_. An example of the influence of euphony
may be found in the adjective _honest_. We might say _honester_ without
hesitation but we should be less likely to say _honestest_ on account of
the awkward combination of syllables involved. Adjectives of one
syllable usually take the short form but not invariably. The exceptions,
however, are more common in poetry than in prose. When any question
rises it is usually safer to use the long form of comparison in the case
of two-syllable adjectives and to use the short form in the case of
one-syllable adjectives. The proper use of the long form is one of those
niceties of diction which come only with careful observation and with
training of the ear and of the literary sense.

The word _most_ should never be used, as it often is, in the place of
_almost_. Careless people say "I am most ready" meaning "I am almost, or
nearly ready." The phrase "I am most ready," really means "I am in the
greatest possible readiness." Such use of _most_ is common in old
English but much less so in modern speech.

Two very common adjectives are irregularly compared. They are _good_,
_better_, _best_, and _bad_, _worse_, _worst_. In spite of the fact that
these adjectives are among the most common in use and their comparison
may be supposed to be known by everybody, one often hears the
expressions _gooder_, _goodest_, _more better_, _bestest_, _bader_,
_badest_, _worser_, and _worsest_. Needless to say, these expressions
are without excuse except that _worser_ is sometimes found in old
English.

Illiterate people som