MTEL Communication Literacy Skills : Writing Practice Test

Which type of adjective is used to compare two people, places, or things?

1. Superlative adjective

2. Comparative adjective

3. Descriptive adjective

4. Possessive adjective

The correct answer is: Comparative adjective

Comparative adjectives are specifically designed to compare two entities, whether they be people, places, or things. This type of adjective typically uses the suffix "-er" or the word "more" in front of the adjective to indicate that one subject has more or less of a certain quality than the other. For example, in comparing two cars, one might say, "This car is faster than that car," using "faster" as the comparative adjective that highlights the difference in speed between the two vehicles. In contrast, superlative adjectives, which are not relevant in this case, function to differentiate one subject from three or more, using the suffix "-est" or "most." Descriptive adjectives provide information about a noun's characteristics but do not inherently indicate a comparison. Possessive adjectives show ownership but do not serve the purpose of making comparisons. Thus, the role of the comparative adjective is distinct and essential for distinguishing characteristics when comparing two subjects.