IMPROVING YOUR STYLE / 85 happy slow tall happier slower taller happiest slowest tallest Adrian is the biggest of all the boys. Mary is the tallest of the four girls. Some words are so constructed that to add the suffix ‘-er’ or ‘- est’ would produce clumsy words. In this case ‘more’ and ‘most’ are put before the adjective instead: beautiful excitable intelligent irritable more beautiful more excitable more intelligent more irritable most beautiful most excitable most intelligent most irritable Joanne was the most beautiful girl Frank had ever seen. Gail was the most intelligent student in the class. ‘More’ and ‘most’ cannot be used if ‘-er’ or ‘-est’ have been used. ‘Bad’, ‘good’ and ‘little’ do not follow the rules and have their own words for comparison: bad good little worse better less worst best least The patient is worse today. Clive is the best pupil I have ever taught. That is the least of my worries.