In the world of writing, there are some common misconceptions concerning comparative and superlative forms of words. As a writer, it’s crucial to know how to use these forms correctly. The topic at hand is a common question, “Is it much worse or worser?”
Understanding Comparatives and Superlatives
Before we discuss ‘worse’ and ‘worser’, it’s important to understand comparatives and superlatives. Comparatives are used to compare two things: ‘Today’s weather is worse than yesterday’s.’ The form ‘-er’ or the word ‘more’ is typically used with comparatives.
Superlatives are used when comparing three or more entities: ‘Of all the storms this year, today’s is the worst.’ It uses the ‘-est’ form or the word ‘most.’.
What’s Wrong with ‘Worser’?
The word ‘worser‘ might seem logical as a comparative form. The problem is, it doesn’t exist in modern English. It is an archaic term that was used in English literature in the past, like in Shakespeare’s works.
However, in today’s English, it is considered non-standard or incorrect.
Rightly, the comparative form of ‘bad’ is ‘worse‘, not ‘worser’. Creating a double comparative by adding ‘er’ to an existing comparative, results in an incorrect term, in this case, ‘worser’. The rule of thumb is, if the word already has a comparative form ending in ‘er’, we don’t add another ‘-er.’
Using ‘Worse’ Correctly
The correct word to use when something is of lower quality compared to another thing is ‘worse.’ For example, “The movie was worse than I had expected.” When indicating extreme poor quality compared to others, we use “worst.
” For instance, “That was the worst movie I have ever seen.”.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while ‘worser‘ may have been acceptable in the past, it should be avoided in modern writing. Stick to using ‘worse‘ as the comparative form of ‘bad’ and ‘worst‘ as the superlative. It’s essential to continue improving your understanding of various grammatical rules and features in English to avoid common mistakes. Proper use of language will make your writing more effective and sound more professional.