Degree of Comparison

Comparison can be made using the three forms of the adjective.

Adjective is a word and it qualifies a noun. It gives more information about the noun.

eg. The lion is a strong animal. Rita is a beautiful girl.

Adjectives are of three degrees. (1) Positive (2) Comparative (3) Superlative

The Positive degree denotes the mere existence of quality.

eg. David is a rich man.

The Comparative degree is used to compare two persons or things having the same quality.

eg. Cancer is more dreadful than cholera.

The Superlative degree is used when more than two persons or things are compared. It is
singles one from all the rest.

eg. Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world.

Positive Comparative Superlative

John is taller than any other boys John is the tallest boy in the
Very few boys in the class are in the class. class.
as tall as John. John is taller than most other John is one of the tallest boy
boys in the class. in the class.

Adjective and Adverbs have three degrees, Positive, Comparative and Superlative.

Positive Degree :

The Positive Degree is used to denote the mere existence of quality.

The Positive Degree of an adjective in comparison is the adjective in its simple form. It is used
to denote the mere existence of some quality of what we speak about. It is used when no
comparison is made.

 It is a tall building.
 Apple is sweet to taste.
Comparative Degree

The Comparative Degree is used to compare the qualities of two persons or things.

The Comparative Degree denotes the existence of a higher degree of the quality than the
positive. It is used when two things (or two sets of things) are compared.

 This building is taller than any other building.

 Apple is sweeter than pear.

Superlative Degree

The Superlative Degree denotes the existence of the highest degree of the quality. It is used
when more than two things are compared.

 This is the tallest building.

 Apple is the sweetest fruit.

The Superlative Degree is used when more than two nouns or things are compared.

 Johnsy is kind (Positive Degree)

 Johnsy is kinder than Rosy (Comparative Degree)
 Johnsy is the kindest of all (Superlative Degree)
 Johnsy is the kindest of all (Superlative Degree)

List of Degrees of Comparison

MODEL-1:

By adding ‘er’ and ‘est’

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

bright brighter brightest

black blacker blackest

bold bolder boldest

clever cleverer cleverest

cold colder coldest

fast faster fastest

great greater greatest

high higher highest

kind kinder kindest

long longer longest

small smaller smallest

strong stronger strongest

sweet sweeter sweetest

tall taller tallest

young younger youngest

MODEL-2:

By adding ‘r’ and ‘st’

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

brave braver bravest

fine finer finest

large larger largest

nice nicer nicest

noble nobler noblest

pale paler palest

simple simpler simplest

wise wiser wisest

white whiter whitest

MODEL-3:

By deleting the final ‘y’ and adding ‘ier’ and ‘iest’

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

costly costlier costliest

dry drier driest

easy easier easiest

happy happier happiest

heavy heavier heaviest

lazy lasier lasiest

mercy mercier merciest

wealthy wealthier wealthiest

MODEL-4:

By doubling the final consonats

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

big bigger biggest

dim dimmer dimmest

fat fatter fattest

hot hotter hottest

thin thinner thinnest

MODEL-5:

By using more and most

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

active more active most active

attractive more attractive most attractive

beautiful more beautiful most beautiful

brilliant more brilliant most brilliant

careful more careful most careful

courageous more courageous most courageous

cunning more cunning most cunning

difficult more difficult most difficult

famous more famous most famous

faithful more faithful most faithful

proper more proper most proper

popular more popular most popular

splendid more splendid most splendid

MODEL-6:

Irregular Comparisons

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

bad worse worst

evil worse worst

good better best

ill worse worst

far farther farthest

well better best

late later latest

little less least

much more most

many more most

near nearer nearest

old older oldest

old elder eldest

Changes of Degrees of Comparison

Comparison between two things.

Model-1 :

Positive Comparative

Johnsy is as clever as Rosy Rosy is not clever than Johnsy

Benjamin is at least as tall as Jane Jane is not taller than Benjamin

Model-2 :
Comparative Positive

Lazar is brighter than Stalin Stalin is not so bright as Lazar

Model-3 : (the + Superlative)

Superlative Comparative Positive

Akthar is the richest man in Akthar is richer than any other No other man in Kanpur is so
Kanpur man in Kanpur rich as Akthar

Model-4 : (one of the + Superlative)

Superlative Comparative Positive

London is one of the biggest London is bigger than most other Very few cities in England are
city in England city in England so big as London

Model-5 : (Superlative + of all)

Superlative Comparative Positive

Sheakespear is the greatest of Shakespeare is greater than all No other dramatist is so great
all dramatists other dramatists as Shakespeare
Model-6 : (By using “Less ... than”)
Positive Comparative

Lazar is as strong as Lenin Lenin is not less strong than Lazar

Model-7 : (By using “least”)

Positive Comparative Superlative

Some boys in our class are at Some boys in our class are not Benjamin is not the most
least as intelligent as Benjamin intelligent than Benjamin intelligent boy in our class

Comparisons and Contrasts

1. When we compare two objects, persons, qualities, degrees etc. that are some respects equal,
we may use the comparison of equality. This is formed by the use of as... adjective / adverb... as

eg. Your house is as large as mine.

2. When we compare unequal, we may use the comparative degree of the adjective or adverb
with than

eg. His new book is more interesting than his earlier books

3. When the comparison is negative, we use so... adjective / adverb... as

eg. Your house is not quite so large as mine.

4. In some adverbial clauses of comparison both subject and verb are dropped.

eg. He is more shy than (he is) unsocial.

Some people think more about their rights than (they do) about their duties.

5. In clauses of comparison introduced by than that ‘should’ is used.

eg. I am already to do the work myself rather than that you should have to do it.

6.Comparison and contrast are also expressed by the use of the...the...with comparatives.

eg. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll finish.

The more he read, the less he understood.

Degrees of Comparison More Examples:

I. Here more than two persons or things or places are compared. Matchless comparison comes
in this type.

Superlative Comparative Positive

Iron is the most useful of all Iron is more useful than any No other metal is so useful as
metals. other metal. iron.

Superlative Comparative Positive

Tom is the cleverest of all Tom is cleverer than any other No other boy in the class is so
boys in the class. boy in the class. clever as Tom.

Superlative Comparative Positive

Rain water is the purest Rain water is purer than any other No other water is so pure as
water. water. rain water.

II. Here more than two persons or things or places are compared. Generally, this type is in
plural form.
Superlative Comparative Positive

Paris is one of the busiest Paris is busier than most other Very few cities in England are
cities in England. cities in England. as busy as Paris.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Very few animals are as fast as Cheetah is faster than most other Cheetah is one of the fastest
cheetah. animals. animals.

Superlative Comparative Positive

Football is one of the most Football is more interesting than Very few games are as
interesting games. most other games. interesting as football.

III. Here only two persons or things or places are compared. For this type there is no Superlative
form
Comparative Positive

Paris is hotter than England. England is not so hot as Paris.

 Positive Comparative

John is as tall as David. David is not taller than John.

Comparative Positive

The Blue Mountain Express The Green Express does not

runs faster than the Green run so fast as the Blue
Express. Mountain Express.

Comparison of adjectives in sentences

Exercise 1 - Complete the sentence by using the bolded adjective in its correct form.

1. This is a nice cat. It's much ____________ than my friend's cat.

2. Here is Emily. She's six years old. Her brother is nine, so he is ____________.
3. This is a difficult exercise. But the exercise with an asterisk (*) is the ____________
exercise on the worksheet.
4. He has an interesting hobby, but my sister has the ____________ one in the world.
5. In the last holidays I read a good book, but father gave me an even ____________ one
last weekend.
6. School is boring, but homework is ____________ than school.
7. Skateboarding is a dangerous hobby. Bungee jumping is ____________ than
skateboarding.
8. This magazine is cheap, but that one is ____________.
9. We live in a small house, but my grandparents' house is even ____________ than ours.
10. Yesterday John told me a funny joke. This joke was the ____________ joke I've ever
heard.

Exercise 2 - Fill in the correct form of the words in brackets (comparative or superlative).

1. My house is (big) __________ than yours.

2. This flower is (beautiful) __________ than that one.
3. This is the (interesting) __________ book I have ever read.
4. Non-smokers usually live (long) __________ than smokers.
5. Which is the (dangerous) __________ animal in the world?
6. A holiday by the sea is (good) __________ than a holiday in the mountains.
7. It is strange but often a coke is (expensive) __________ than a beer.
8. Who is the (rich) __________ woman on earth?
9. The weather this summer is even (bad) __________ than last summer.
10. He was the (clever) __________ thief of all.