In this article, we shall teach about the degrees of comparison of adjectives.
Table of Contents
Comparison of Adjectives :
Look at the sentences
a. David is a tall boy.
b. David is taller than Alex.
c. David is the tallest of all boys in the school.
The first sentence says that David is a tall boy. Here, there is no comparison. The adjective ‘tall‘ is in the positive degree.
The second sentence is comparing David with Alex, it has been said that David is taller than Alex. The adjective ‘taller‘ is in the comparative degree.
The third sentence is comparing David with all the boys in the school. It has been said that David is the tallest of all boys in the school. The adjective ‘tallest‘ is in the superlative degree.
Now, we noticed that the adjective ( tall ) changes in form (tall, taller, tallest) to show comparison. They are called the degrees of comparison.
Types of Comparison:
There are three degrees of comparison.
1. Positive degree
2. Comparative degree
3. Superlative degree
1. Positive degree :
When the degree of an adjective is in the simple form of the adjective and no comparison is made then the degree of an adjective is called the positive degree.
Examples of positive degree:
👉 Ram is a good boy.
👉 The tiger is a strong animal.
👉 Mango is a sweet fruit.
In the above sentences the adjectives ‘good‘, ‘strong‘, ‘sweet‘ are called the positive degree.
Structure of positive degree :
a. Subject + be verb + as + positive adjective + as + other words
Example:
He is as old as Ram.
b. Subject + be verb + not + so + positive adjective + as + other words
Example:
Rima is not so tall as Ridhima.
c. Very few + plural noun + other words + be verb + as + positive adjective + as + other word
Example:
Very few cities in India are as beautiful as Mumbai.
d. No other + singular noun + other words + be verb + as/so + positive adjective + as + other word
Example:
No other country in the world is so populous as China.
2. Comparative degree :
The comparative degree of an adjective is used to compare between two things. It denotes the higher degree of the quality that exists in the object than the positive degree.
Examples of comparative degree:
👉 They will plant more trees in their village.
👉 He is older than me.
👉 Delhi is colder than Kolkata in winter.
👉 This mango is better than that.
The highlighted adjectives are called comparative degrees.
Structure of comparative degree :
a. The adjective in a comparative degree is generally followed by ‘than’.
Subject + be verb + comparative adjective + than +other words
👉 Rahul is stronger than Piyali.
👉 Vishu is older than Amit.
In the sentences ‘stronger‘, ‘older‘ are the comparative adjectives.
b. Subject + be verb + not + comparative adjective + than + other words
👉 I am not stronger than you.
👉 He is not taller than me.
c. Comparative form with ‘to’
To is used to the comparative adjectives such as ‘junior, senior, superior, inferior’ in place of ‘than’.
👉 Deepa is junior to Seema.
👉 I am senior to him.
d. Preferable with ‘to’
👉 Gold is preferable to silver.
👉 Coffee is preferable to tea.
e. Subject + be verb + comparative adjective + than + any other + singular noun
👉 Iron is more useful than any other metal.
👉 Sima is better than any other girl in the school.
f. Subject + verb + comparative adjective + than + all other + plural noun
👉 The lion is stronger than all other animals.
g. Subject + be verb + comparative adjective + than + most other + plural noun
👉 Mango is sweeter than most other fruits.
👉 Srabanti is more beautiful than most other girls in the college.
h. Comparative degree with ‘of’
👉 He is bigger of the two.
👉 Ram is older of the two.
3. Superlative degree :
The superlative degree of an adjective is used to compare more than two things. It denotes the highest degree of the quality of an adjective.
Examples of superlative degree:
👉 This story is undoubtedly the best.
👉 This is the easiest way.
👉 David is the tallest boy in the class.
👉 Ankita is the most intelligent girl in the school.
The highlighted adjectives are called superlative degrees.
Structure of superlative degree :
a. Subject + be verb + the + superlative adjective + singular noun + in (preposition) + other words
👉 Amal is the best student in the class.
b. Subject + be verb + the + superlative adjective + of all + plural noun
👉 This book is the best of all.
👉 Arjun is the best of all boys.
👉 Lion is the strongest of all animals.
c. Subject + be verb + the + superlative adjective + on (preposition) + other words
👉 The Ganga is the largest river on earth.
👉 Everest is the highest peak in the world.
d. Subject + be verb + one of the + superlative adjective + plural noun + other words
👉 Sachin Tendulkar is one of the greatest cricketers in the world.
👉 Pritam is one of the brightest students in the class.
Rules of formation of degrees of comparison :
Rule number 1
Positive adjectives of one-syllable form their comparative degree by adding ”ER’ to the positive and form superlative degree by adding ”EST” to the positive.
| Positive Degree | Comparative Degree | Superlative Degree |
| sweet | sweeter | sweetest |
| tall | taller | tallest |
| small | smaller | smallest |
| strong | stronger | strongest |
| high | higher | highest |
| old | older | oldest |
| great | greater | greatest |
| young | younger | youngest |
| clever | cleverer | cleverest |
| bold | bolder | boldest |
| bright | brighter | brightest |
| short | shorter | shortest |
| cold | colder | coldest |
| low | lower | lowest |
| fast | faster | fastest |
| hard | harder | hardest |
| weak | weaker | weakest |
| poor | poorer | poorest |
| rich | richer | richest |
Rule number 2
The positive adjectives of more than one syllable form their comparative and superlative degree by adding more and most to the positive respectively.
| Positive Degree | Comparative Degree | Superlative Degree |
| beautiful | more beautiful | most beautiful |
| intelligent | more intelligent | most intelligent |
| careful | more careful | most careful |
| faithful | more faithful | most faithful |
| courageous | more courageous | most courageous |
| populous | more populous | most populous |
| important | more important | most important |
| experienced | more experienced | most experienced |
| difficult | more difficult | most difficult |
| dangerous | more dangerous | most dangerous |
Rule number 3
Some two-syllable positive adjectives or one-syllable positive adjectives that end with ‘er,’ ‘ow’ form their comparative degree and superlative degree by adding ”ER” and ”EST” to the positive respectively.
| Positive Degree | Comparative Degree | Superlative Degree |
| low | lower | lowest |
| tender | tenderer | tenderest |
Rule number 4
The positive adjectives of one-syllable that end with the last letter consonant and there is only one vowel before the consonant then the positive adjectives form their comparative degree and superlative degree with the double consonant and by adding ”ER” and ”EST” to the positive respectively.
| Positive Degree | Comparative Degree | Superlative Degree |
| sad | sadder | saddest |
| thin | thinner | thinnest |
| slim | slimmer | slimmest |
| fat | fatter | fattest |
| big | bigger | biggest |
| wet | wetter | wettest |
| hot | hotter | hottest |
| mad | madder | maddest |
| red | redder | reddest |
Rule number 5
The positive adjectives of one-syllable that end with the last letter consonant and more than a vowel before that consonant or the adjectives that end with two consonants then the adjectives form their comparative degree and superlative degree by adding ”ER” and ”EST” to the positive respectively.
| Positive Degree | Comparative Degree | Superlative Degree |
| cool | cooler | coolest |
| weak | weaker | weakest |
| thick | thicker | thickest |
For example:
| Positive Degree | Comparative Degree | Superlative Degree |
| cruel | crueller | cruellest |
Rule number 6
The positive adjectives of one-syllable that end with the letter ‘Y’ and a consonant before the letter ‘Y’ then ‘I’ is used in place of ‘Y’. Now the positive adjectives form their comparative degree and superlative degree by adding ”ER” and ”EST” to the positive respectively.
| Positive Degree | Comparative Degree | Superlative Degree |
| easy | easier | easiest |
| happy | happier | happiest |
| tiny | tinier | tiniest |
| heavy | heavier | heaviest |
| dry | drier | driest |
| pretty | prettier | prettiest |
| wealthy | wealthier | wealthiest |
| holy | holier | holiest |
| busy | busier | busiest |
| funny | funnier | funniest |
| merry | merrier | merriest |
| ugly | uglier | ugliest |
Rule number 7
The positive adjectives that end with ‘Y’ and there is a vowel before ‘Y’ then the positive adjectives form their comparative degree and superlative degree only by adding ”ER” and ”EST” to the positive respectively.
| Positive Degree | Comparative Degree | Superlative Degree |
| grey | greyer | greyest |
| gay | gayer | gayest |
Rule number 8
The positive adjectives of one-syllable that end with the letter ‘E’ form their comparative degree and superlative degree by adding ”R” and ”ST” to the positive respectively.
| Positive Degree | Comparative Degree | Superlative Degree |
| true | truer | truest |
| brave | braver | bravest |
| wise | wiser | wisest |
| noble | nobler | noblest |
| able | abler | ablest |
| large | larger | largest |
| late | later | latest |
| fine | finer | finest |
| white | whiter | whitest |
Rule number 9
Exception rule of comparison :
Irregular forms
Some positive adjectives do not follow the above specific rules. Different words are used to form the comparative degree and superlative degree of the positive adjectives.
| Positive Degree | Comparative Degree | Superlative Degree |
| good | better | best |
| bad | worse | worst |
| much | more | most |
| little | less | least |
| far | farther | farthest |
Rule number 10
Exception rule of comparison
Some positive adjectives do not have comparative degree. They have only superlative degrees.
| Positive Degree | Superlative Degree |
| top | top most |
| southern | southern most |
Read also
Degrees of Comparison of Adverbs
Transformation of Degrees of Comparison
Transformation of Simple, Complex and Compound Sentences
Punctuation
Young ones of Birds/Animals and Similies/denoting comparisons