Degrees of Comparison

It tells the degrees of comparison and the rules as well.

1. Degree of Comparison

2. There are three Degrees of
Comparison in English.
1. Positive degree
2. Comparative degree
3. Superlative degree

3. Positive Degree
•We use the Positive degree when we
speak about only one person or thing.
Example:
•Lebron James is tall.
•The house is big.
•This flower is beautiful.

4. Comparative Degree
•We use the Comparative degree when
we compare two persons or two things
with each other.
Example:
•Yao Ming is taller than Lebron James.
•This house is bigger than that one.
•She is nicer than him.

5. Superlative Degree
•We use the Superlative degree when we
compare more than two persons or things
with one another.
•It is the highest degree of the quality.
Example:
•Peter is the smartest boy in class.
•Alice is the sweetest girl in the neighborhood.
•The blue whale is the largest of all animals.

6. Degree of Comparison
1.Adjectives of one syllable
•Adjectives of one syllable add -er and -est.
•Adjectives ending on 'e' just add -r and -st.
•Some adjectives double the final consonant.
Adjective Comparative Superlative
small
warm
old
nice
big
smaller
warmer
older
nicer
bigger
smallest
warmest
oldest
nicest
biggest

7. Degree of Comparison
2.Adjectives of two syllables
•Some adjectives of two syllables add -er and -est.
•For adjectives ending in 'y‘ – cut y then add -ier and
-iest.
•Adjectives ending in -ful, -less, -ing, -ed use more and
most.
•Some other adjectives of two syllables use more and
most (modern, famous, normal, correct, ...).
AdjectiveComparative Superlative
narrow
happy
useful
boring
modern
narrower
happier
more useful
more boring
more modern
narrowest
happiest
most useful
most boring
most modern

8. Degree of Comparison
3. Adjectives of three or more syllables
•Adjectives of three or more syllables use
more and most.
AdjectiveComparative Superlative
beautiful
dangerous
exciting
more beautiful
more dangerous
more exciting
most beautiful
most dangerous
most exciting

9. Degree of Comparison
4. Irregular adjectives
•You will have to memorize these.
AdjectiveComparative Superlative
good (well)
bad
little
much, many
far
late
old
better
worse
less
more
farther, further
later
older, elder
best
worst
least
most
farthest
last, latest
older, oldest

10. Degree of Comparison
4. Irregular adjectives
•You will have to memorize these.
AdjectiveComparative Superlative
good (well)
bad
little
much, many
far
late
old
better
worse
less
more
farther, further
later
older, elder
best
worst
least
most
farthest
last, latest
older, oldest