Degrees of comparison English Grammar Topic.

English Grammar Topic Degrees of Comparison Detailed Explanation with Examples.

1. Degrees of Comparison

2. The degrees of comparison are used to study the gradation of qualities, quantities, sizes, of persons, places or things depending on the adjectives . Degrees of Comparison is also called “Comparison of Adjectives” There are three types of degrees of comparison . They are Positive degree (PD) Comparative degree (CD) Superlative degree (SD)

3. Positive Degree: (PD) It is a term that relates to adjectives . An adjective that does not make a comparison is said to be “positive degree”. Positive degree is always followed by “Base form of Adjective” and also we have “as………as, so…………as.” Examples: rich, pretty, handsome, good, intelligent….. (adjectives) Ravi is a clever boy. Ram is as tall as Ravi.

4. Comparative Degree: (CD) An adjective used to compare two persons or things is said to be “comparative degree.” Comparative degree always followed by “Adjective + er or more + adjective and than.” Examples: richer, prettier, more handsome, better……(adjectives) Rani is cleverer than Latha. Latha is more beautiful than Rani.

5. Superlative Degree: (SD) An adjective used to compare more than two things or two persons is said to be “superlative degree.” It is also called as the highest degree . Superlative degree is followed by “The + Adjective + est or The + most + Adjective.” Examples: richest, prettiest, most handsome, best…..(adjectives) Srikanth is the cleverest of all the boys. Ravi kanth is the most beautiful of all boys.

6. Formation of Comparative Degree and Superlative Degree. Rule 1: In positive degree, if the ‘base form of the adjectives’ are monosyllable. Comparative degree will be – adjective + er/r. Superlative degree will be – adjective + est/st.

7. Positive Degree (Monosyllable) Comparative Degree (adjective + er/r) Superlative Degree (adjective + est/st) Small Smaller Smallest Rich Richer Richest Safe Safer Safest Clever Cleverer Cleverest Bright Brighter Brightest Old Older Oldest Great Greater Greatest Wise Wiser wisest

8. Positive Degree Comparative Degree Superlative Degree Young Younger Youngest Thick Thicker Thickest Long Longer Longest Sweet Sweeter Sweetest Hard Harder Hardest Fast Faster Fastest Cheap Cheaper Cheapest Dull Duller dullest

9. Positive Degree Comparative Degree Superlative Degree Poor Poorer Poorest Short Shorter Shortest High Higher Highest Strong Stronger Strongest Fine Finer Finest Large Larger Largest Few Fewer fewest

10. Rule 2: In positive degree, if the ‘base form of the adjectives’ are monosyllable words with middle vowel letter . Comparative degree will be adjective + last consonant letter repeats + er. Superlative degree will be adjective + last consonant letter repeats + est.

11. Positive Degree (Monosyllable words with vowel letter in the middle) Comparative Degree (adjective + last consonant letter repeats + er) Superlative Degree (adjective + last consonant letter repeats + est) Big Bigger Biggest Hot Hotter Hottest Thin Thinner Thinnest Sad Sadder Saddest Fat Fatter Fattest Slim Slimmer slimmest

12. Rule 3: In positive degree, if the ‘base form of the adjectives’ are Disyllable words end with “y” letter. Comparative degree will be adjective + ier. Superlative degree will be adjective + iest.

13. Positive Degree (Di syllable adjective words + y) Comparative Degree (adjective + ier) Superlative Degree (adjective + iest) Happy Happier Happiest Angry Angrier Angriest Wealthy Wealthier Wealthiest Lovely Lovelier Loveliest Easy Easier Easiest Heavy Heavier Heaviest Lazy Lazier Laziest Costly Costlier costliest

14. Rule 4: In positive degree, if the ‘base form of the adjectives’ are more than two syllable words. Comparative degree will be more + adjective Superlative degree will be most +adjective

15. Positive Degree (Two/ more than two syllable) Comparative Degree ( more + adjective) Superlative Degree ( most + adjective) Useful More useful Most useful Doubtful More doubtful Most doubtful Cheerful More cheerful Most cheerful Dreadful More dreadful Most dreadful Honest More honest Most honest Intelligent More intelligent Most intelligent Difficult More difficult Most difficult Beautiful More beautiful Most beautiful Handsome More handsome Most handsome

16. Positive Degree Comparative Degree Superlative Degree Learned More learned Most learned Sincere More sincere Most sincere Valuable More valuable Most valuable Careful More careful Most careful Popular More popular Most popular Brilliant More brilliant Most brilliant Dangerous More dangerous Most dangerous Wonderful More wonderful Most wonderful Foolish More foolish Most foolish Talented More talented Most talented

17. Different forms of Degrees

18. Positive Degree Comparative Degree Superlative Degree Good Better Best Well Better Best Bad Worse Worst Evil Worse Worst Ill Worse Worst Little Less/lesser Least Much More Most Far Farther Farthest Many More Most Old Elder Eldest Late Later Latest Far Further Furthest late Latter last

19. Positive Degree Comparative Degree Superlative Degree Fore Former First In Inner Inmost/inner most Up Upper Upmost/upper most Near Nearer Nearest Near Nearer next

20. Rule 6: Some words are written only in positive degree like “ square, round, perfect, universal, unique, extreme, excellent, complete, impossible.” Examples: He is perfect. The earth is round. The universe is unique.

21. Conversion of degrees into other degrees.

22. Type 1: Comparison between two persons/places/things. Changing positive degree into comparative degree “as PD as”(+ve) – “not CD than” s1 + verb + ……….. s2 (PD) s2 + verb + ………… s1 (CD) There is no change in the verb it remains same when changing PD to CD. Examples: Ravi is as tall as Giri (PD) Giri is not taller than Ravi (CD)

23. Examples: Sita is as beautiful as Gita. (PD) Gita is not more beautiful than Sita. (CD) Hyderabad is not bigger than Mumbai . (CD) Mumbai is as big as Hyderabad. (PD) Boys were not more important than girls. (CD) Girls were as important as boys. (PD) She is as strong as I. (PD) I am not stronger than she. (CD)

24. Changing positive degree into comparative degree. “not so PD as” (-ve) – “CD than” s1 + verb + ……….. s2 (PD) s2 + verb + …………s1 (CD) Verb remains same there is no change. Examples: we are not so brave as they. (PD) They are braver than we. (CD) she does not run so fast as he. (PD) He runs faster than she. (CD)

25. Type 2: No other + s1 (singular) + verb + as PD as + s2 (singular)………..(PD) S2 (singular) + verb + CD than any other/all other + s1 (singular)…..(CD) S2 (singular) + verb + the SD + s1 (singular) / of all + s1 (plural)…..(SD) Examples: No other boy is as clever as Gopi. (PD) Gopi is cleverer than any other boy. (CD) Gopi is the cleverest boy. (SD) / Gopi is the cleverest of all boys. (SD)

26. Examples: The Ganga is the longest river in India. (SD) The Ganga is longer than any other river in India. (CD) No other river in India is as long as the Ganga. ( PD) Latha is the tallest girl in the class. (SD) Latha is taller than any other girl in the class. (CD) No other girl in the class is as tall as Latha. (PD)

27. No other man works as hard as Ramesh. (PD) Ramesh works harder than any other man. (CD) Ramesh works the hardest man. / Ramesh works the hardest of all men. (SD) Cricket is more popular than any other sport in India. (CD) Cricket is the most popular sport in India. (SD) / Cricket is the most popular of all sports in India. No other sport in India is as popular as Cricket. (PD)

28. Type 3: Very few + s1 (plural) + v + as PD as + s2 (singular)…… (PD) S2 (singular) + v + CD than many other/most other + s1 (plural)…..(CD) S2 (singular) + v + one of the SD + s1 (plural)…..(SD) Examples: Very few rivers are as long as the Ganga. (PD) The Ganga are longer than many other rivers. (CD) The Ganga are one of the longest rivers. (SD)

29. Suresh is one of the most industrious boys. (SD) Suresh is more industrious than most other boys. (CD) Very few boys are as industrious as Suresh. (PD) Akbar was greater than most other kings. (CD) Akbar was one of the greatest kings. (SD) Very few kings were as great as Akbar. (PD)

30. Very few boys in the class are as brilliant as Raghu. (PD) Raghu is more brilliant than most other boys in the class. (CD) Raghu is one of the most brilliant boys in the class. (SD) Tagore is one of the greatest Indian writer. (SD) Tagore is greater than most other Indian writers. (CD) Very few Indian writers are as great as Tagore. (PD)

31. Type 4: Some / some of the +s1 (plural) + verb + at least as PD as + s2 (singular)….. (PD) S2 (singular) + verb + not + CD than some other + s1 (plural)….. (CD) S2 (singular) + verb + not + the SD + s1 (singular) + of all + s1 (plural)….. (SD) Examples: Some students are at least as clever as Gopi. (PD) Gopi is not cleverer than some other students. (CD) Gopi is not the cleverest student. (SD)

32. Rani was not the best of all persons. (SD) Rani was not better than some other persons. (CD) Some persons were at least as good as Rani. (PD) Raju is not lazier than some other students in our class. (CD) Raju is not the laziest of all students in our class. (SD) Some students in our class are as lazy as Raju. (PD) Some cities in the world are at least as large as Bombay. (PD) Bombay is not larger than some other cities in the world. (CD) Bombay is not the largest of all cities in the world. (SD)