Degrees of Comparison - Basics

Degrees of Comparison

by Ramalakshmi Gandhimathi

Adjectives​

• ​To describe, quantify, modify, identify

• Compare one thing to another

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3 degrees of Comparison

• ​Positive degree of comparison

• ​comparative degree of comparison

• ​superlative degree of comparison

​Examples

​Raj is a tall man. - Positive

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​Raj is taller than Kumar - Comparative

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​Raj is the tallest of all boys. - Superlative

Multiple Choice

The cat runs fast

• Positive

• Comparative

• Superlative

Multiple Choice

This house is bigger than that one

• Positive

• Comparative

• Superlative

Multiple Choice

This is the most beautiful place I have ever visited.

• Positive

• Comparative

• Superlative

​Positive Degree

Used when one person or thing is talked of.

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Exception:

It is used rarely to talk about two persons or things

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E.g.: Your house is not as big as mine.​

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​Comparative Degree

​Used when two persons or things are talked of.

Comparison can be used only between two similar things. 'er' is added to words to form comparative.

This house is bigger than that one.

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'More' is added to form comparative degree with words containing more than two syllables.

He is more intelligent than his brother.

​Superlative Degree

​Used when comparison is made between more than two persons or things.

This is the biggest house in the street.

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For words with more than two syllables, 'most 'is added before the adjective.

This is the most beautiful place I have ever visited.

​Exceptions

​Double comparative or double superlative is not to be used.

​

More braver

Most wisest... such usages are wrong.

Multiple Choice

These mangoes are more delicious than those.

• Right usage

• wrong usage

​Exceptions

​1. Words like superior, inferior junior senior prefer are already adjectives of comparative degree. So more is not used before them. The preposition 'to' is added instead of 'than'

He is junior to me.

I prefer coffee to tea.

2. Some words like extreme, universal, full ,complete, perfect, empty, top, infinite, impossible do not take 'more' or 'most'

​3. When two or more adjectives refer to the same person, there must be uniformity in the usage.

He is the ablest, bravest and richest man in the city.

He is an able, brave and rich man in the city.

Fill in the Blank

I am elder _______ her

Multiple Choice

This car brand is superior to that

• Right usage

• wrong usage

Multiple Choice

She has ________ milk in the jar.

• little

• more little

• littler

Multiple Choice

Tyson is the __________ wrestler.

• strong

• stronger

• strongest

Multiple Choice

Akshara is __________ than her sister

• smart

• smarter

• smartest