Degrees of Comparison

Degrees of Comparison Degrees of Comparison : An adjective can be written in three different types to denote three degrees of comparison namely Positive, Comparative and Superlative. The comparison may be of a quality or a quantity, an adjective or an adverb. Sam is as tall as Pam. - POSITIVE DEGREE Raj is taller than Joy. - COMPARATIVE DEGREE Toby is the tallest boy in the class. - SUPERLATIVE DEGREE From the above examples it is evident that when the degree of comparison changes from one to another, words (denoting the quality) as well as the structure of the sentence changes. Positive Degree - as adjective as Comparative Degree - adjective than Superlative Degree - the adjective Let us now see how words denoting the comparison are changed. POINTS TO NOTE : If the positive ends in two consonants or in a single consonant proceeded by two vowels, ER and EST are added. Positive…..Comparative…..Superlative Bold…..bolder…..boldest Clever…..cleverer…..cleverest Great…..greater…..greatest Exceptions : just …..more just than …..the most just right …..more right than …..the most right real …..more real than …..the most real wrong …..more wrong than …..the most wrong

Adverbs of more than one syllable take more and most. quickly …..more quickly than …..the most quickly slowly …..more slowly than …..the most slowly seldom …..more seldom than …..the most seldom When the Positive ends in E, only R and ST are added. Able …..abler …..ablest Brave….. braver …..bravest Fine …..Finer …..finest When the Positive ends in Y, preceded by a consonant, the Y is changed into I before adding ER and EST. Dry …..drier …..driest Easy …..easier …..easiest Happy …..happier …..happiest But if the Y is preceded by a vowel, the Y is not changed to I. Gay …..gayer …..gayest Gray …..grayer …..grayest When the Positive is a word of one syllable and ends in a single consonant, preceded by a short vowel, this consonant is doubled before adding ER and EST. Big….. bigger …..biggest Fat …..fatter …..fattest Hot …..hotter …..hottest In all Adjectives of more than two syllables and in most Adjectives of two syllables, the Comparative is formed by adding MORE and the Superlative is formed by adding MOST. Positive …..Comparative …..Superlative Beautiful …..more beautiful …..most beautiful Courageous …..more courageous …..most courageous Difficult …..more difficult …..most difficult Industrious …..more industrious …..most industrious Adjectives ending in ed, ing, re, ful, ous and those with the stress on the first syllable usually take more and the most. charming …..more charming than …..the most charming famous …..more famous than …..the most famous hopeful …..more hopeful than …..the most hopeful learned …..more learned than …..the most learned

obscure …..more obscure than …..the most obscure Irregular Comparisons : The following Adjectives are compared irregularly, that is, their Comparative and Superlative are not formed from the Positive. Positive …..Comparative …..Superlative Bad, evil, ill …..worse …..worst Far (distance) …..farther …..farthest Fore …..former….. foremost, first Good, well …..better …..best Hind …..hinder …..hindmost Late …..later, latter …..latest, last Little …..less …..least Much (quantity) …..more …..most Many (number) …..more …..most Old …..older, elder …..oldest, eldest Degrees of Comparison Degrees of comparison exercise

September 28, 2014 An English adjective has three forms – positive, comparative and superlative. Complete the following sentences using the appropriate form of the adjective. 1. She is …………………… than her sister. a) pretty b) prettier c) prettiest 2. Martha is a …………………….. girl. a) nice b) nicer c) nicest 3. Supriya is the ……………………… girl in the class. a) intelligent b) more intelligent c) most intelligent 4. Martin speaks English ………………….. a) well

b) better c) best 5. Russia is the ……………………. country in the world. a) big b) bigger c) biggest 6. China is a ……………….. country. a) big b) bigger c) biggest 7. China is …………………… than India. a) big b) bigger c) biggest 8. This is the …………………… book I have ever read. a) interesting b) more interesting c) most interesting 9. I am …………………. than you. a) smart b) smarter c) smartest 10. Take the ………………….. of the two routes. a) short b) shorter c) shortest Answers

1. She is prettier than her sister. 2. Martha is a nice girl. 3. Supriya is the most intelligent girl in the class.

4. Martin speaks English well. 5. Russia is the biggest country in the world. 6. China is a big country. 7. China is bigger than India. 8. This is the most interesting book I have ever read. 9. I am smarter than you. 10. Take the shorter of the two routes.