Degrees of Comparison (2024)

Degrees ofComparison

Adjectives

Look at these sentences

1. Sitha is beautiful

2. Sitha is more beautiful than Githa

3. Sitha is the most beautiful girl in our class

In sentence one the adjective beautiful simply tellsus that Sitha is beautiful. In sentence two there is a comparison in terms ofbeauty between Sitha and Githa. In sentence three Sitha is said to be the mostbeautiful girl in their class. We learn now that the adjective beautiful hasthree forms: beautiful, more beautiful and most beautiful which arecalled different Degrees of comparison.

The form beautiful is in thePositive Degree. It is the simplest form of the adjective. More beautifulis in the comparative Degree a higher degree of quality than the PositiveDegree, and is used when two units are compared. Most beautiful is thehighest degree of quality, and is used when three or more units are compared.It is called the Superlative Degree and is often preceded by the.

The elephant is the strongestanimal on land.

Ways of forming Comparatives and Superlatives

1.Most Adjectives form the Comparative by adding –er,and theSuperlative by adding –est to the positive Degree.

2 Most Adjectives of two syllables, and all adjectives ofmore than three syllables, form the Comparative by using the Adverb more and theSuperlative by using the Adverb most with the Positive.

Note: The comparative –er is not used when we compare twoqualities in the same person or thing

Balu is more sad than happy.

She is more jealous than sad

Irregular Comparatives

Some comparatives and Superlatives are not formed from thePositive. They are compared irregularly.

Note: The comparative Adjectives ending in –or are followedby the preposition to

Vinu is inferior to Hari in intelligence.

He is junior to all his colleagues.

Fill in the blanks with Comparatives or Superlatives ofsuitable Adjectives:

1.Prevention is ……………… than cure.

2.Who was the ……………. Of the Mughal Kings ?

3.He is the …………. Child in our family.

4.Everest is the …………. Peak in the world.

5.My uncle is ……….. than my father.

6.Which of the two girls has the ……… dress ?

7.Clouds float because they are………. than air.

8.He is the ………….. man in our village.

9.Your knife is sharp, but mine is………….

10. Her doll is…………. than yours.

Answers

1. Better

2. Best

3. Last

4. Highest

5. Younger

6. Best

7. Lighter

8. Wisest

9. Sharper

10. Cuter

Rewrite sentences in differentDegrees of Comparison without changing the meaning.

1.The elephant is the strongest animal on land.(Superlative Degree)

2.The elephant is stronger than all other animals onland.

The elephant isstronger than any other animal on land(Comparative)

3.No other animal on land is so strong as theelephant (positive)

……………………………

1. Kovalam is the most beautifulbeach I have ever seen. (Superlative)

2. Kovalam is more beautiful thanany other beach I have ever seen.

Kovalam is more beautiful thanall other beaches I have ever seen.(Comparative)

4.No other beach I have ever seen is so beautifulas Kovalam (Positive)

…………………………………

Change the Degree of Comparison,without changing the meaning:

1.Gopal is the cleverest boy in the class.

2.No other animal is so useful as the elephant.

3.The tiger is the most ferocious animal.

4.Bangalore is thecleanest city in India.

5.Mangoes are sweeter than bananas.

6.This is the best play I have ever seen.

7. Iron is more useful thancopper.

Adverbs

Adverbs also have their differentDegrees of comparison; they are formed in the same ways as those of Adjectives.

Examples

1. Of all the girls in class, Sitaspeaks most fluently. (Superlative)

2. Sita speaks more fluently thanall other girls in the class. (Comparative)

3. No other girl in the classspeaks as fluently as Sita. (Positive)