Degrees of Comparison are used when we compare one person or one thing with another.
There are three degrees of comparison:
- Positive degree
 - Comparative degree
 - Superlative degree.
 
- Positive degree– It is used when no comparison is made. It is used to denote the mere existence of some quality.
 
For ex- George is good boy.
This is a big house.
Zoyais a beautiful girl.


2. Comparative degree– It is used when two things are compared.
For ex- Jack is better than Rahul.
That house is bigger than this house.
Riya is more beautiful than Seema.
- “than” is used to compare two things.
 
3. Superlative degree– It is used when more thantwo things are compared.
For ex- Harry is the best boy of the class.
This is the biggest house in the city.
Neha is the most beautiful girl.
- We use the article ‘the‘ before the superlative degrees.
 

FORMATION OF COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES
- by addition of ‘-er’ and ‘-est’ to the positive degree
 
| POSITIVE | COMPARATIVE | SUPERLATIVE | 
| bright | brighter | brightest | 
| black | blacker | blackest | 
| bold | bolder | boldest | 
| clever | cleverer | cleverest | 
| cold | colder | coldest | 
| fast | faster | fastest | 
| great | greater | greatest | 
| high | higher | highest | 
| kind | kinder | kindest | 
| long | longer | longest | 
2. by addition of ‘-r’ and ‘-st’ to the positive degree ending in ‘e’
| POSITIVE | COMPARATIVE | SUPERLATIVE | 
| Brave | braver | bravest | 
| Fine | finer | finest | 
| Large | larger | largest | 
| Nice | nicer | nicest | 
| Noble | nobler | noblest | 
| Pale | paler | palest | 
| Simple | simpler | simplest | 
| Wise | wiser | wisest | 
| White | whiter | whitest | 
3. When the positive ends in ‘y’ and has a consonant before it, we change ‘y’ into ‘i’ and then add ‘er’ and ‘est’.
| By deleting the final ‘y’ and adding ‘ier’ and ‘iest’ | ||
| POSITIVE | COMPARATIVE | SUPERLATIVE | 
| Costly | costlier | costliest | 
| Dry | drier | driest | 
| Easy | easier | easiest | 
| Happy | happier | happiest | 
| Heavy | heavier | heaviest | 
4. when the positive degree ends in a consonant with a vowel before it, we double the consonant & then add ‘-er’ and ‘-est’
| POSITIVE | COMPARATIVE | SUPERLATIVE | 
| Big | bigger | biggest | 
| Fat | fatter | fattest | 
| Hot | hotter | hottest | 
| Thin | thinner | thinnest | 
5. by addition of ‘-er’ and ‘-est’ to the positive degree when it ends in ‘-y’
| POSITIVE | COMPARATIVE | SUPERLATIVE | 
| Gay | gayer | gayest | 
| grey | greyer | greyest | 
6. by placing ‘more’ and ‘most’ before the positive form
| POSITIVE | COMPARATIVE | SUPERLATIVE | 
| active | more active | most active | 
| attractive | more attractive | most attractive | 
| beautiful | more beautiful | most beautiful | 
| brilliant | more brilliant | most brilliant | 
| careful | more careful | most careful | 
| difficult | more difficult | most difficult | 
| famous | more famous | most famous | 
| faithful | more faithful | most faithful | 
| important | more important | most important | 
| proper | more proper | most proper | 
| popular | more popular | most popular | 
Some adjectives do not follow any of the rules explained earlier. They are compared irregularly. Here are the different forms of such adjectives.
| POSITIVE | COMPARATIVE | SUPERLATIVE | 
| bad | worse | worst | 
| evil | worse | worst | 
| good | better | best | 
| ill | worse | worst |