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.
  1. 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

  1. 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
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