Degrees of comparison in adjectives

Degrees of comparison in adjectives

There are three Degrees of Comparison in adjectives which are used to describe and compare one person or one thing with another:

1. Positive degree.

2. Comparative degree.

3. Superlative degree.

Let us see all of them one by one.

Base form of the adjective - when we speak about only one person or thing, without any comparison, we use the normal form of the adjectives.

Examples:

This house is big.

He is a tall boy.

This flower is beautiful.

She is an intelligent girl.

Degrees of comparison in adjectives:

1. Positive degree – this form is used when we compare two people/things with the same quality.

Formula:

as

+ base form of the adjective +

as

Formula:

Examples:

This house is as big as that one. / This house is not as big as that one.

Tom is as tall as John. / Tom is not as tall as John.

This flower is as beautiful as that. / The pink flower is not as beautiful as the red one.

Emma is as intelligent as her sister. / Emma is not as intelligent as her sister.

2. Comparative degree – this form is used when we compare two persons/ things with unequal quality

Formula:

base form of the adjective + -er	than
more + base form of the adjective

Examples:

This house is bigger than that one. / This house is not bigger than that one.

Tom is taller than his brother. / Tom is not taller than his brother.

This flower is more beautiful than that. / The pink flower is not more beautiful than the red one.

Emma is more intelligent than her sister. / Emma is not more intelligent than her sister.

3. Superlative degrees - this form of adjective is used when we compare three or more persons /things with unequal quality

We use the article “the” before the superlative degrees.

Formula: 

the	base form of the adjective + -est
	most + base form of the adjective

Examples:

This is the biggest house in this street. / This is not the biggest house in this street.

Tom is the tallest student in this class. / Tom is not the tallest student in this class.

This flower is the most beautiful one in this garden. / This flower is not the most beautiful one in this garden.

Emma is the most intelligent girl in this class. / Emma is not the most intelligent girl in this class.

Formation of comparative and superlative degrees of the adjectives

Adjectives usually form their comparative and superlative degrees as: 

add -er/-est to the positive degree
positive degree	comparative degree	superlative degree
bright	brighter	brightest
black	blacker	blackest
bold	bolder	boldest
cold	colder	coldest
fast	faster	fastest
great	greater	greatest
high	higher	highest
kind	kinder	kindest
long	longer	longest
rich	richer	richest
small	smaller	smallest
strong	stronger	strongest
sweet	sweeter	sweetest
tall	taller	tallest
thick	thicker	thickest
young	younger	youngest

add -r/-st to the positive degree ending in -e
positive degree	comparative degree	superlative degree
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
late	later	latest

when the positive ends in -y and has a consonant before it, we change -y into -i and then add -er/-est
positive degree	comparative degree	superlative degree
costly	costlier	costliest
dry	drier	driest
easy	easier	easiest
happy	happier	happiest
heavy	heavier	heaviest
lazy	lasier	lasiest
wealthy	wealthier	wealthiest

when the positive degree ends in a consonant with a vowel before it, we double the consonant, then add -er/-est
positive degree	comparative degree	superlative degree
big	bigger	biggest
dim	dimmer	dimmest
fat	fatter	fattest
hot	hotter	hottest
thin	thinner	thinnest

by placing more and most before the positive form
positive degree	comparative degree	superlative degree
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
courageous	more courageous	most courageous
cunning	more cunning	most cunning
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
splendid	more splendid	most splendid
suitable	more suitable	most suitable

Some adjectives do not follow any of the rules explained above. They have irregular forms and must be memorized:

Irregular forms of the adjectives
positive degree	comparative degree	superlative degree
bad	worse	worst
evil	worse	worst
good	better	best
ill	worse	worst
far	farther	farthest
well	better	best
little	less	least
much	more	most
many	more	most
old	elder	eldest

Read also vocabulary about:

• Telling the time

• Days of the week

• Months of the year

• Friends

• Family

• Weather

• Vegetables

• Fruits