THE DEGREES OF COMPARISON

THE DEGREES OF COMPARISON
A. DEFINITION OF DEGREE OF COMPARISON
Degrees of Comparison are used when we compare one person or one thing with another. Usually, the degrees of comparison is divided into three degrees, they are:
1. Positive degree
2. Comparative degree
3. Superlative degree
1. Positive degree.
When we speak about only one person or thing, we use the Positive degree.
Examples:
Amir is as old as I am
I am as handsome as you are
2. Comparative degree.
When we compare two persons or two things with each other, we use Comparative degree.
Examples:
a. This house is bigger than that one.
The term “bigger” is comparative version of the term “big”
b. This flower is more beautiful than that.
The term “more beautiful” is comparative version of the term “beautiful”.
c. He is more intelligent than this boy.
The term “more intelligent” is comparative version of the term “intelligent”.
Both these sentences convey the same meaning.
d. He is taller than Mr. Hulas.
The term “taller” is comparative version of the term “tall”.
e. Bill works harder than Joe Sanders
The term “harder” is comparative version of the term “hard”.
3. Superlative degree:
When we compare more than two persons or things with one another, we use all the three Positive, Comparative and Superlative degrees.
Examples:
a. This is the biggest house in this street. (Superlative)
This house is bigger than any other house in this street. (Comparative)
No other house in this street is as big as this one. (Positive)
The term “biggest” is the superlative version of the term “big”.
All the three sentences mean the same meaning.
b. This flower is the most beautiful one in this garden. (Superlative)
This flower is more beautiful than any other flower in this garden. (Comparative)
No other flower in this garden is as beautiful as this one. (Comparative)
The term “most beautiful” is the superlative version of the term “beautiful”.
All the three sentences mean the same meaning.
c. He is the most intelligent in this class. (Superlative)
He is more intelligent than other boys in the class. (Comparative)
No other boy is as intelligent as this boy. (Positive)
The term “most intelligent” is superlative version of the term “intelligent”.
Both these sentences convey the same meaning.
d. He is the tallest student in this class. (Superlative)
He is taller than other students in this class. (Comparative)
No other student is as tall as this student. (Positive)
The term “tallest” is superlative version of the term “tall”.
Both these sentences convey the same meaning.
*Degrees of Comparison are applicable only to Adjectives and Adverbs*
*Nouns and verbs do not have degrees of comparisons*
He is the tallest student in the class.
The term “tallest” is an adjective.
Among the members of the group, Mr. Clinton speaks most effectively.
The term “effectively” is an adverb.
All the terms used in the above-examples are either adjectives or adverbs.
We have seen all the three Degrees of Comparison
Let us see their models.
Model -1: “The best”:
Examples:
a. This is the best hotel in this area.
No other hotel is as better as this on in this area.
No other hotel is as good as this one in this area.
b. Unemployment is the most serious problem facing our country.
Unemployment is more serious than any other problem facing our country.
No other problem facing our country is as serious as unemployment.

Model-2: “One of the best”:
Examples:
a. Calcutta is one of the largest cities in India.
Calcutta is large than most other cities in India.
Very few cities in India are as large as Calcutta.
b. Satin Tendulkar is one of the best batsmen in the world.
Satin Tendulkar is better than most other batsmen in the world.
No other batman in the world is as good as Satin Tendulkar.
Model-3: “Not the best”:
Examples:
a. This is not the best solution to the problem.
b. This is not better than few other solutions to this problem.
c. Other solutions to this problem are not as good as this one.
d. New York is not the largest city in America.
New York is not bigger than many other cities in America. Few other cities in America are at least as large as New York.
Few adjectives and adverbs get their Comparative forms by simply getting “more” before them.
And their superlative terms, by getting “most” before them.
Examples:

DEGRESS OF ADJECTIVES
Positive Comparative Superlative
Beautiful More Beautiful Most Beautiful
Effective More Effective Most Effective
Effectively More Effectively Most Effectively

Enjoyable More Enjoyable Most Enjoyable
Useful More Useful Most Useful
Honest More Honest Most Honest
Different More Different Most Different
Qualified More Qualified Most Qualified


Few adjectives and adverbs get their Comparative forms by simply getting “er” after them and their superlative terms, by getting “est” after them.
Examples:

Positive Comparative Superlative
Big bigger biggest
Tall taller Tallest
Long longer Longest

Short shorter shortest
Costly costlier Costliest
Simple simpler Simplest
Hard harder hardest

Degrees of Comparison add beauty and varieties to the sentences