Degrees of Comparison

Degrees of Comparison

Degrees of comparison are used when we compare one person or one thing with another.
There are three degrees of comparison in English;

1. Positive Degree 

When we speak about only one person or one thing, we use the positive degree. it's the simplest form.

Examples ;

• this house is big
• this flower is beautiful
• he is an intelligent boy
• her blue hat was brilliant

each sentences above talks about only one noun.

     2. Comparative Degree

When we compare two persons or two things with each other.

Examples ;

• this house is bigger than that one
• this flower is more beautiful than yours
• he is more intelligent than that boy
• he is taller than Mr. Hulas

     

    3. Superlative Degree

when we compare more than two persons or things with another.

Examples ;

• this flower is the most beautiful one in this garden
• he is the most intelligent in this class
• he is the tallest student in this class
• this is not the best solution to the problem

NOTE :

• Degrees of Comparison are applicable only to "Adjective and Adverb". Noun and Verb do not have Degrees of Comparison.

• Examples of;

          Adjective : he is the tallest student in this class. (Tallest is adjective)

          Adverb    : Mr. Clinton speaks most effectivelly. (Effectivelly is adverb)

• Few Adjectives and Adverbs get their comparative form by simply getting "more" before them, and their Superlative terms, by getting "most" before them. it means that we put "more/most" in front of longer adjectives (with two or more syllable) .

          Examples :  beautiful         more beautiful           most beautiful

                            enjoyable       more enjoyable          most enjoyable

                            different          more different            most different

• Few Adjectives and Adverbs get their comparatives form by simply getting "er" after them and their Superlative terms, by getting "est" after them. it means that we add "er" or "est" to short adjective of one syllable.

          Examples :    hard          harder        hardest

                              tall             taller          tallest

                              big             bigger        biggest

                              short          shorter       shortest

• Irregular Comparison

         a few of the comparatives and superlatives in English do not follow the unusual pattern.

        Here is a list of common exceptions;

                        positive                 comparative          superlative

                         bad/ill                     worse                  worst

                         badly                      worse                  worst

                         good/well               better                   best

                         late                         later                     latest/last

                         little                        less                      least

                     many/much/some        more                   most

• some adjectives cannot be compared because the positive (simplest) form expresses the only degree possible.

       List of incomparable adjectives:

      Perfect, unique, fatal, universal, dead, wrong, straight, blind, final, vertical, right, left, horizontal.

Exercises:

   Analysis the wrong sentences bellow!!

1. Alaska is largest state in the United State.
2. old shoes are usually more comfortable that new shoes.
3. Mr Molina writes the most clearly than Ms. York
4. Texas is the larger from france in Land area.
5. I have one sister and one brother, my sister is younger in the family.