Degrees of Comparison of Adjective

Adjective:

An adjective is a word used to describe or qualify a noun or a pronoun.

E.g. - Riya is a beautiful girl.

In this sentence, the word 'beautiful' is an adjective (adjective of quality) which is used to qualify a noun (Riya).

He is a naughty boy.

In this sentence, the word 'naughty' is an adjective (adjective of quality) which is used to qualify a pronoun (He).  

Degrees of Comparison:

An adjective of quality changes its form when one person, place or object is compared with another or others. It is called the degrees of comparison of adjective.

A degree of comparison is used to express equality, superiority / inferiority or supremacy of one person, place or object.

There are three degrees of comparison:

        1)   Positive degree

       2)   Comparative degree

       3)   Superlative degree

                     

                                    

        1) Positive degree:

The basic form of an adjective is known as positive degree. It is used to describe or qualify a noun.

e.g.-

1) Rekha is beautiful.

2) Mohan is strong.

This degree of comparison is used to compare two nouns but to show equality.

e.g.-

1) Rekha is as beautiful as Riya.              (Affirmative)

2) Mohan is not as so strong as Sohan. (Negative)

 (we put positive degree between as......as or so.......as. If the sentence is affirmative positive degree is used between as....as & if  the sentence is negative used it between so..... as.) 

2) Comparative degree:

This degree is used to compare two people, places, or objects. This degree of comparison expresses superiority or inferiority.

 Riya is not more beautiful than Rekha.

 Sohan is stronger than mohan.

3) Superlative degree:

 It is used to compare a person, place, or thing with two or more than two people, places, or things. This degree of adjective expresses supremacy.

Priya is the most beautiful girl in the class.

Sohan is the strongest boy in the class.

 There are some basic rules to form the degrees of comparison:

1)      We generally add the suffix –‘er’ or –‘est’ to the end of the adjective to form comparative & superlative.

          Dark             Darker           Darkest

          Clever          Cleverer         Cleverest

          Black            Blacker          Blackest

          Bold              Bolder           Boldest 

          Brave           Braver            Bravest

          Bright          Brighter         Brightest 

         Clean            Cleaner          Cleanest

         Cold              Colder            Coldest

         Cool              Cooler            Coolest 

          Deep            Deeper           Deepest

          Fair             Fairer              Fairest

          Fast             Faster             Fastest

         Great           Greater           Greatest

         Hard            Harder            Hardest

         High             Higher            Highest

         Light            Lighter            Lightest

         Long           Longer             Longest

         Low             Lower              Lowest 

         Old               Older               Oldest

         Cheap          Cheaper          Cheapest

         Short           Shorter           Shortest 

         Rich            Richer             Richest

         Tall             Taller              Tallest 

2)    When an adjective ends in –e, add –r to the end of the adjective to form comparative & -st for superlative.  

Large             Larger            Largest

White            Whiter            Whitest

Brave            Braver             Bravest

Large            Larger             Largest 

Late              Later                Latest

Strange       Stranger          Strangest

Simple        Simpler           Simplest

Able            Abler               Ablest

3)    When an adjective ends with a vowel +a consonant, double the final consonant & add –er or –est to the end to form comparative & superlative.

 Hot            Hotter         Hottest

 Sad            Sadder         Saddest

 Big             Bigger          Biggest

 Fat             Fatter           Fattest

 Flat           Flatter          Flattest

 Thin          Thinner       Thinnest

 Glad         Gladder        Gladdest

4)     When an adjective ends with -y, & there is a consonant before –y, change –y to –i & add –er or –est to the end to form comparative & superlative.

 Early           Earlier           Earliest

      Happy        Happier        Happiest

      Busy            Busier           Busiest

      Dirty           Dirtier           Dirtiest

      Dry             Drier               Driest

      Easy           Easier              Easiest

      Funny       Funnier           Funniest

      Heavy       Heavier           Heaviest

      Healthy    Healthier        Healthiest

      Lazy          Lazier              Laziest

      Naughty   Naughtier      Naughtiest

      Noisy         Noisier           Noisiest

      Pretty        Prettiest         Prettiest

      Holy          Holier             Holiest

      Lovely      Lovelier          Loveliest

      Tidy          Tidier              Tidiest

5)    When an adjective is long (an adjective of two or more syllables), not ended in –y, add, more to form comparative & most for superlative.

Beautiful    more beautiful  most beautiful

Creative      more creative     most creative

Dangerous  more dangerous  most dangerous

Difficult     more difficult     most difficult

Confused     more confused   most confused 

Fascinating    more fascinating     most fascinating 

Famous      more famous     most famous 

Generous   more generous   most generous 

Graceful     more graceful     most graceful

Handsome  more handsome  most handsome

Hardworking  more hardworking   most hardworking

Important    more important    most important 

Creative    more creative    most creative 

Popular    more popular     most popular 

Gentle       more gentle        most gentle 

6)     There are some adjectives that do not form the comparative & superlative from their positives. They are called irregular adjectives. Their forms are quite different from one another.

Good          better             best

Bad            worse             worst

Little          less                 least

Much/Many   more       most

Fore           Former          Foremost/First

Hind          Hinder           Hindmost

Late        Later/Letter     Last/Latest

Old          Older/Elder    Oldest/Eldest

Near        Nearer              Nearest/Next

Far     Farther/Further  Farthest/Furthest

 

 

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