DEGREES OF COMPARISONDEGREES OF COMPARISON

The Degrees of Comparison in English grammar are made with the adjectives to show how: big or smallhigh or low more or less many or few of the qualities, numbers and positions of the nouns (persons, things and places) in comparison to the others mentioned in the other part of a sentence/expression.

Kinds of Degrees of ComparisonKinds of Degrees of Comparison

Kinds of degrees of comparison

POSITIVE DEGREE COMAPRATIVE DEGREESUPERLATIVE DEGREE

Degree of equality

Degree of inequality

Progressive degree Parallel degree

Positive DegreePositive Degree

Positive Degree

Degree of equality

Degree of inequality

POSITIVE DEGREEPOSITIVE DEGREE

No compareNo compareGeneral sense General sense

John is a John is a talltall man. man. Eifel tower is a Eifel tower is a talltall man-made structure. man-made structure.

One noun with one quality – ‘tall’ adjective in positive formOne noun with one quality – ‘tall’ adjective in positive form

Degree of equalityDegree of equality

The adjective is in positive form showing The adjective is in positive form showing that two persons or things are the same – that two persons or things are the same – two nouns having the same quality.two nouns having the same quality.

The common conjunction used is “The common conjunction used is “as…asas…as”.”.

Degree of equality: exampleDegree of equality: example

John isJohn is as strong asas strong as James. James.‘‘strong’ – adjective in positive form showing equalitystrong’ – adjective in positive form showing equality

Degree of Degree of ininequalityequality

The adjective is in positive form showing The adjective is in positive form showing that two persons or things are that two persons or things are notnot the same the same – two nouns not having the same quality.– two nouns not having the same quality.

Degree of Degree of ininequality: exampleequality: example

Peter is Peter is not as fast asnot as fast as Paul. Paul.

COMPARATIVE DEGREECOMPARATIVE DEGREE

Two persons, things or places are being compared Two persons, things or places are being compared with one adjective to show that one has more with one adjective to show that one has more quality or quantity of the adjective than the other.quality or quantity of the adjective than the other.

The adjective takes ‘r’ or ‘er’ to its positive form The adjective takes ‘r’ or ‘er’ to its positive form (short words with 1 syllable) or ‘more’ (long (short words with 1 syllable) or ‘more’ (long words), and is said to be in comparative form.words), and is said to be in comparative form.

The conjunction ‘than’ is used to connect the two The conjunction ‘than’ is used to connect the two clauses.clauses.

Comparative Degree: exampleComparative Degree: example

A horse can run A horse can run fastfasterer than than a dog. a dog.

Comparative degree

Progressive Degree

Parallel Degree

Degree of Comparison:Degree of Comparison:

Progressive DegreeProgressive Degree

Two adjectives are being compared to show Two adjectives are being compared to show that one continues to increase (or decrease) that one continues to increase (or decrease) when the other increases (or decreases).when the other increases (or decreases).

The adjective is in its comparative form with The adjective is in its comparative form with the definite article ‘the’ before it.the definite article ‘the’ before it.

Progressive Degree: exampleProgressive Degree: example

The steepThe steeperer the hill, the hill, the the moremore difficult difficult it is to it is to push the rock up!push the rock up!

Parallel DegreeParallel Degree

The quality or quantity of the adjective or The quality or quantity of the adjective or adverb continues to increase (or decrease) adverb continues to increase (or decrease) as the time passes.as the time passes.

The adjective in its comparative form is The adjective in its comparative form is repeated using the conjunction ‘and’. repeated using the conjunction ‘and’.

Parallel Degree: Parallel Degree: exampleexample

The days are getting The days are getting hotthotterer andand hott hotterer.. It is getting It is getting hotthotterer andand hott hotterer day by day. day by day.

SUPERLATIVE DEGREESUPERLATIVE DEGREE

Comparing one noun – person, thing or place – Comparing one noun – person, thing or place – with several others of its kind to show that this with several others of its kind to show that this particular noun has the highest degree of the particular noun has the highest degree of the quality or quantity of the adjective being used to quality or quantity of the adjective being used to compare.compare.

The adjective takes the ‘superlative form’, ending The adjective takes the ‘superlative form’, ending with ‘st’ or ‘est’ (short words) or ‘most’ (long with ‘st’ or ‘est’ (short words) or ‘most’ (long words), with the definite article ‘the’ before it. words), with the definite article ‘the’ before it.

The preposition ‘of’ is used when the comparison The preposition ‘of’ is used when the comparison is among items, and ‘in’ is used to specify the is among items, and ‘in’ is used to specify the place, position or area.place, position or area.

Superlative Degree:Superlative Degree: example 1example 1

The elephant is The elephant is thethe large largestst of all land animals. of all land animals.

The giraffe is The giraffe is thethe tall tallestest of all animals.of all animals.

Superlative Degree: example 2Superlative Degree: example 2

Susan is Susan is thethe most intelligentmost intelligent girl in the class. girl in the class.