DEGREES OF COMPARISON

Adjectives have three degrees of comparison. They are: 1. Positive degree 2. Comparative degree, and 3. Superlative degree When an adjective is used in a simple form, it is said to be positive degree * Rama is a clever boy. * Sita is pretty. In these sentences clever and pretty are in the positive degree. Look at the following sentences: * Rama is cleverer than his brother * Sita is prettier than her sister. In these sentences Rama is compared with his brother and Sita is compared with her sister. So the adjectives are in the comparative degree. The comparative degree of adjectives is followed by the conjunction than. Please note that than is used as a conjunction in grammatically correct English. However, in conversational English than is often treated as a preposition. When pronouns are used, the learner should treat than as a conjunction and use the subject-form of the pronoun. , like I, he, she they etc. When more than two persons or things are compared, we use the superlative degree of adjectives. * Rama is the cleverest boy in the class. * Sita is the prettiest girl in the school. Note: the definite article the precedes an adjective in the superlative degree.

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Changing the Degrees of Comparison: Can you change the degree of comparison of an adjective without changing the meaning the sentence? .Yes, you can . Look at the following examples:

When there are only two subjects in the sentence, the formation of superlative degree is not possible. In such case the transformation of positive to comparative and vice versa can take place. (Comparison of One as to One) Instructions: 1. If a sentence in the positive degree has some negative sense, it will become affirmative in sense when we change it into a sentence in the comparative degree. 2. If a sentence in the positive degree has some affirmative sense, it will become negative in sense when we change it into a sentence in the comparative degree. 3. Above mentioned rules are applicable to comparative degree also. Positive/Comparative In simple Negative Affirmative

Positive Degree Formula Example 1 Example 2 S Mayank Mayank AV/not AV is is Form (as/so-A1as) As clever as Not so clever as O Prassana Prassana

Comparative Degree Formula S

AV/ AV not is

Form (A2+than) more clever than

Example 1

Mayank

Prassana

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Example 2

Mayank

is

Not more clever than

Prassana

Note: With positive sentence use as------ as and With negative statement use so-------as When there are more than two subjects in the sentence, the following formulas can be used (Comparison of One as to many): Positive Degree Formula: Formula No other/Very few/Few/Some Example 1 No other

RP

AV

Form (asA1-as) as hot as

City in Maharashtra Bowlers Boys in the class Students in the class

is

Nanded

Example 2 Example 3

Very few Few

are are

as fast as As intelligent as As intelligent as

Kapil Ravi

Example 4

Some

are at least

Sagar

Comparative Degree Formula: Formula S AV A2 Form(than+a ny other/many other/some other) Than any other Than many other RP

Example 1 Example 2

This Roshan

is Is

greater better

In my life Boys in the class

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Example 3

Neha

Is

More intellig ent

Than some other

Students in the class

Superlative Degree Formula: Formula S AV The/one of the the A3 RP

Example 1

She

Was

softest

Member of the team Rivers in India

Example 2

Ganga

Is

one of the

largest

Study the following examples:

Positive: No other girl in the class is as intelligent as Susie. Comparative: Susie is more intelligent than any other girl in the class. Superlative: Susie is the most intelligent girl in the class. Positive: No other metal is as precious as gold. Comparative: Gold is more precious than any other metal. Superlative: Gold is the most precious metal. Superlative: Solomon was the wisest person on earth Positive: No other person on earth was as wise as Solomon. Comparative: Solomon was wiser than any other person on earth. Positive: No other boy is as tall as John. Comparative: John is taller than any other boy. Superlative: John is the tallest boy. Positive: No other food is as nourishing as milk. Comparative: Milk is more nourishing than any other food. Superlative: Milk is the most nourishing food. Positive: Very few English poets were as great as Wordsworth. Comparative: Wordsworth was greater than most other English poets. Superlative: Wordsworth was one of the greatest English poets.
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