THE DEGREES OF THE ADJECTIVE

The adjectives change in form when they show comparison.

Positive Degree: An adjective is said to be in the positive degree when there is no

comparison.

Comparative Degree: An adjective is said to be in the comparative degree when it is

used to compare two nouns/pronouns.

Superlative Degree: An adjective is in the superlative degree when it is used to

compare more than two nouns/pronouns. We use the article 'the' before the superlative
degree.

Formation of Comparative & Superlative Degrees of Adjectives

Short adjectives usually form their comparative and superlative degrees:

1) by addition of '-er' and '-est' to the positive degree

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

bright brighter brightest
black blacker blackest
clever cleverer cleverest
cold colder coldest
fast faster fastest
great greater greatest
high higher highest
kind kinder kindest
small smaller smallest
strong stronger strongest
thick thicker thickest

2) by addition of '-r' and '-st' to the positive degree ending in 'e'

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

brave braver bravest
fine finer finest

1
 large larger largest
nice nicer nicest
noble nobler noblest
pale paler palest
simple simpler simplest

3) When the positive ends in 'y' and has a consonant before it, we change 'y'
into 'i' and then add 'er' and 'est'.

By deleting the final ‘y’ and adding ‘ier’ and ‘iest’

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
dry drier driest
easy easier easiest
happy happier happiest
heavy heavier heaviest
lazy lasier lasiest

4) when the positive degree ends in a consonant with a vowel before it, we
double the consonant & then add '-er' and '-est'

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

big bigger biggest
dim dimmer dimmest
hot hotter hottest

5) by addition of '-er' and '-est' to the positive degree when it ends in '-y'

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

grey greyer greyest

Long adjectives usually form their comparative and superlative degrees by adding:

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

active more active the most active
beautiful more beautiful the most beautiful

2
 brilliant more brilliant the most brilliant
careful more careful the most careful
difficult more difficult the most difficult
faithful more faithful the most faithful
important more important the most important
proper more proper the most proper
popular more popular the most popular
suitable more suitable the most suitable

Some adjectives do not follow any of the rules explained earlier. They are compared
irregularly. Here are the different forms of such adjectives.
 

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

bad worse worst
good better best
far farther farthest
well better best
late later latest (time)
late later last (position)
little less least
much more most
many more most
old older oldest
ACTIVITIES

a) Choose the correct degree of the adjective:

1. Today is the hot/hotter/hottest day of the year.

2. Tom drives a very fast/faster/fastest car.
3. It was the good/better/best night I remember.
4. It is quiet/quieter/quietest in the countryside than in the town.
5. John is going to buy an expensive/more expensive/most expensive house next
month.
6. Some places are dangerous/more dangerous/most dangerous than others.
7. It is often cold/colder/coldest at night in summer.
8. Which do you like good/better/best: fish or meat?
9. This is the bad/worse/worst comedy film I've ever seen.
10. A bike is slow/slower/slowest than a motorcycle.
11. I think this film is the interesting/more interesting/most interesting of the year.
12. This is a nice/nicer/nicest cat. It's much nice/nicer/nicest than my friend's cat.
13. Here is Emily. She's six years old. Her brother is nine, so he is old/older/oldest.
14. He has an interesting/more interesting/most interesting hobby, but my sister has
the interesting/more interesting/most interesting hobby in the world.

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15. Skateboarding is a dangerous/more dangerous/most dangerous hobby. Bungee
jumping is dangerous/more dangerous/most dangerous than skateboarding.
16. Yesterday Clare told me a funny/funnier/funniest joke. This joke was the
funny/funnier/funniest joke I've ever heard.

b) Write down the correct degree of the adjective:

1. Martha is a ____________. girl. (nice)

2. Jane is the ____________ girl in the class. (intelligent)
3. Martin speaks English ____________. (well)
4. Russia is the ____________ country in the world. (big)
5. China is a ____________ country. (big)
6. China is ____________ than India. (big)
7. This is the ____________ book I have ever read. (interesting)
8. Take the ____________ of the two routes. (short)

c) Complete the blanks with the correct degree of the adjective:

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

dangerous
cleaner
best
most beautiful
sad
more expensive
happiest
tall
funnier
widest
small
heavier
nicest
free
easier

d) Write two sentences using the positive degree of the adjective to describe two
different objects.
1. _______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________

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e) Write two sentences using the comparative degree of the adjective to compare two
different pairs of objects.
1. _______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________

f) Write two sentences using the superlative degree of the adjective to describe two
objects that stand out of the rest in a group.
1. _______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________