Degrees of Comparison are used when we compare one person or one thing with another.
There are three Degrees of Comparison in English.
They are:
1. Positive degree.
2. Comparative degree.
3. Superlative degree.
Let us see all of them one by one.
1.Positive degree. When we speak about only one person or thing, We use the Positive degree.
Examples:
• This house is big.
In this sentence only one noun “The house” is talked about.
• He is a tall student.
• This flower is beautiful.
• He is an intelligent boy.
Each sentence mentioned above talks about only one noun.
The second one in the Degrees of Comparison is…
2.Comparative degree. When we compare two persons or two things with each other, We use both the Positive degree and Comparative degree.
Examples:
a. This house is bigger than that one. (Comparative degree)
This house is not as big as that one. (Positive degree)
The term “bigger” is comparative version of the term “big”. Both these sentences convey the same meaning.
b. This flower is more beautiful than that. (Comparative)
This flower is not as beautiful as that. (Positive)
The term “more beautiful” is comparative version of the term “beautiful”. Both these sentences convey the same meaning.
c. He is more intelligent than this boy. (Comparative)
He is not as intelligent as this boy. (Positive)
The term “more intelligent” is comparative version of the term “intelligent”. Both these sentences convey the same meaning.
d. He is taller than Mr. Hulas. (Comparative)
He is not as tall as Mr. Hulas. (Positive)
The term “taller” is comparative version of the term “tall”. Both these sentences convey the same meaning.
When we compare more than two persons or things with one another, We use all the three Positive, Comparative and Superlative degrees.
Examples:
a. This is the biggest house in this street. (Superlative)
This house is bigger than any other house in this street. (Comparative)
No other house in this street is as big as this one. (Positive)
The term “biggest” is the superlative version of the term “big”. All the three sentences mean the same meaning.
b. This flower is the most beautiful one in this garden. (Superlative)
This flower is more beautiful than any other flower in this garden. (Comparative)
No other flower in this garden is as beautiful as this one. (Comparative)
The term “most beautiful” is the superlative version of the term “beautiful”. All the three sentences mean the same meaning.
c. He is the most intelligent in this class. (Superlative)
He is more intelligent than any other boys in the class. (Comparative)
No other boy is as intelligent as this boy. (Positive)
The term “most intelligent” is superlative version of the term “intelligent”. Both these sentences convey the same meaning.
d. He is the tallest student in this class. (Superlative)
He is taller than any other students in this class. (Comparative)
No other student is as tall as this student. (Positive)
The term “tallest” is superlative version of the term “tall”.
Examples:
Beautiful……….more beautiful……….most beautiful
Effective……….more effective………most effective
Effectively………more effectively……….most effectively
Enjoyable………….more enjoyable……….most enjoyable
Useful……………….more useful………..most useful
Different………..more different…………most different
Honest………..more honest…………..most honest
Qualified…………more qualified…………most qualified
Few adjectives and adverbs get their Comparative forms by simply getting “er” after them and their superlative terms, by getting “est” after them.
Examples:
Hard……………..harder……………..hardest
Big……………….bigger…………….biggest
Tall……………..taller……………tallest
Long………………longer………………longest
Short……………..shorter……………….shortest
Costly…………………costlier……………costliest
Simple………………….simpler………….simplest
Degrees of Comparison add beauty and varieties to the sentences.