Various Degrees of Comparison of Adjectives
What are Degrees of Comparison?
We change the form of Adjectives to show comparison.
E.g. bright, brighter, brightest.
These forms of an adjective are called Degrees of Comparison.
Types of Degrees of Comparison
There are three degrees of comparison:
- Positive degree
- Comparative degree
- Superlative degree
How to use various degrees of Adjectives?
Positive Degree
The Positive Degree of an Adjective - the Adjective in its simple/base form.
It can be used to denote existence of some quality in one, two or more than two things/persons. It is generally used when no comparison is made.
Let’s see the sentence structures that we witness in sentences having a positive degree adjective.
Sentence Structure 1
Pattern: Subject + Verb + Positive degree adjective
Your mom’s curry was delicious.
Sentence Structure 2
Between ‘as … as’ and ‘so … as’, we use the positive degree of adjective/adverb.
Pattern: Subject + Verb + as/so + Positive degree adjective (or positive degree of adverb) + as + Noun/Pronoun
She is as beautiful as her mother. (beautiful - adjective)
He bowls as fast as Brett Lee. (fast - adverb)
Positive degree adjective can be used for comparison when we talk about:
- equality of two persons/things (i.e. when both are equal; no one is more or less than the other) or
- inequality of two persons/things.
This girl is as tall as that boy.
My toys are as good as yours.
My resume is not so great as yours.
Sentence Structure 3
Pattern: No other + singular noun + singular verb + as/so + positive degree + as + noun/pronoun
No other boy is as/so good as he.
(no other makes the sentence negative, so we can use either as…as or so….as)
Use with ‘other’
Compare these two sentences:
No method is as easy as this method. (incorrect)
No other method is as easy as this method. (correct)
To know more about the usage of ‘other’ for comparison purposes, read this section of the article.
Sentence Structure 4
Pattern: Very few + plural countable noun + plural verb + as + positive degree + as + noun/pronoun
Very few men are as good as he.
Comparative Degree
The Comparative Degree of an Adjective denotes a higher degree of the quality than the Positive.
It is used when two things/persons (or sets of things/persons) are compared.
Nikita’s artwork is better than Nicole’s.
There are a couple of ways in which we can compare things/persons using Comparative degree.
Compare the following sentences:
Nikita’s artwork is better than Nicole’s. (correct)
Nicole’s artwork is worse than Nikita’s. (correct)
Andy is stronger than Dwight. (correct)
Dwight is weaker than Andy. (correct)
We can even use positive degree instead of comparative degree:
Dwight is less strong than Andy. (correct; strong – positive degree of adjective)
Let’s see the sentence structures that we witness in sentences having a comparative degree adjective.
Sentence Structure 1
Pattern: Subject + Verb + comparative degree adjective + than/to/of + noun/pronoun
This girl is taller than that boy.
A comparative degree adjective is generally followed by ‘than’. But comparative degree adjectives ending in -or are followed by the preposition ‘to’.
For example: inferior, superior, prior, anterior, posterior, senior, junior.
This book is inferior to the standard book I already have.
He came here prior to his brother’s death.
All officers in this office are senior to you.
You must respect your seniors.
Your son seems to be different from you.
When two or more adjectives are used in a sentence and they take different preposition, we should use appropriate preposition for them.
Donald is senior and better than Jack. (incorrect)
Donald is senior to and better than Jack. (correct)
This ring is superior and more expensive than that one. (incorrect)
This ring is superior to and more expensive than that one. (correct)
Sentence Structure 2: Use with ‘other’
In case of comparison in the same group, we use ‘other’ after no/all/any in case of adjectives of positive/comparative degree (but not in case of adjectives of superlative degree).
Pattern 1: Subject + Verb + comparative degree adjective + than + any other + singular noun
He is better than any other boy.
The Times of India is better than any newspaper. (incorrect; better – comparative degree)
The Times of India is better than any other newspaper. (correct)
If one metal is compared with all the others of the same variety, we use ‘any other’ to exclude the metal being compared.
Lithium is less dense than any metal. (incorrect – because we are comparing an item to other items of the same variety, i.e. one metal with other metals)
Lithium is less dense than any other metal. (correct)
But the following sentence is correct.
Diamond is more hard than any metal. (correct - because diamond is not a metal. Here diamond is being compared with a group to which it does not belong.)
Pattern 2: Subject + Verb + comparative degree adjective + than + all other + plural noun
He is better than all other boys.
It is necessary to put ‘other’ if the adjective is of comparative degree. We need not put it in case of superlative degree.
The Ganga is the holiest of all other rivers in India. (incorrect)
The Ganga is the holiest of all rivers in India. (correct; we do not use ‘other’ with superlative degree)
He is more intelligent than any boy. (incorrect)
He is more intelligent than any other boy. (correct)
Sentence Structure 3
Pattern: Subject + Verb + comparative degree adjective + than + most other + plural noun
She is more intelligent than most other students.
Sentence Structure 4: Use of Comparatively/Relatively/Preferably with Comparative Adjective
We do not use Comparatively/Relatively/Preferably with Comparative degree adjective.
Incorrect Pattern: Comparatively/Relatively/Preferably + Comparative degree adjective
If you compare Bayern Munich with Barcelona you will find Bayern Munich comparatively better. (incorrect)
You should either use positive degree of the adjective or drop Comparatively/Relatively/Preferably
Correct Pattern 1: Comparatively/Relatively/Preferably + Positive degree adjective
Correct Pattern 2: Comparatively/Relatively/Preferably + Comparative degree adjective
If you compare Bayern Munich with Barcelona you will find Bayern Munich comparatively good. (correct; good – positive degree adjective)
If you compare Bayern Munich with Barcelona you will find Bayern Munich better. (correct; better – comparative degree adjective)
We do not use Comparatively/Relatively/Preferably with Comparative degree adjective even in case where it is followed by ‘than’.
Correct Pattern: Comparatively/Relatively/Preferably + Comparative degree adjective + than
Alcohol is preferably better than Drugs. (incorrect)
Alcohol is better than Drugs. (correct)
Mragank is relatively far wiser than Anand. (incorrect)
Mragank is far wiser than Anand. (correct)
Superlative Degree
The Superlative Degree of an Adjective denotes the highest degree of the quality, and is used when more than two things/persons (or sets of things/persons) are compared.
Nikita’s artwork is the best of all.
There are a couple of ways in which we can compare things/persons using Superlative degree.
Compare the following sentences:
Matthew is the laziest boy in the team. (correct)
Matthew is the least industrious boy in the team. (correct)
Various possible sentence structures with adjectives of superlative degree:
Sentence Structure 1
Pattern: Subject + Verb + the + superlative degree adjective + Noun
He is the best boy.
Sometimes, these words are also used - among/amongst/in/of.
Geetanjali is the tallest girl amongst us.
That shotgun was the longest of the lot.
Sentence Structure 2
Pattern: Subject + Verb + the + superlative degree adjective + of all + Plural noun
She is the brightest of all other girls. (incorrect)
She is the brightest of all girls. (correct)
Absolute Superlative
We sometimes us the Superlative degree adjectives with ‘most’ to indicate the possession of a quality in a very high degree (and not for comparison per se).
When an adjective of superlative degree is used in such a manner, then it called the Superlative of Eminence, or the Absolute Superlative.
It was a most eloquent speech.
This is most unfortunate.
Comparatives used as Positive
Comparative meaning lost
Some Comparative degree adjectives have lost their comparative meaning and are now used as Positive degree adjectives.
E.g. former, latter, elder, upper, inner, outer, utter.
They are not followed by ‘than’.
The thieves ran to jump over the outer wall.
My elder sister is a doctor.
This kid is an utter fool.
Latin adjectives
Certain comparative degree adjectives borrowed from Latin act like positive degree adjectives. They all end in ‘or’ (not ‘er’).
These are five in number: interior, exterior, ulterior, major, minor.
How he got here is a matter of minor importance.
I am not helping you out with any ulterior motive in mind.
Interchange of the Degrees of Comparison
We can change the degree of comparison of an adjective in a sentence, without changing the meaning of the sentence.
Let’s see some examples:
Hydrogen is the smallest of all atoms. (smallest – Superlative degree)
Hydrogen is smaller than all other atoms. (smaller – Comparative degree)
Interstellar is the best science fiction movie. (best - Superlative degree)
Interstellar is better than any other science fiction movie. (better - Comparative degree)
No other science fiction movie is so good as Interstellar. (good - Positive degree)
Can we use two comparative OR two superlative degrees together?
Two comparative degree adjectives can never come together.
Similarly, two superlative degree adjectives can also never come together.
He is the most bravest of all the soldiers. (incorrect)
He is the bravest of all the soldiers. (correct)
Your answer is more better than his answer. (incorrect)
Your answer is better than his answer. (correct)
However, we can use two positive, two comparative OR two superlative degrees together, if those adjectives are connected by a conjunction.
Conjunctions connecting Adjectives
If two adjectives connected by a conjunction are used for a single noun or pronoun, then both the adjectives must be in same degree.
Subhash Chandra Bose was the bravest and able of all the freedom fighters. (incorrect)
Subhash Chandra Bose was the bravest and ablest of all the freedom fighters. (correct)
Some more examples:
He is a smart and handsome boy.
He is fairer and more beautiful than me.
She is the cleverest and tallest girl.
He is as tall and fair as his brother.
Connecting Adjectives using ‘and’
If you join er/est/more/most pattern with the help of and, we use the following pattern (only in case of comparative and superlative degrees):
Pattern: er/est + and + more/most
(i.e. single syllable adjectives followed by double syllable adjectives)
He is more intelligent and cleverer than Jo. (incorrect)
He is cleverer and more intelligent than Jo. (correct)
Connecting Adjectives using ‘but’, ‘if not’
We can also join the adjectives of different degree with the help of ‘but’ or ‘if not’.
He is as clever as but more intelligent than Andy.
She is short but the most beautiful girl.
He is as strong as if not taller than Dwight.
Use of determiner with more than one Adjective
When two or more adjectives are used for one person or thing, we use determiner before the first adjective only.
She is my witty and my gorgeous wife. (incorrect)
She is my witty and gorgeous wife. (correct)
But there are a few exceptions to this rule. We use determiner with both the adjectives in the following cases:
Extra Books and Tools
If you prefer to learn via books, or want some good English Grammar books for reference purposes, you may read this article which enlists some of the books recommended by us.