Degree of Comparison

Definition

The degree of comparison refers to the way in which adjectives and adverbs express the level or intensity of a particular quality. In English, the degree of comparison is used to compare one thing with another or show how something differs in quality, quantity, or degree. The three degrees are:

1. Positive Degree – Describes a quality without comparison.
2. Comparative Degree – Compares two things to show the difference in the quality.
3. Superlative Degree – Describes the highest degree or extreme quality among three or more things.

Aim of Degree of Comparison:

The aim of the degree of comparison is to provide a way to show the differences in qualities, quantities, or states between one or more things. It allows speakers or writers to convey the varying levels of attributes and to make comparisons, enhancing clarity and expressiveness in communication.

Structure of Degree of Comparison:

1. Positive Degree: The two things being compared are on the same level or comparable, therefore the adjective/adverb as is used . 
• Example: “ You are as pretty as her ".
• "Nana speaks as calmly as Mega does".
2. Comparative Degree: The adjective or adverb is modified to compare two things, usually by adding "er" or using "more" (for longer adjectives or adverbs).
• Example: "She is taller than her sister."
3. Superlative Degree: The adjective or adverb is modified to compare one thing with all others in a group, often by adding "est" or using "most."
• Example: "She is the tallest among all her friends."

 Types of Degree of Comparison:

1. Positive Degree: Used to describe a single person or thing without comparing it to others.
• Example: "This book is interesting."
2. Comparative Degree: Used to compare two things or persons.
• Example: "This book is more interesting than the other."
3. Superlative Degree: Used to show that something is at the highest or lowest point in a group.
• Example: "This book is the most interesting of all."

Forming regular comparative and superlative adjectives

Forming comparative and superlative adjectives is easy. The form depends on the number of syllables in the original adjective.

Adjectives consisting of one syllable

Add  -er  for comparative adjectives and  -est  for superlatives. If the adjective is spelled as a single consonant + vowel + consonant, the last consonant must be repeated before adding the ending.

Adjective            Comparative     Superlative

tall                       taller                   tallest

fat                       fatter                  fattest

big                       bigger                 biggest

sad                      sadder                saddest

Adjectives consisting of two syllables

Two-syllable adjectives can form the comparative by adding -er  or  by prefixing the adjective with  more . They can form the superlative by adding -est  or by prefixing the adjective with  most . In many cases, both forms are used, although one form is usually more common than the other. If you are unsure whether a two-syllable adjective can take both the comparative and superlative endings, use the safe forms  more and  most . For adjectives ending in y , change the "y" to an "i" before adding the endings.

Adjective            Comparative     Superlative

happy                 happier               happiest

simple                simpler               simplest

busy                    busier                 busiest

tilted                   more tilted         most tilted

tangled               more tangled     most tangled

Adjectives consisting of three or more syllables

Adjectives consisting of three or more syllables form comparatives by placing  more  in front of the adjective and form superlatives by placing  most  in front of the adjective.

Adjective            Comparative                   Superlative

important            more important                 most important

expensive           more expensive                most expensive

Irregular comparative and superlative adjectives

These common adjectives have completely irregular comparative and superlative forms.

Adjective            Comparative                   Superlative

good                   better                               best

bad                     worse                               worst

little                    less                                  least

much                  more                                most

far                      further / farther                furthest / farthest

Example

• Today is the worst day I've had in a long time.
• You play tennis better than I do.
• This is the least expensive sweater in the store.
• This sweater is less expensive than that one.
• I ran pretty far yesterday, but I ran even farther today.

Language Components Used in Degree of Comparison

1. Adjectives: Words that describe or modify nouns.
• Example (Positive): "The movie is beautiful."
• Example (Comparative): "The movie is more beautiful than the last one."
• Example (Superlative): "The movie is the most beautiful I have ever seen."
2. Adverbs: Words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
• Example (Positive): "She runs fast."
• Example (Comparative): "She runs faster than him."
• Example (Superlative): "She runs the fastest of all."
3. Modifiers: Words like "more," "less," "most," or "least" used to modify adjectives and adverbs.
• Example: "The book is more interesting than the magazine."
4. Suffixes: The use of "-er" for comparative and "-est" for superlative (for short adjectives and adverbs).
• Example: "This is the simplest solution."