What are the three degrees of comparison? Here are the examples.
DEGREES OF COMPARISON – In English grammar, to compare similar qualities, these three degrees are used, and here are some examples.
The word being used to describe a noun in a sentence is called an adjective. Sometimes, in a sentence or context, there could be two or more nouns of the quality that is even better than one or more of the other nouns involved. This is where comparison gets in, where we will make use of the degrees of comparison.
This is a form of adjective that is used to compare a person or thing that possesses the same qualities as the other. According to the Collins Dictionary, this is “the listing of the positive, comparative, and superlative forms of an adjective or adverb.”
The three degrees are the following:
- Positive Degree
This is basically the original form of the adjective, and this degree does not compare. This simply gives a descriptive word to the quality possessed by a noun.
Examples:
- happy
- pretty
- sad
- ugly
- bright
- Comparative Degree
This is used to compare two nouns that possess the same qualities. It could be a greater or lesser degree and presents the difference in their qualities. Most adjectives form the comparative by adding “-er”. If the positive degree ends with “-e”, “-r” is added. In other cases, ‘than’ or ‘more’ is used.
Examples:
- happier
- prettier
- sadder
- uglier
- brighter
- Superlative Degree
This shows that an object or subject has the most or least in terms of quality as compared to the three or more entities.
Examples:
- happiest
- prettiest
- saddest
- ugliest
- brightest
Rules to note
- In a comparative degree, “-er” is added to the word, and in some cases, “than” and “more” are being used.
- In a superlative degree, “-est” is added, and in some cases, “most” is used.
- Do not use double comparative adjectives or superlative adjectives.
- Avoid using “more” or “most” with the adjectives that make no sense.
- Do not use “than” in adjectives such as senior, junior, superior, inferior, preferable, prefer, and elder. They go with “to”.
- When comparing, there should be similarity.
- When the comparative degree is used in the superlative degree sense: (1) use “any other” if the subject of the same group is compared and (2) use “any” if comparing of the subject is made outside of the group.