Comparison can be made using the three forms of the
adjective.
Adjective is a
word and it qualifies a noun. It gives more information about the noun.
eg. The lion is a strong animal. Rita is a beautiful girl.
eg. David is a rich man.
eg. Cancel is more dreadful than cholera.
eg. Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world.
eg. The lion is a strong animal. Rita is a beautiful girl.
eg. David is a rich man.
eg. Cancel is more dreadful than cholera.
eg. Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world.
Study
the following models.
|
Positive
|
Comparative
|
Superlative
|
|
Very few boys in the class
are astall as John.
|
John is taller than
any other boys in the class.
|
John is the tallest boy in
the class.
|
|
John is taller than
most other boys in the class.
|
John is one of
the tallest boy in the class.
|
Adjective and Adverbs have three degrees, Positive,
Comparative and Superlative.
The Pasitive Degree is used to denote the mere
existence of quality.
The Positive
Degree of an
adjective in comparison is the adjective in its simple form. It is used to
denote the mere existence of some quality of what we speak about. It is used when no comparison is made.
·
It is a tall building.
·
Apple is sweet to taste.
The Comparative Degree is used to compare the
qualities of two persons or things.
The Comparative
Degree denotes
the existence of a higher degree of the quality than the positive. It is usedwhen
two things (or two sets of things) are compared.
·
This building is taller than any
other building.
·
Apple is sweeter than pear.
The Superlative
Degree denotes
the existence of the highest degree of the quality. It is used when more than
two things are compared.
·
This is the tallest building.
·
Apple is the sweetest fruit.
The Superlative Degree is used when more than two
nouns or things are compared.
·
Johnsy is kind (Positive Degree)
·
Johnsy is kinder than Rosy (Comparative Degree)
·
Johnsy is the kindest of all (Superlative Degree)
·
|
By adding ‘er’ and ‘est’
|
||
|
POSITIVE
|
COMPARATIVE
|
SUPERLATIVE
|
|
bright
|
brighter
|
brightest
|
|
black
|
blacker
|
blackest
|
|
bold
|
bolder
|
boldest
|
|
clever
|
cleverer
|
cleverest
|
|
cold
|
colder
|
coldest
|
|
fast
|
faster
|
fastest
|
|
great
|
greater
|
greatest
|
|
high
|
higher
|
highest
|
|
kind
|
kinder
|
kindest
|
|
long
|
longer
|
longest
|
|
small
|
smaller
|
smallest
|
|
strong
|
stronger
|
strongest
|
|
sweet
|
sweeter
|
sweetest
|
|
tall
|
taller
|
tallest
|
|
young
|
younger
|
youngest
|
|
By adding ‘r’ and ‘st’
|
||
|
POSITIVE
|
COMPARATIVE
|
SUPERLATIVE
|
|
brave
|
braver
|
bravest
|
|
fine
|
finer
|
finest
|
|
large
|
larger
|
largest
|
|
nice
|
nicer
|
nicest
|
|
noble
|
nobler
|
noblest
|
|
pale
|
paler
|
palest
|
|
simple
|
simpler
|
simplest
|
|
wise
|
wiser
|
wisest
|
|
white
|
whiter
|
whitest
|
|
By deleting the final ‘y’
and adding ‘ier’ and ‘iest’
|
||
|
POSITIVE
|
COMPARATIVE
|
SUPERLATIVE
|
|
costly
|
costlier
|
costliest
|
|
dry
|
drier
|
driest
|
|
easy
|
easier
|
easiest
|
|
happy
|
happier
|
happiest
|
|
heavy
|
heavier
|
heaviest
|
|
lazy
|
lasier
|
lasiest
|
|
mercy
|
mercier
|
merciest
|
|
wealthy
|
wealthier
|
wealthiest
|
|
By doubling the final
consonats
|
||
|
POSITIVE
|
COMPARATIVE
|
SUPERLATIVE
|
|
big
|
bigger
|
biggest
|
|
dim
|
dimmer
|
dimmest
|
|
fat
|
fatter
|
fattest
|
|
hot
|
hotter
|
hottest
|
|
thin
|
thinner
|
thinnest
|
|
By using more and most
|
||
|
POSITIVE
|
COMPARATIVE
|
SUPERLATIVE
|
|
active
|
more active
|
most active
|
|
attractive
|
more attractive
|
most attractive
|
|
beautiful
|
more beautiful
|
most beautiful
|
|
brilliant
|
more brilliant
|
most brilliant
|
|
careful
|
more careful
|
most careful
|
|
courageous
|
more courageous
|
most courageous
|
|
cunning
|
more cunning
|
most cunning
|
|
difficult
|
more difficult
|
most difficult
|
|
famous
|
more famous
|
most famous
|
|
faithful
|
more faithful
|
most faithful
|
|
proper
|
more proper
|
most proper
|
|
popular
|
more popular
|
most popular
|
|
splendid
|
more splendid
|
most splendid
|
|
Irregular Comparisons
|
||
|
POSITIVE
|
COMPARATIVE
|
SUPERLATIVE
|
|
bad
|
worse
|
worst
|
|
evil
|
worse
|
worst
|
|
good
|
better
|
best
|
|
ill
|
worse
|
worst
|
|
far
|
farther
|
farthest
|
|
well
|
better
|
best
|
|
late
|
later
|
latest
|
|
little
|
less
|
least
|
|
much
|
more
|
most
|
|
many
|
more
|
most
|
|
near
|
nearer
|
nearest
|
|
old
|
older
|
oldest
|
|
old
|
elder
|
eldest
|
Comparison
between two things.
|
Positive
|
Comparative
|
|
Johnsy is as clever as Rosy
|
Rosy is not clever than
Johnsy
|
|
Benjamin is atleast as tall
as Jane
|
Jane is not taller than
Benjamin
|
1. When we
compare two objects, persons, qualities, degrees etc. the tare some respects
equal, we may use the comparison of equality.
This is formed
by the use of as... adjective / adverb... as
eg. Your house is as large as mine.
2. When we
compare unquals, we may use the comparative degree of the adjective or adverb
with than
eg. His
new book is more interesting than his earlier books
3. When the
comparison is negative, we use
so... adjective
/ adverb... as
eg. Your house is not quite so large as mine.
eg. Your house is not quite so large as mine.
4. In some
adverbial clauses of comparison both subject and verb are dropped.
eg. He
is more shy than (he is) unsocial.
Some people think more about their rights than (they do) about their duties.
Some people think more about their rights than (they do) about their duties.
5. In clauses of
comparison introduced by than that ‘should’ is used.
eg. I am
already to do the work myself rather than that you should have to do it.
6.Comparison and
contrast are also expressed by the use of
the...the...with
comparatives.
eg. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll finish.
The more he read, the less he understood.
eg. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll finish.
The more he read, the less he understood.
