In English grammar the degree of comparison of an adjective or adverb describes the relational value of one thing with something in another clause of a sentence. An adjective may simply describe a quality, (the positive); it may compare the quality with that of another of its kind (comparative degree); and it may compare the quality with many or all others (superlative degree).[1][2] In other languages it may describe a very large degree of a particular quality (in Semitic linguistics, called an elative).
The degree of comparison may be expressed morphologically, or syntactically. In English, for example, most monosyllabic and some disyllabic adjectives have morphological degrees of comparison: green (positive), greener (comparative), greenest (superlative); pretty, prettier, prettiest; while most polysyllabic adjectives use syntax: complex, more complex, most complex.
- The positive degree is the most basic form of the adjective, positive because it does not relate to any superior or inferior qualities of other things in speech.
- The comparative degree denotes a greater amount of a quality relative to something else. The phrase “Anna is taller than her father” means that Anna's degree of tallness is greater than her father's degree of tallness.
- The superlative degree denotes the most, the largest, etc., by which it differs from other things.
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.
The third one in the Degrees of Comparison is...
3.Superlative degree:
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 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 other students in this class. (Comparative)
No other student is as tall as this student. (Positive)
Both these sentences convey the same meaning.
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