What are the degree of comparison in English grammar?

In English grammar, there are three degrees of comparison as following, Positive Degree of Comparison Comparative Degree of Comparison Superlative Degree of Comparison

Give an example of degree of comparison.

Here is an example of degree of comparison. Shipra is tall. (Positive) Shipra is taller than Georgea. (Comparative) Shipra is the tallest of all her friends. (Superlative)

What is the Comparative and superlative degree of 'Good'?

The comparative degree of 'good' is 'better' and the superlative degree of 'good' is 'best'.

Degrees of Comparison, 100 Examples and Exercises Sentences

Q: What do you mean by the degree of comparison?

A degree of comparison is a type of adjective used in English to contrast one thing or person with another that shares the same attribute. It is connected to the sentence's adjective or adverb. The listing of an adjective or adverb's positive, comparative, and superlative forms is what the Collins Dictionary refers to as the "degree of comparison." In other words, it can be claimed that one can compare nouns that have similar properties or attributes using the degree of comparison.

Degree of comparison refers to the different forms of an adjective or adverb that indicate the intensity or relative quality of a person, thing, or action. There are three degrees of comparison: positive, comparative, and superlative. In this article, you will learn the definition of degree of comparison, the all facts about different degrees of comparison, how they can be used and the rules to be followed when using them along with examples.

Degree of Comparison

In Modern English grammar, words used to describe the meaning and give more information about the nouns in a particular sentence or context are known as adjectives. Sometimes, there might be more than one noun that possesses the same quality as another one or sometimes, even better than one or more of the other nouns involved. n other words, To make a comparison between nouns with comparable quality or attributes of similar qualities, we can make use of a degree of comparison.

What is Degrees of Comparison?

In English grammar, degree of comparison is used to compare the attributes or features of distinct people, things, or actions. A degree of comparison is a type of adjective in the English language that is used to compare one person or object with another that has the same quality. It is similar to an adjective or an adverb in a sentence. Positive, comparative, and superlative comparisons are the three levels of comparison.

Degrees of Comparison Definition

The degrees of comparison is a type of adjective used in English to contrast one thing or person with another that shares the same attribute. It is connected to the sentence’s adjective or adverb. The listing of an adjective or adverb’s positive, comparative, and superlative forms is what the Collins Dictionary refers to as the “degree of comparison.” In other words, it can be claimed that one can compare nouns that have similar properties or attributes using the degree of comparison.

Degree of Comparison Examples

Degrees of comparison are used in grammar to show the degree of a quality or characteristic of a person, thing, or idea. The three degrees of comparison are the positive, comparative, and superlative degrees. Here are some examples of each:

Positive degree: The positive degree is the simple form of an adjective or adverb that does not compare one thing to another.

The sun is hot.
She is beautiful.
He sings well.

Comparative degree: The comparative degree is used to compare two things and is formed by adding -er to the end of the adjective or by using “more” before the adverb.

The sun is hotter than the moon.
She is more beautiful than her sister.
He sings better than his friend.

Superlative degree: The superlative degree is used to compare more than two things and is formed by adding -est to the end of the adjective or by using “most” before the adverb.

The sun is the hottest star in the sky.
She is the most beautiful woman in the world.
He sings the best out of all his classmates.

Note that some adjectives and adverbs have irregular comparative and superlative forms. For example:

Good -> Better -> Best
Bad -> Worse -> Worst
Well -> Better -> Best
Far -> Farther/Further -> Farthest/Furthest

Types of Degrees of Comparison

There are three types of degrees of comparison:

Positive degree of comparison.
Comparative degree of comparison.
Superlative degree of comparison.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the different types of degree of comparison mentioned above.

Positive Degree of Comparison

The adjective’s original form is essentially the positive degree of comparison. You cannot draw any comparisons with this degree. It simply informs the audience of a certain characteristic a noun possesses.

Positive Degree Examples

The giraffe is tall.
The dress is pretty.
My friend is happy.
The Sun is bright.

Comparative Degree of Comparison

To compare two nouns that share the same characteristic or the same quality at two separate times, use the comparative degree of comparison. It demonstrates which of the two possesses the referred-to quality to a greater or lesser degree.

Comparative Degree Examples

Tisha looks happier than Kylie.
This couch is more comfortable than the other couch.
Your hair is shorter than hers.
My younger brother is taller than me.

Superlative Degree of Comparison

The highest level of comparison is a superlative comparison. It is used to compare the similar characteristics that more than two nouns have in common. It reveals which of the nouns under comparison possesses the mentioned attribute or qualities to the greatest or least degree.

Superlative Degree Examples

Tisha is the most intelligent student among all the students.
This couch is the most comfortable.
Shivani is the tallest girl in our gang.
My younger brother is the heaviest among all the family members.

Degrees of Comparison Rules

The degrees of comparison include some rules and criteria that you must keep in mind, just like any other grammar element in English. Look at the following.

Degree of comparison are used to compare adjectives and adverbs, which is the first thing you should keep in mind regarding them.
The base form of the adjective or adverb, which allows no comparison, is called the positive degree of comparison.
In order to compare two nouns that share or lack the same features, the comparative degree of comparison is used. The suffix “-er” at the end of the adjective serves as the primary indicator.
After the comparative form of the adjective, “than” is always added to show the comparative degree of comparison.
To demonstrate which noun possesses the most or least amount of a quality or set of attributes, the superlative degree of comparison is utilised. The usage indicates it.

Examples of Degrees of Comparison in English

The following table consists of examples of all three degrees of comparison.

POSITIVE	COMPARATIVE	SUPERLATIVE
She is tall.	She is taller than her brother.	She is the tallest among her family.
Mira is happy.	Mira is happier than her mother.	Mira is the happiest person in the class.
Sumi is beautiful.	Sumi is more beautiful than her sister.	Sumi is the most beautiful girl in her house.
Food is good.	The food here is better than that restaurant.	The food here is the best than other restaurants.
Rina has a big house.	Rina has a bigger house than his father’s.	Rina has the biggest house.

Before you look at some examples, keep in mind that not all adjectives follow the rule to add “-er” and “-est” to make the comparative and superlative degree of comparison. The various types consist of the following:

Type 1: Adding the suffixes “-er” and “-est” to a monosyllabic adjective’s last consonant.
Type 2: Adding the suffixes “-er” and “-est” to monosyllabic adjectives in which the final consonant is followed by a different consonant or by two vowels.
Type 3: Adjectives ending in “e” are given the “-r” and “-st” suffixes in Type 3.

Type 4: Adjectives with a ‘y’ ending are given the suffixes -ier and -iest.

Type 5: Adding “more” and “most” to adjectives with multiple syllables.

Type 6: Adjectives of Type 6 are irregular

Degrees of Comparison 100 Examples with Answer

Here is a list of 100 examples of degree of comparison that you can look upon for a better understanding.

Degrees of Comparison- Type 1

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Big	Bigger	Biggest
Thin	Thinner	Thinnest
Fat	Fatter	Fattest
Dim	Dimmer	Dimmest
Hot	Hotter	Hottest
Sad	Sadder	Saddest
Slim	Slimmer	Slimmest
Red	Redder	Reddest

Degrees of Comparison- Type 2

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Bright	Brighter	Brightest
Short	Shorter	Shortest
Weak	Weaker	Weakest
Long	Longer	Longest
Smart	Smarter	Smartest
Cool	Cooler	Coolest
Dark	Darker	Darkest
Small	Smaller	Smallest
Bold	Bolder	Boldest
Clever	Cleverer	Cleverest
High	Higher	Highest
Tall	Taller	Tallest
Sweet	Sweeter	Sweetest
Deep	Deeper	Deepest
Rich	Richer	Richest
Fast	Faster	Fastest
Thick	Thicker	Thickest
Great	Greater	Greatest
Kind	Kinder	Kindest
Cheap	Cheaper	Cheapest
Young	Younger	Youngest
Fast	Faster	Fastest
Stout	Stouter	Stoutest
Black	Blacker	Blackest
Slow	Slower	Slowest
Tight	Tighter	Tightest
Quick	Quicker	Quickest
Narrow	Narrower	Narrowest
Broad	Broader	Broadest

Degrees of Comparison- Type 3

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Large	Larger	Largest
Close	Closer	Closest
Dense	Denser	Densest
Humble	Humbler	Humblest
Simple	Simpler	Simplest
Fine	Finer	Finest
Noble	Nobler	Noblest
Brave	Braver	Bravest
Pale	Paler	Palest
Nice	Nicer	Nicest

Degrees of Comparison- Type 4

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Funny	Funnier	Funniest
Happy	Happier	Happiest
Dry	Drier	Driest
Lazy	Lazier	Laziest
Easy	Easier	Easiest
Heavy	Heavier	Heaviest
Wealthy	Wealthier	Wealthiest
Healthy	Healthier	Healthiest
Costly	Costlier	Costliest
Busy	Busier	Busiest
Cosy	Cosier	Cosiest
Dirty	Dirtier	Dirtiest

Degrees of Comparison- Type 5

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Comfortable	More comfortable	Most comfortable
Beautiful	More beautiful	Most beautiful
Sensible	More sensible	Most sensible
Ignorant	More ignorant	Most ignorant
Attractive	More attractive	Most attractive
Important	More important	Most important
Courageous	More courageous	Most courageous
Faithful	More faithful	Most faithful
Elegant	More elegant	Most elegant
Active	More active	Most active
Popular	More popular	Most popular
Awesome	More awesome	Most awesome
Loyal	More loyal	Most loyal
Fantastic	More fantastic	Most fantastic
Wonderful	More wonderful	Most wonderful
Splendid	More splendid	Most splendid
Famous	More famous	Most famous
Difficult	More difficult	Most difficult
Careful	More careful	Most careful
Brilliant	More brilliant	Most brilliant
Enthusiastic	More enthusiastic	Most enthusiastic
Suitable	More suitable	Most suitable
Spacious	More spacious	Most spacious
Devoted	More devoted	Most devoted
Proper	More proper	Most proper
Patient	More patient	Most patient
Amazing	More amazing	Most amazing
Intelligent	More intelligent	Most intelligent
Likely	More likely	Most likely
Careless	More careless	Most careless
Threatening	More threatening	Most threatening
Magnificent	More magnificent	Most magnificent
Depressed	More depressed	Most depressed
Excited	More excited	Most excited
Amusing	More amusing	Most amusing

Degrees of Comparison- Type 6

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Good	Better	Best
Bad	Worse	Worst
Far	Further/Farther	Furthest/Farthest
Late	Later(time)/Latter(position)	Latest(time)/Last(position)
Much	More	Most
Little	Less	Least
Many	More	Most
Old	Elder/Older	EldestOldest