Degrees Of Comparison

Degrees of Comparison are used when we compare one person or one thing with another .

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 .

Mentioned above each sentence talks about only one noun .

The second one in the Degrees of Comparison is ...

2.Comparative degree .

When we compare two persons or two of 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 the 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 .

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 )

The term " tallest" is superlative version of the term "tall " .