Comparison of Adjectives in English with Examples

Detailed Definitions:

Adjectives: Words that describe or modify nouns or pronouns, providing additional information about an object’s size, shape, age, color, origin, or material.

Comparison of Adjectives: The process of describing the degree of quality of a noun using three different forms: positive, comparative, and superlative.

  1. Positive Degree: Describes a quality without making any comparison. It is the base form of the adjective.
    Example: “tall”, “happy”, “fast”.
  2. Comparative Degree: Compares two nouns, indicating that one possesses a greater or lesser degree of a quality than the other. Generally formed by adding “-er” to the adjective or using “more” or “less” before the adjective.
    Example: “taller”, “happier”, “more beautiful”.
  3. Superlative Degree: Compares more than two nouns, indicating that one has the highest or lowest degree of the quality among them. Generally formed by adding “-est” to the adjective or using “most” or “least” before the adjective.
    Example: “tallest”, “happiest”, “most beautiful”.

Simple Examples of Degree

Positive Comparative Superlative
tall taller tallest
happy happier happiest
fast faster fastest
beautiful more beautiful most beautiful
intelligent more intelligent most intelligent

List of Comparison Adjectives

Positive Comparative Superlative
big bigger biggest
small smaller smallest
good better best
bad worse worst
easy easier easiest
difficult more difficult most difficult
interesting more interesting most interesting
lazy lazier laziest
strong stronger strongest
weak weaker weakest

Adjectives play a critical role in enriching the language by allowing us to convey more precise meanings and descriptions. When it comes to comparing qualities, adjectives transform to show varying degrees of those qualities. This transformation helps in making distinctions between objects, people, or situations in terms of attributes such as size, beauty, intelligence, etc.

Understanding the Degrees of Comparison:

  1. Positive Degree: The starting point for comparison. It simply describes the attribute without any modification. For instance, in the sentence, “The sky is clear,” the adjective “clear” gives information about the sky without comparing it to anything else.
  2. Comparative Degree: This form is used when comparing two entities. It often involves adding “-er” to short adjectives or using “more” or “less” with longer adjectives. For example, “John is taller than Mike.” Here, “taller” compares John’s height directly with Mike’s.
  3. Superlative Degree: Used to compare three or more entities, indicating the extreme degree of a quality. This is typically formed by adding “-est” to short adjectives or using “most” or “least” with longer adjectives. For example, “She is the fastest runner in the team.” The word “fastest” shows that no one in the team runs faster than she does.

See More “Types of Adjectives”

By mastering the use of comparative and superlative forms, you can make your communication more effective and nuanced. Whether you are praising someone, giving a review, or simply making observations, the correct use of these forms adds clarity and precision to your statements.

Simple Sentences Using Comparison Adjectives

Positive Comparative Superlative
The book is big. This book is bigger than that one. This is the biggest book in the library.
The mouse is small. This mouse is smaller than the other one. This is the smallest mouse I’ve ever seen.
She is a good student. She is a better student than her brother. She is the best student in the class.
This movie is bad. This movie is worse than the one we saw yesterday. This is the worst movie I’ve ever watched.
This puzzle is easy. This puzzle is easier than that one. This is the easiest puzzle of all.
The task is difficult. This task is more difficult than the previous one. This is the most difficult task I’ve faced.
The story is interesting. This story is more interesting than the last one. This is the most interesting story I’ve heard.
He is lazy. He is lazier than his brother. He is the laziest person in the family.
She is strong. She is stronger than her sister. She is the strongest girl in her class.
The kitten is weak. This kitten is weaker than the others. This is the weakest kitten in the litter.

Additional Examples for Better Understanding of Comparison Adjectives

  1. Positive Degree: “The car is fast.”
    • Comparative: “This car is faster than that one.”
    • Superlative: “This is the fastest car in the race.”
  2. Positive Degree: “The soup is hot.”
    • Comparative: “This soup is hotter than the one I made yesterday.”
    • Superlative: “This is the hottest soup I’ve ever tasted.”
  3. Positive Degree: “The flower is beautiful.”
    • Comparative: “This flower is more beautiful than the one in my garden.”
    • Superlative: “This is the most beautiful flower in the park.”
  4. Positive Degree: “The exam was easy.”
    • Comparative: “This exam was easier than last year’s.”
    • Superlative: “This was the easiest exam I’ve ever taken.”
  5. Positive Degree: “The building is tall.”
    • Comparative: “This building is taller than the one next to it.”
    • Superlative: “This is the tallest building in the city.”

Using these sentences, one can clearly see how adjectives change form to show different degrees of comparison, making communication more precise and descriptive.

FAQs on Comparison of Adjectives

Q1: What is a comparative adjective? A: A comparative adjective is used to compare differences between the two objects it modifies (larger, smaller, faster, higher). It is typically formed by adding “-er” to the end of the adjective or by preceding the adjective with “more” or “less.”

Q2: How do you form a superlative adjective? A: A superlative adjective is used to describe an object that is at the upper or lower limit of a quality (the tallest, the smallest, the fastest, the highest). It is generally formed by adding “-est” to the end of the adjective or by preceding the adjective with “most” or “least.”

Q3: Can all adjectives be compared? A: Most adjectives can be compared, but there are some that do not have comparative and superlative forms, especially absolute adjectives like “unique” or “perfect,” as something cannot be “more unique” or “most perfect.”

Q4: When should I use “more” or “most” instead of adding “-er” or “-est”? A: Use “more” and “most” with adjectives that are two syllables or longer, particularly those that do not end in “y” (e.g., “more beautiful,” “most interesting”). For one-syllable adjectives and those ending in “y,” typically add “-er” or “-est” (e.g., “happier,” “happiest”).

Q5: Are there irregular comparative and superlative forms? A: Yes, some adjectives have irregular forms. For example, “good” becomes “better” in the comparative and “best” in the superlative. Similarly, “bad” becomes “worse” and “worst.”

Q6: Can comparative adjectives be used with “than”? A: Yes, comparative adjectives are often used with “than” to show the comparison between two entities. For example, “She is taller than her brother.”

Q7: What is the role of context in choosing between comparative and superlative forms? A: Context determines whether you are comparing two items (use comparative) or more than two items (use superlative). For example, “Of the two, she is taller” uses the comparative, whereas “She is the tallest in the class” uses the superlative.

Q8: Can we use “less” and “least” for making comparisons? A: Yes, “less” and “least” are used to indicate a lower degree of the quality. For example, “She is less confident than her sister” (comparative) and “This is the least expensive option” (superlative).

Q9: How do we compare adjectives that describe absolute qualities? A: Adjectives describing absolute qualities, like “perfect,” “unique,” or “complete,” typically do not have comparative or superlative forms because the qualities they describe cannot vary in degree.

Q10: Are double comparisons acceptable in standard English? A: No, double comparisons such as “more better” or “most fastest” are incorrect in standard English. You should use either the comparative form (better) or the superlative form (fastest), not both.

Q11: Can comparative and superlative forms be used in creative writing? A: Absolutely. Using comparative and superlative adjectives can add depth and clarity to descriptions in creative writing, helping to convey precise comparisons and extremes.

Q12: How do I know when to use “more” and “most” with adjectives of two syllables? A: For two-syllable adjectives, especially those not ending in “y,” use “more” and “most.” For example, “more careful,” “most careful.” Adjectives ending in “y” generally take “-er” and “-est” (e.g., “happier,” “happiest”).

Q13: Can superlative adjectives be used with prepositions? A: Yes, superlative adjectives can be used with prepositions to show the context of comparison. For example, “She is the smartest in the group” or “This is the most beautiful painting of all.”

Q14: Are there any exceptions to forming comparatives and superlatives? A: Some adjectives have irregular forms, and a few do not have comparative or superlative forms due to their absolute nature. It’s important to learn these exceptions to use them correctly.

Q15: Can comparative and superlative forms be used in formal writing? A: Yes, comparative and superlative forms are commonly used in both formal and informal writing to express different degrees of comparison and are essential for clear and precise communication.

 

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