DEGREES OF COMPARISON

There are three kinds of degrees: -

(1) Positive Degree: It represents simple form of adjective and no comparison is made; as: -

a_Dildar Khan was a bulky Pathan.

b_With old people, he was as considerate as a son.

c_I am proud of this great inheritance.

(2) Comparative Degree: It represents comparative form of adjective and two persons or things are compared in it; as: -

a_Amir Ali was braver than Dildar Khan.

b_My house is bigger than yours.

c_Helen Keller became more famous than her teacher.

(3) Superlative Degree: More than two persons or things are compared in it in respect of a particular trait or topic; as: -

a_The peasant became the most prosperous among his neighbours.

b_Hellen Keller was the most promising child in the family.

c_Padishah was the funniest man on board the ship.

FORMATION OF DEGREES OF COMPARISON

A_  Type I: When an Adjective ends in two consonants preceded with a vowel, affix ‘er’ to it to make a comparative degree and ‘est’ to make a superlative degree.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Fast	faster	fastest
Thick	thicker	thickest
Dark	darker	darkest
Hard	harder	hardest
Soft	softer	softest
Long	longer	longest
Slow	slower	slowest
Tall	taller	tallest
Small	smaller	smallest
Quick	quicker	quickest
Near	nearer	nearest
Loud	louder	loudest
Deep	deeper	deepest
Sweet	sweeter	sweetest
Great	greater	greatest
Cheap	cheaper	cheapest
Poor	poorer	poorest
Weak	weaker	weakest
High	higher	highest

B_   Type II: When an adjective ends in ‘e’, affix ‘r’ to it to make a comparative degree and ‘st’ to make a superlative degree.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Fine	finer	finest
Nice	nicer	nicest
Handsome	handsomer	handsomest
True	truer	truest
Wise	wiser	wisest
Able	abler	ablest
Rude	ruder	rudest
White	whiter	whitest
Large	larger	largest

C_  Type III: When an adjective ends in ‘y’, replace ‘y’ with ‘i’ and then affix ‘er’ to it to make a comparative degree and ‘est’ to make a superlative degree.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Heavy	heavier	heaviest
Funny	funnier	funniest
Busy	busier	Busiest
Easy	easier	Easiest
Dry	drier	Driest
Lovely	lovelier	Loveliest
Pretty	prettier	Prettiest
Naughty	naughtier	naughtiest
Lofty	loftier	Loftiest
Wealthy	wealthier	wealthiest
Healthy	healthier	healthiest
Steady	steadier	steadiest

D_  Type IV: When an adjective ends in ‘y’ and preceded with a vowel, ‘y’ is not replaced with ‘i’, and affix ‘er’ to it to make a comparative degree and ‘est’ to make a superlative degree.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Grey	greyer	Greyest
Gay	gayer	Gayest

E_   Type V: When an adjective ends in a consonant and preceded with a vowel, make the said consonant double and then affix ‘er’ to it to make a comparative degree and ‘est’ to make a superlative degree.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Red	redder	Reddest
Wet	wetter	Wettest
Fat	fatter	Fattest
Sad	sadder	Saddest
Fit	fitter	Fittest
Hot	hotter	Hottest
Thin	thinner	Thinnest

F_ Type VI: When there are two or more words in an adjective, place ‘more’ before positive degree to make a comparative degree and ‘most’ to make a superlative degree.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Beautiful	more beautiful	most beautiful
Careful	more careful	most careful
Delightful	more delightful	most delightful
Hopeful	more hopeful	most hopeful
Fearful	more fearful	most fearful
Honest	more honest	most honest
Virtuous	more virtuous	most virtuous
Diligent	more diligent	most diligent
Industrious	more industrious	most industrious
Splendid	more splendid	most splendid
Magnificent	more magnificent	most magnificent
Difficult	more difficult	most difficult

G_  Type VII: In certain cases of adjective, there is no definite rule to make a comparative degree and a superlative degree.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Good, Well	better	best
Bad, Evil, ill	worse	worst
Little	less, lesser	least
Much, Many	more	most
Late	later	latest
Old	older	oldest

H_  Type VIII: There are some words which are adverbs in positive degree but act as adjectives in comprarative degree and superlative degree.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
In	inner	inmost, innermost
Out	outer, utter	outermost, utmost
Up	upper	uppermost, upmost
Far	farther	farthest
Fore	further	furthest