Comparison of Adjectives

Comparison of Adjectives

Most Adjectives of Quality, and four Adjectives of Number and Quantity (much, little, many, few) have degrees of comparison.

There are three degrees of comparison:-

1. Positive degree :

        It is the simplest form of the adjective (tall, beautiful, good, etc.)

2. Comparative degree :

        It is a form used when a comparison is made between two persons or things (taller, more beautiful, best, etc.)

3. Superlative degree :

        It is a form used when more than two things, or sets of things, are compared. (tallest, most beautiful, best, etc.)

Rules of Comparison:

1. Adjectives of one syllable are compared by adding er and est in the Competitive and Superlative degrees respectively. (tall - taller, tallest; black - blacker, blackest.)

Exceptions:-

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  • (i) When the Positive ends in e, the 'e’ of 'er' and 'est' is dropped: wise - wiser, wisest; pale - paler, palest.
  • (ii) When the Positive ends in y preceded by a consonant, y is changed into ‘i’ before er and est: dry - drier, driest. (But when a vowel precedes y, it is not changed: gay - gayer, gayest.)
  • (iii) If the positive ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, the consonant is doubled: red - redder, reddest. (But if it ends in two consonants, or has two vowels before the final consonant, the letter is not doubled: thick - thicker, thickest; weak - weaker, weakest.)

2. Adjectives of more than two syllables and most Adjectives of two syllables are compared by adding more and most, or less and least. (beautiful - more or less beautiful, most or least beautiful; active - more or less active, most or least active.)

3. All adjectives of two syllables ending in le, y, er and ow are generally compared as adjectives of one syllable.

4. Irregular Comparison :-

5. Words not adjectives in the positive degree, but used as such in the comparative and the superlative :-

6. Adjectives without a Competitive form :-

7. Adjectives expressing shape or material or time or the highest or lowest degree of some quality cannot be compared:

• Round,  square,  earthen,  golden,  daily,  annual,  perfect,  extreme,  eternal,  chief,  Almighty,  infinite,  complete,  supreme,  unique,  universal,  dead,  empty, etc.

8. Comparatives are followed by ‘than’, but the Comparatives (originally Latin) inferior, junior, prior, senior, superior are followed by 'to’, not by 'than’:

• Ratan is taller than Ritu. He is weaker than me.
• He is inferior to you in strength. You are junior to him in service. He is superior to you in every respect. He is senior to you in service.

9. When objects of the same class are compared by means of a comparative (একই জাতীয় জিনিসের মধ্যে তুলনা বুঝাইতে), their separation or exclusion should be distinctly shown by the use of any other, all other or no other.

• He is better than any other boy in the class. (Comparative degree)
• No other boy in the class is as good as he. (Positive degree)

10. Comparatives followed neither by than nor by to: former, latter, hinder, upper, inner, outer, elder, utter, etc. These are followed by ‘of’ when selection is implied.

• He got the upper hand. I am a member of the upper of the two chambers. He is a former teacher of this school. I want the former of the two.

11. Superlatives are generally preceded by the and followed by of, except when they are qualified by possessive pronoun or when they qualify the vocative case.

• He is the wisest of the brothers. He is my dearest friend. Dearest son, come here at once.

12. The Absolute Superlative, or Superlative of Eminence - The Superlative, often with a most, is sometimes used to express a very great degree of a quality, with no idea of comparison (কোন গুণের আধিক্য বুঝাইতে, তুলনা বুঝাইতে নয় - অনেক সময় ‘most’ ব্যবহৃত হয়)।

• It is a most interesting book. He is a most wicked man. He received me in the politest way.

13. Double Comparatives or Double Superlatives should not be used:

• I am happier than he. (not, more happier)
• He is the noblest of all. (not, the most noblest)

14. Adjectives of different degrees cannot be joined by 'and’:

• He is the strongest and very tall boy in the class. (Incorrect)
• He is the strongest and tallest boy in the class. (Correct)
• This town is more populous and very prosperous. (Incorrect)
• This town is more populous and more prosperous. (Correct)
• This town is very populous and very prosperous. (Correct)

Interchange of Degrees :

Superlative Degree    : She is the best girl in the class.

Comparative Degree : She is better than any other girl in the class.

Positive Degree          : No other girl in the class is as good as she.

Change the following sentences into Comparative degree:

1. Calcutta is the biggest city in India.

Ans: Calcutta is bigger than any other city in India.

2. Atul is the most intelligent boy in the class.

Ans: Atul is more intelligent than any other boy in the class.

3. Paulomi is the best debator in the group.

Ans: Paulomi is better than any other debater in the group.

4. Reetu is the tallest girl in the class.

Ans: Reetu is taller than any other girl in the class.

5. Mumbai is the busiest city in India.

Ans: Mumbai is busier than any other city in India.

6. Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world.

Ans: Mount Everest is higher than any other peak in the world.

7. He is the best boy in the class.

Ans: He is better than any other boy in the class.

8. Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

Ans: Everest is higher than any other mountain in the world.

9. Iron is the most useful metal.

Ans: Iron is more useful than any other metal.

10. London is the richest city in the world.

Ans: London is richer than any other city in the world.

11. The Ganga is the longest river in India.

Ans: The Ganga is longer than any other river in India.

12. The dog is the most faithful animal.

Ans: The dog is more faithful than any other animals.

13. She is the most beautiful girl in our village.

Ans: She is more beautiful than any other girl in our village.

14. The Brahmaputra is the biggest river in Assam.

Ans: The Brahmaputra is bigger than any other river in Assam.

15. Silver is not as valuable as gold.

Ans: Gold is more valuable than silver.

Change the following sentences into Positive degree:

1. He is the most intelligent boy in the class.

Ans: No other boy in the class is as intelligent as he.

2. He is the best cricketer in the team.

Ans: No other cricketer in the team is as good as he.

3. West Bengal is the largest state in India.

Ans: No other state in India is as large as West Bengal.

4. Robin is the best boy in the class.

Ans: No other boy in the class is as good as Robin.

5. The Barak is the largest river in Barak Valley.

Ans: No other river in Barak Valley is as large as the Barak.

6. Asia is the largest continent in the world.

Ans: No other continent in the world is as large as Asia.

7. Shakespeare is the greatest dramatist of England.

Ans: No other dramatist in England is as great as Shakespeare.

8. Gold is one of the most precious metal.

Ans: Gold is a precious metal.

9. Gold is the brightest of all metals.

Ans: No other metal is as bright as gold.

10. Om is taller than Agni.

Ans: Agni is not as tall as Om.

11. Ruma is the most intelligent girl in our class.

Ans: No other girl in the class is as intelligent as Ruma.

12. Elephant is the strongest animal.

Ans: No other animals is as strong as elephant.

13. He is the fittest candidate for the post.

Ans: No other candidate for the post is as fit as he.

14. Truth is stranger than fiction.

Ans: Fiction is not so strange as truth.

15. A lion is not braver than he.

Ans: He is as brave as a lion.

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