Understanding the Degrees of Comparison

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.

Have you ever noticed that instead of saying something is “more big” or “most big”, we say it’s “bigger” or “biggest”. Why do we do it that way? Well, those endings are part of how English grammar works when we want to say one thing is larger than another. We add -er or -est instead of using more or most because that’s the rule for making comparisons in our language. But this doesn’t apply to every word. The answer has to do with how we compare things in English grammar. Pretty interesting, right? This post will teach you all about Degrees of Comparison.

What are Degrees of Comparison?

Definition and Explanation

Degrees of comparison are different forms of describing words and action words that show how much or how little of a quality something has. They let us compare one thing to another or show which has the most or least amount of a quality.

Types of Degrees: Positive, Comparative, Superlative

There are three ways of comparing:

Positive degree: This is the basic form of the describing or action word without comparing it to anything else. For example, “tall,” “quickly.”
Comparative degree:: This form compares two things, showing which has more or less of a quality. For example, “taller,” “more quickly.”
Superlative degree: This form identifies which thing has the most or least amount of a quality when comparing three or more things. For example, “tallest,” “most quickly.”

Forming Comparative and Superlative Degrees

Regular Adjectives

For most one-syllable adjectives and some two-syllable ones, we make the more form by adding “-er” and the most form by adding “-est” to the basic form.

Positive: tall
Comparative: taller
Superlative: tallest

Irregular Adjectives

Some common adjectives have different more and most forms that don’t follow the “-er” and “-est” pattern. These special forms need to be memorized.

Positive: good
Comparative: better
Superlative: best

Adverbs

Adverbs follow the same rules as describing words for making the more and most forms. For one-syllable adverbs and some two-syllable ones, we add “-er” for more and “-est” for most.

Positive: quickly
Comparative: more quickly
Superlative: most quickly

Using Degrees of Comparison in Sentences

Making Comparisons

The comparative degree is used to compare two things or people.

This apple is sweeter than that one.
My little brother is taller than he was last year.
John runs faster than Michael.

Showing Superiority and Inferiority

The superlative degree shows which thing or person has the most or least amount of a quality when comparing three or more.

Kevin drew the tallest tree in art class today.
Our class pet turtle is the slowest animal.
Grandma bakes the best cookies for birthdays.
After examining their students’ test scores, the teacher determined that Lucy had studied the most thoroughly.
During the travel soccer tournament, our team played the worst in the morning game but improved the most by the final match.
.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Double Comparatives and Superlatives

Avoid using two comparative or superlative words together because it is unnecessary and wrong.

Incorrect: This is the most highest mountain.
Correct: This is the highest mountain.

Wrong Comparisons

Make sure you are comparing things that make logical sense to compare.

Incorrect: The lion is faster than the apple.
Correct: The lion is faster than the cheetah.

Practice Exercises and Examples

To really understand ways of comparing, try these exercises:

Form the more and most forms of these describing words: large, happy, intelligent, beautiful.
Complete these sentences with the right comparing form:

Sarah is ______ (tall) than her sister.
Mount Everest is ______ (high) mountain in the world.
John runs ______ (quickly) than his friends.

3. Identify the mistakes in these sentences and fix them:

This is the most beautifulest painting I’ve ever seen.
The elephant is smarter than the table.

Get our Grammar Reference Guide to learn more about English grammar.

Importance of Mastering Degrees of Comparison

Learning the ways of comparing is very important for communicating well and writing clearly. Here are five key reasons:

Precision: Using the right comparing form makes your meaning clear without confusion.

Comparison: It lets you effectively compare and contrast ideas, objects, or people which is important for persuasive and descriptive writing.

Emphasis: The most form can emphasize something exceptional, adding impact.

Variety: Using different comparing forms adds interest to your writing and prevents boredom.

Credibility: Doing it correctly shows you understand grammar, making you seem credible as a writer.

Conclusion

The degrees of comparison are a fundamental part of English grammar that help us express and understand differences in qualities, amounts, and strengths. Mastering the positive, more, and most forms allows you to communicate more effectively and add depth and precision to your writing. Be sure to use the right forms, avoid mistakes, and practice to feel confident comparing in your writing.

FAQS: Degrees Of Comparison

Q: What are the 3 different kinds of degrees of comparison?

A: The 3 types of degrees of comparison are positive, comparative, and superlative.