Brihanmumbai Mahanagarpalika’s

Bhavani Shankar Road Junior College of Science

(Managed & Run by Vidyalankar Educational Services)

Name:________________________________ Roll No.: _____________

Degrees of comparison
Adjective is a word and it qualifies a noun. It gives more information about the noun.
Degrees of comparison refers to adjectives being written in different forms to compare one, two or
more nouns which are words describing persons, places and things.

English adjectives and adverbs recognize three degrees – the positive, the comparative and the
superlative.

 The positive is the form of the adjective that describes one noun. The Positive degree denotes
the mere existence of quality. The positive is the base form of the adjective or adverb. It is
used when no comparison is made.
eg. David is a rich man.
 The comparative form of the adjective compares two nouns. The Comparative degree is used
to compare two persons or things having the same quality. The Comparative Degree denotes
the existence of a higher degree of the quality than the positive. The comparative forms are
made by adding -er or more to the positive.
eg. Cancer is more dreadful than cholera.
 The superlative form of the adjective compares more than two nouns. The Superlative degree
is used when more than two persons or things are compared. The superlative forms are made
by adding -est or most to the positive. The Superlative Degree denotes the existence of the
highest degree of the quality.
eg. Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world.

By adding ‘er’ and ‘est’

Bright brighter Brightest
Black blacker Blackest
bold bolder Boldest
clever cleverer Cleverest
cold colder coldest
By adding ‘r’ and ‘st’
Brave braver Bravest
Fine finer Finest
large larger Largest
Nice nicer Nicest
noble nobler Noblest
By deleting the final ‘y’ and adding ‘ier’ and ‘iest’
Costly costlier Costliest
Dry drier driest
easy easier Easiest
Happy happier Happiest
heavy heavier Heaviest
By using more and most
Active More active Most active
Attractive More attractive Most attractive
Beautiful More beautiful Most beautiful
Brilliant More brilliant Most brilliant
Careful More careful Most careful
 Irregular Comparisons
Bad, evil, ill worse Worst
Good, well Better best
Far Farther farthest
Late later latest
Little less Least
Much, many more most
old elder eldest

Few examples are given below

 Very few countries in the world are as large as China. (Positive)

 China is larger than most other countries in the world. (Comparative)
 China is one of the largest countries in the world. (Superlative)

 No other man was as strong as Hercules. (Positive)

 Hercules was stronger than any other man. (Comparative)
 Hercules was the strongest man in the world. (Superlative)

 No other boy in the class is as intelligent as James. (Positive)

 James is more intelligent than any other boy in the class. (Comparative)
 James is the most intelligent boy in the class. (Superlative)

 Very few Indian saints were as popular as Vivekananda. (Positive)

 Vivekananda was more popular than most other Indian saints. (Comparative)
 Vivekananda was one of the most popular Indian saints. (Superlative)

 Maria is not as intelligent as Sonia. (Positive)

 Sonia is more intelligent than Maria. (Comparative)

Complete the following sentences using the correct degree of the adjective given in the
brackets.

1. My brother’s handwriting is …………………….. (bad) mine.

2. Health is …………………….. wealth. (important)

3. Blood is …………………… water. (thick)

4. Everest is …………………….. peak in the world. (high)

5. This is ……………………. play I have ever heard on the radio. (interesting)

6. Susie is …………………………. of all the four sisters. (beautiful)

7. The planet Mars is ……………………. from the earth than the satellite Moon. (far)

8. The elephant is ………………….. animal in the world. (large)

9. An ocean is certainly ……………………… a sea. (big)

10. I am …………………… in cricket than in football. (interested)

11. How is your father today? Is he any……………………………? (good)

12. The climate of Chennai is …………………………………… than the climate of Bangalore. (hot)

13. She is ……………………………………….. than her sister. (pretty)

14. Jane is the ……………………………………….. student in the class.(bright)

15. He is the ………………………………………… man in the town.(rich)

16. James is two years ………………………………………. than me. (old)

17. Annie is the ………………………………………. friend I have. (good)

18. Mount Everest is the ……………………………………… peak of the Himalayas. (high)

19. He is the ………………………………………… of the two.(tall)

20. The pen is ……………………………than the sword. (might)

Rewrite the following sentences as directed.

1. Kochi is the best port in Kerala. (Use ‘better’ instead of ‘best’.)

2. Mount Everest is higher than any other peak in the world. (Use ‘highest’ instead of ‘higher’.)

3. Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world. (Use ‘high’ instead of ‘highest’.)

4. The Nile is longer than the Amazon. (Use ‘long’ instead of ‘longer’.)

5. Greenland is the largest island. (Use ‘large’ instead of ‘largest’.)

6. Oranges are cheaper than apples. (Use ‘cheap’ instead of ‘cheaper’.)

7. James is not as intelligent as Mark. (Use ‘more intelligent’ instead of ‘intelligent’.)

8. I don’t eat as much chocolate as you do. (Use ‘more’ instead of ‘much’.)

9. She is the richest woman in the country. (Use ‘rich’ instead of ‘richest’.)

10. Africa is hotter than any other continent. (Use ‘hottest’ instead of ‘hotter’.)

Rewrite the sentences given below using different degrees of comparison.

1. Shakespeare is the most famous of all writers in English.

2. Iron is more useful than any other metal.

3. I earn as much money as Ram.

4. China is larger than India.

5. Greenland is the largest island in the world.

6. Air is lighter than water.

7. I am taller than my brother.

8. Shyam is the strongest boy in the class.

Change the degree of comparison without changing the meaning.

1. Malacca is the oldest town in Malaysia.

2. Peter is cleverer than any other boy in the class.
3. Jupiter is the biggest of all planets.
4. Very few boys are as industrious as John.
5. India is the largest democracy in the world.
6. Shakespeare was greater than any other playwright.
7. Asoka was one of the greatest Indian kings.
8. Greenland is the largest island in the world.
9. Lead is heavier than any other metal.
10. Very few animals are as useful as the cow.

Change the degree of comparison without changing the meaning.

1. Lead is heavier than any other metal.

2. Susie is the tallest girl in the class.

3. Gold is more precious than silver.

4. Bombay is one of the biggest cities in India.

5. Wordsworth is the greatest of all English poets.

6. India is the largest democracy in the world.

7. The tiger is the most ferocious of all animals.

8. Asia is the largest continent in the world.

Change the degrees of comparison without changing the meaning of the sentence.

1. Iron is more useful than any other metal.

2. Platinum is the most precious metal.

3. The giraffe is taller than any other animal.

4. This box is not as heavy as that box.

5. Maria is prettier than Alice.

6. Shyam is the most intelligent boy in the class.

7. Tokyo is the most populous city in the world.

8. Mr. Yadav is the oldest member of the club.

9. Few playwrights write as interestingly as Bernard Shaw.

10. Mumbai is one of the richest cities in India.

Answers

1. My brother’s handwriting is worse than mine.

2. Health is more important than wealth.

3. Blood is thicker than water.

4. Everest is the highest peak in the world.

5. This is the most interesting play that I have ever heard on the radio.

6. Susie is the most beautiful of all the four sisters.

7. The planet Mars is farther from the earth than the satellite moon.

8. The elephant is the largest animal in the world.

9. An ocean is certainly bigger than a sea.

10. I am more interested in cricket than in football.

11. Is he any better?

12. The climate of Chennai is hotter than the climate of Bangalore.

13. She is prettier than her sister.

14. Jane is the brightest student in the class.

15. He is the richest man in the town.

16. James is two years older than me.

17. Annie is the best friend I have.

18. Mount Everest is the highest peak of the Himalayas.

19. He is the taller of the two.

20. The pen is mightier than the sword.

Answers

1. Kochi is better than any other port in Kerala.

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

3. No other peak in the world is as high as Mount Everest.

4. The Amazon is not so long as the Nile.

5. No other island is as large as Greenland.

6. Apples are not as cheap as oranges.

7. Mark is more intelligent than James.

8. You eat more chocolate than I do.

9. No other woman in the country is as rich as her.

10. Africa is the hottest continent in the world.

Answers

1. No other writer in English is as famous as Shakespeare. / Shakespeare is greater than any other writer in
English.

2. No other metal is as useful as iron. / Iron is the most useful of all metals.

3. Ram does not earn more money than I do.

4. India is not as large as China.

5. Greenland is larger than any other island in the world. / No other island in the world is as large as Greenland.

6. Water is not as light as air.

7. My brother is not as tall as I am.

8. Shyam is stronger than any other boy in the class. / No other boy in the class is as strong as Shyam.

Answers

1. No other town in Malaysia is as old as Malacca. (Positive)

Malacca is older than any other town in Malaysia. (Comparative)

2. No other boy in the class is as clever as Peter. (Positive)

Peter is the cleverest boy in the class. (Superlative)

3. Jupiter is bigger than any other planet. (Comparative)

No other planet is as big as Jupiter. (Positive)

4. John is more industrious than most other boys. (Comparative)

John is one of the most industrious boys. (Superlative)

5. India is larger than any other democracy in the world. (Comparative)

No other democracy in the world is as large as India. (Positive)

6. No other playwright is as great as Shakespeare. (Positive)

Shakespeare is the greatest of all playwrights. (Superlative)

7. Very few Indian kings were as great as Asoka. (Positive)

Asoka was greater than most other Indian kings. (Comparative)
8. No other island in the world is as large as Greenland. (Positive)
Greenland is larger than any other island in the world. (Comparative)

9. No other metal is as heavy as lead. (Positive)

Lead is the heaviest of all metals. (Superlative)

10. The cow is more useful than most other animals. (Comparative)
The cow is one of the most useful animals. (Superlative)

Answers

1. No other metal is as heavy as lead. / Lead is the heaviest of all metals.

2. No other girl in the class is as tall as Susie. / Susie is taller than any other girl in the class.

3. Silver is not as precious as gold.

4. Few Indian cities are as big as Bombay. / Bombay is bigger than most other Indian cities.

5. Wordsworth is greater than any other English poet. / No other English poet is as great as Wordsworth.

6. No other democracy in the world is as large as India. / India is larger than any other democracy in the world.

7. No other animal is as ferocious as the tiger. / The tiger is more ferocious than any other animal.

8. No other continent is as large as Asia. / Asia is larger than any other continent in the world.

Answers

1. Iron is the most useful metal. (Superlative) / No other metal is as useful as iron. (Positive)

2. Platinum is more precious than any other metal. (Comparative) / No other metal is as precious as
platinum. (Positive)

3. The giraffe is the tallest animal. (Superlative) / No other animal is as tall as giraffe. (Positive)

4. That box is heavier than this box. (Comparative)

5. Alice is not as pretty as Maria. (Positive)

6. Shyam is more intelligent than any other boy in the class. (Comparative) / No other boy in the class is as
intelligent as Shyam. (Positive)

7. Tokyo is more populous than any other city in the world. (Comparative) / No other city is as populous as
Tokyo. (Positive)

8. Mr. Yadav is older than any other member of the club. (Comparative) / No other member of the club is as
old as Mr. Yadav. (Positive)

9. Bernard Shaw writes more interestingly than most other playwrights. (Comparative - We use the
expression most other in this sentence because the word few was used in the comparison with the positive
adjective.)

10. Few cities in India are as rich as Mumbai. (Positive) / Mumbai is richer than most other cities in India.