Degrees of Comparison

The Superlative Degree of an Adjective denotes the highest degree of the quality, and is used when more than two things (or sets of things) are compared; as,

This boy is the strongest in the class.

Note-1: There is another way in which we can compare things. Instead of saying 'Rama is stronger than Balu, we can say 'Balu is less strong than Rama. Instead of saying 'Hari is the laziest boy in the class, we can say 'Hari is the least industrious boy in the class.

Note-2: The Superlative with most is sometimes used where there is no idea of comparison, but merely a desire to indicate the possession of a quality in a very high degree; as,

This is most unfortunate.

It was a most eloquent speech. 

Truly, a most ingenious device!

This usage has been called the Superlative of Eminence, or the Absolute Superlative.

FORMATION OF COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE

Most Adjectives of one syllable, and some of more than one, form the Comparative by adding er and the Superlative by adding est to the Positive.

When the Positive ends in e, only r and st are added.

When the Positive is a word of one syllable and ends in a single consonant, preceded by a short vowel, this consonant is doubled before adding er and est.

Adjectives of more than two syllables form the Comparative and Superlative by putting more and most before the Positive.

Two-syllable adjectives ending in ful (eg. Useful), less (e.g. hopeless), ing (e.g. boring) and ed (e.g.. surprised) and many others (e.g. modern, recent, foolish, famous, certain) take more and most.

The following take either er and est or more and most.:

She is politer / more polite than her sister.

He is the politest / most polite of them.

The Comparative in er is not used when we compare two qualities in the same person or thing. If we wish to say that the courage of Ravi is greater than the courage of Suresh, we say,

Ravi is braver than Suresh. 

But if we wish to say that the courage of Ravi is greater than his prudence, we must say,

Ravi is more brave than prudent.

When two objects are compared with each other, the latter term of comparison must exclude the former; as,

Iron is more useful than any other metal.

If we say,

Iron is more useful than any metal

that is the same thing as saying 'Iron is more useful than iron' since iron is itself a metal.

IRREGULAR COMPARISON

The following Adjectives are compared irregularly, that is, their Comparative and Superlative are not formed from the Positive:

Practice Exercises

I. Complete the sentences:

1. Hair does not grow so ________ in winter as in summer.

a. fast

b. faster than

c. the fastest

2. Very few books are read ________ Harry Potter by children. 

a. as much as 

b. more than 

c. the most 

3. Life in the desert is ________ than life in the mountains. 

a. as dreary as 

b. drearier 

c. the dreariest

4. Honey is ________ medicine.

a. as good as 

b. better than 

c. the best 

5. This is the ________ show I have ever seen. 

a. as entertaining as 

b. more entertaining than 

c. most entertaining 

6. School days are ________ than college days. 

a. as enjoyable as 

b. more enjoyable

c. the most enjoyable 

7. The coconut tree has ________ any other tree. 

a. as much uses as 

b. more uses than 

c. the most uses of 

8. Dogs are ________ as dolphins. 

a. as friendly 

b. more friendly 

c. the most friendly 

9. Petrol costs ________ diesel. 

a. as much as 

b. more than 

c. the most 

10. Now-a-days youth love to eat fast foods _________ any other dish. 

a. as much as 

b. more than 

c. the most 

11. Next to America no other country sells ________ cellphones as India. 

a. as many

b. more 

c. few 

12. The Japanese are one of ________ disciplined. 

a. as much

b. more

c. the most

13. Nursing is ________ many other professions. 

a. as noble as 

b. nobler than 

c. the most noble 

14. Prasanth enjoys skating ________ any other sport. 

a. as much as 

b. more than 

c. the most 

15. Tender coconut is not ________ than buttermilk.

a. as nutritious

b. more nutritious 

c. the most nutritious

16. No other shop is ________ my house as the Bata. 

a. as near

b. nearer than 

c. the nearest 

17. Very few beaches are _________ the Mauritius beach. 

a. as pleasant as 

b. more pleasant than 

c. the most pleasant 

18. Very few pens are used ________ fountain pens. 

a. as little as 

b. less than 

c. the least 

19. No other tree grows ________ the casuarinas tree. 

a. as high as 

b. higher than 

c. the highest 

20. The neem tree grows _________ many other trees. 

a. as fast as

b. faster than 

c. the fastest 

21. Harry Potter sells _________ the fairy tales. 

a. fast as

b. faster than 

c. the fastest 

22. This road is the ________ one in town. 

a. as long as 

b. longer than 

c. longest 

23. We have not played any match ________ as this. 

a. as bad

b. worse

c. the worst 

24. Black is the ________ colour.

a. as dark as

b. darker than

c. darkest

25. Very few channels are watched by children _________ the Cartoon Channel.

a. as much as 

b. more than 

c. the most

II. Write the appropriate form of the adjective in the brackets

1. The town is just as _________(large) as my native one. 

2. The road was ___ (long) than we had expected. 

3. The girl is very _________ (intelligent) 

4. As soon as they understood that the second book was __________(boring) than the first one, they changed their mind. 

5. The shop is _________(far) than the school. 

6. Ventspils is ________ (far) town in Latvia I have been to. 

7. Tim is ________ (intelligent) than Pat. 

8. The heat is less __________(harmful) than the cold. 

9. This song is _________(beautiful) than the cold. 

10. They are as __________(stubborn) as donkeys! 

11. The weather today is ________ bad) than the weather yesterday but not as ________  (bad) as it was four days ago. 

12. The story was _________(exciting) one I have ever heard. 

13. They were less ________ (tired) than we. 

14. George bought a _________(new) car than he could ever imagine. 

15. The mark is a ___ (good) than I expected. 

16. They are very ________ (upset) with the results. 

17. She is _________(polite) than me. 

18. The boy is __________(fast) runner of all. 

19. It is as _________ (pleasant) as a greeting card. 

20. The movie was _________ (interesting) than the book. 

21. The price will be loss __________(aggressive) than the previous time. 

22. The nature is ________ (important) than making profit. 

23. The cake is just as ________(sweet) as the ice-cream.

24. Sometimes friends are _________(devoted) than relatives.

25. Planes are _________(convenient) means of travelling of all. 

26. Some cars are __________(expensive) than others. 

27. The jeans are very _________(dirty) in fact they are __________(dirty) than the trousers. 

28. A candle gives _________(little) than a lamp. 

29. This blanket is ________ (warm) than that blanket. 

30. The dog is _________(angry) than its master.

III. Write the comparative forms of the adjectives:

Examples

tall, taller

1. fast ________

2. heavy ________

3. dangerous ________

4. small ________

5. large ________

6. light ________

7. rare ________

8. common ________

9. bad ________

10. good ________

IV. Supply appropriate comparative adjectives to each of the following:

1. I am ________ (tall) my sister.

2. My mum thinks that cats are ________ (good) pets than dogs. 

3. Cycling is one of ________ (dangerous) sports. 

4. I want to have ________ (big) car.

5. A blue whale is ________ (heavy) twenty-five elephants.

6. You look _______ (thin) last month. Have you lost weight?

7. Bicycles are _______(slow) cars.

8. She is ________ (nice) person I know.

9. What is _______ (good) film you've seen? 

10. Computers are _______ (cheap) mobile phones. 

11. Is your brother _______ (tall) you? 

12. I think Spanish is _______ (easy) Japanese. 

13. Our dog is _______ (nice) your dog 

14. Glass bottles are _______ (good) plastic bottles. 

15. I think Rafael Nadal is _______ (good) tennis player in Spain. 

16. Sharks are _______ (dangerous) other fish. 

17. This situation is _______ (serious) the last one.

18. He is _______ (smart) his brother.

19. My brother wanted _______ (expensive) trainers in the shop.

20. Today is _______ (good) day of the year.

21. Daniela is ______ (funny) me.

22. My house is ______(larger).

23. Mount Everest is ______ (high) mountain in the world.

24. The sea is ______ (large) a lake.

25. My job is ______ (easy) yours.

26. London is ______ (big) city in England.

27. This car is _______ (comfortable) yours.

28. He is ______ (rich) man in town.

29. I am ______ (strong) you. 

30. A baby blue whale gets ______ (big) a great white shark.

31. A Mercedes is _______ (expensive) a Fiat. 

32. Maradona is ______ (good) football player ever. 

33. A swordfish is _______ (fast) a jellyfish. 

34. Julio is ______ (friendly) Carlos. 

35. Irene is ______ (clever) Silvia. 

36. Comedies are _______ (funny) police dramas. 

37. Pablo is ______ (big) Juanma. 

38. Max is _______ (old) John. 

39. Adriano is ______ (fast) Ronaldo. 

40. My hair is ________ (long) yours. 

41. A dolphin is ______ (intelligent) a shark. 

42. Elaine is ______ (wise) her sister. 

43. Tony is ______ (happy) Max. 

44. Sandra is ______ (busy) Sam. 

45. Skiing is ______ (dangerous) football. 

46. This is _______ (narrow) of all roads in Málaga. 

47. Health is ______ (important) money. 

48. Those cakes are _______ (bad) I've ever tasted. 

49. My dog is _______ (good) dog in the world. 

50. Patricia's house is ______ (small) Linda's.

V. Write the proper form of comparative and superlative to each of the following words.