Degree Words | Grammatical Degrees of comparison - Adjective

The degrees of adjective/adverb are some adjective/adverb of qualities. These words intensify the qualities of a noun or a pronoun by comparing two or more persons or things or animals.

Classification of Degrees of Comparison:

There are three types of degrees of comparison -

1. Positive Degree,
2. Comparative Degree and 
3. Superlative Degree.

Positive Degree:

The positive degree is the simplest form of adjective.

E.g. – young, big.

● I am young. 

● This house is big.

Comparative Degree:

It is the form of adjective which is used to make comparison between two persons or animals or things.

E.g. – younger, bigger.

● I am younger than he. 

● This house is bigger than that house.

Superlative Degree:

This form of adjective is used to make comparison between more than two persons or objects.

E.g. – youngest, biggest.

● I am the youngest son of my family.  

● This house is the biggest house in the city.

Positive, comparative and superlative forms of adjectives: 

 Rule 1:   Monosyllabic Adjectives: 

For monosyllabic adjectives (adjective of single syllable) '-er' is added in comparative degree and '-est' is added in superlative degree.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Fast	Faster	Fastest
Slow	Slower	Slowest
Soon	Sooner	Soonest
High	Higher	Highest
Long	Longer	Longest
Great	Greater	Greatest
Big	Bigger	Biggest
Small	Smaller	Smallest
Strong	Stronger	Strongest
Weak	Weaker	Weakest
Tall	Taller	Tallest
Dull	Duller	Dullest
Short	Shorter	Shortest
Young	Younger	Youngest
Fat	Fatter	Fattest
Rich	Richer	Richest
Poor	Poorer	Poorest
Hard	Harder	Hardest
Kind	Kinder	Kindest
Deep	Deeper	Deepest
Cheap	Cheaper	Cheapest
Thick	Thicker	Thickest
Dear	Dearer	Dearest
Clear	Clearer	Clearest
Black	Blacker	Blackest
Bold	Bolder	Boldest
Cold	Colder	Coldest

If the adjective ends with ‘-e’, then, only ‘-r’ is added in the comparative degree and ‘-st’ is added in the superlative degree. 

As—

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Polite	Politer	Politest
White	Whiter	Whitest
Wise	Wiser	Wisest
Able	Abler	Ablest
Brave	Braver	Bravest
Large	Larger	Largest
Little	Littler	Littlest
Nice	Nicer	Nicest
Pale	Paler	Palest
Fine	Finer	Finest
Wide	Wider	Widest
Noble	Nobler	Noblest

If the adjective ends with ‘-y’ preceded by a consonant, the -y is dropped and -ier is added in comparative degree and -iest is added in superlative degree. As—

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Happy	Happier	Happiest
Easy	Easier	Easiest
Lazy	Lazier	Laziest
Busy	Busier	Busiest
Merry	Merry	Merriest
Healthy	Healthier	Healthiest
Wealthy	Wealthier	Wealthiest
Holy	Holier	Holiest
Pretty	Prettier	Prettiest
Dry	Drier	Driest

But when a vowel is proceeded by a vowel, the -y is not dropped. -er and -est are added in comparative and superlative degrees respectively. As—

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Grey	Greyer	Greyest
Gay	Gayer	Gayest

If a monosyllabic adjective (adjective with single syllable) ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel then the consonant is doubled and then -er and -est are added. As—

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Big	Bigger	Biggest
Hot	Hotter	Hottest
Sad	Sadder	saddest
Red	Redder	Reddest
Fat	Fatter	Fattest
Thin	Thinner	Thinnest

 Rule 2:  Adjectives and adverbs of two or more syllables:

Adjectives and adverbs of two or more syllables, comparative degree and superlative degree are formed by adding the adverbs more and most respectively. As—

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Beautiful	More beautiful	Most beautiful
Difficult	More Difficult	Most Difficult
Interesting	More Interesting	Most Interesting
Evil	More Evil	Most Evil
Famous	More Famous	Most Famous
Notorious	More Notorious	Most Notorious
Easily	More Easily	Most Easily
Nobly	More Nobly	Most Nobly

Less and least are the opposite for more and most respectively. So, the opposite positive, superlative and comparative degrees are -

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Beautiful	Less beautiful	Least beautiful
Difficult	Less Difficult	Least Difficult
Interesting	Less Interesting	Least Interesting
Evil	Less Evil	Least Evil
Famous	Less Famous	Least Famous
Notorious	Less Notorious	Least Notorious
Easily	Less Easily	Least Easily
Nobly	Less Nobly	Least Nobly

Disyllabic adjectives (adjectives with two syllables) ending in -er, -ly, -ow, -some are considered as monosyllabic adjectives. Hence, -er is added for comparative degree and -est for superlative degree. 

As—

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Tender	Tenderer	Tenderest
Clever	Cleverer	Cleverest
Narrow	Narrower	Narrowest
Holy	Holier	Holiest
Happy	Happier	Happiest
Heavy	Heavier	Heaviest
Pretty	Prettier	Prettiest
Ugly	Uglier	Ugliest
Lovely	Lovelier	Loveliest
Easy	Easier	Easiest
Noble	Nobler	Noblest
Handsome	Handsomer	Handsomest

 Rule 3:   Irregular Comparison:

There are some adjectives which have fixed comparative and superlative forms. As—

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Good, well	Better	Best
Bad, evil, ill	Worse	Worst
Old	Older, elder	Oldest, eldest
Fore	Former	Foremost, first
Late	Later, latter	Latest, last
Many, much	More	Most
Near	Nearer	Nearest
Forth	Further	Furthest
Little	Less, lesser	Least

Read more: Degree words- Positive, Comparative, and Superlative forms of adjective.

Read more: Interchange of Positive Degree and Comparative Degree. 

Read more: Interchange of Positive Degree and Superlative Degree.

Read more: Interchange of Comparative Degree and Superlative Degree.

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