Degree of Adjectives

Adjective

An adjective is a word which is used to describe, identify, modify or quantify nouns or pronouns.

Adjectives have three degrees that compare one thing to another. These three degree of adjectives express the intensity of adjective in increasing order.

The three degrees of adjectives are :

(1) Positive (2) Comparative (3) Superlative

Positive degree

Positive degree is the base of the adjective. It denotes the mere existence of a quality.

 

Examples of Positive degree

(1) Tina is wearing a red dress.

(2) leopard runs fast.

(3) The big dog chased the cat.

(4) There are four pencils in the box.

(5) She is a beautiful girl.

(6) Mohan is an intelligent boy.

(7) The colourful butterfly is sitting on flowers.

(8) We ordered two burgers.

(9) Reema is short in height.

(10) My pencil box is square in shape.

Comparative degree

Comparative degree is used to compare one noun or pronoun to another noun or pronoun. In these instances, only two items are being compared.

Words like than and to are used after a comparative adjective in a sentence to show comparison of the two things.

Noun (subject) + verb + comparative adjective + than + noun (object).

Example of comparative degree

(1) This box is smaller than one i found.

(2) Rohan is smarter than Abhishek.

(3) My hair is longer than my sister.

(4) John is thinner than Bob.

(5) He is more intelligent than his brother.

(6) Apples are healthier than chips

(7) Russia is larger than France.

(8) The weather is hotter than yesterday.

(9) His car is cheaper than mine.

(10) My watch is more expensive than yours.

 

Superlative degree

Superlative degree is used to compare two or more nouns. They’re also used to compare one thing against the rest of a group. It expresses highest intensity (quality or quantity) of a thing in comparison to other things.

Words like of and in are used after a superlative adjective in a sentence. An article ‘the’ should be used before a superlative degree when modifying a particular noun.

Noun (subject) + verb + the + superlative adjective + noun (object).

Example of superlative degree

(1) Rohan is tallest in the class.

(2) This road is busiest of all the roads.

(3) Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

(4) Seema is the most intelligent girl in the class.

(5) My house is the largest one in our area.

(6) The leopard runs fastest of all animals.

(7) Jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system.

(8) North pole is the coldest place on Earth.

(9) This is the most interesting book I have ever read.

(10) Our english teacher is the best teacher in school.

Rules for degree of Adjectives

Adjectives that are just one syllable

(a) when two objects or persons are compared, a comparative degree is made by putting ‘er’ to the adjective word in association with the word ‘than’. We add only r to the words ending with ‘e‘.

When more than two objects or persons are compared, the superlative degree is made by putting ‘est’ to the adjective word. We add only st to the Words ending with ‘e‘.

Example:

smart – smarter – smartest.

black – blacker – blackest

late – later – latest

strange – stranger – strangest

old – older – oldest

wise – wiser – wisest

(b) If an adjective ends with a consonant + vowel + consonant ,  we double the consonant and add –er for the comparative form and double the consonant and add –est for the superlative form.

 

Example:

big – bigger – biggest

hot – hotter – hottest

thin – thinner – thinnest

sad – sadder – saddest

flat – flatter – flattest

Adjectives that are of two syllable

When the adjective ends in consonant + y , we drop y and add ier for the comparative form and iest for the superlative form.

dirty  – dirtier -dirtiest

ugly – uglier – ugliest

pretty – prettier – prettiest

Happy – happier -happiest

healthy – healthier – healthiest

heavy – heavier – heaviest

Adjectives of two or more syllable

When the adjective is long i.e. of two or more syllable, we add the word more to form comparative form and most to form superlative form.

Useful – more useful – most useful

beautiful – more beautiful – most beautiful

important – more important – most important

interesting  –more interesting – most interesting

active – more active  – most active

confused – more confused – most confused

difficult – more difficult – most difficult

famous – more famous- most famous

expensive – more expensive – most expensive

popular – more popular – most popular

Irregular Degree of Adjectives

There are some adjectives which do not form comparative and superlative forms. They have irregular degree of adjectives and do not follow any rule.

good – better – best

bad – worse -worst

much – much – most

Late – later – last

Far – Farther – farthest

Little – Less – Least

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
angry	angrier	angriest
brave	braver	bravest
young	younger	youngest
weak	weaker	weakest
thin	thinner	thinnest
small	smaller	smallest
wise	wiser	wisest
ugly	uglier	ugliest
beautiful	more beautiful	most beautiful
big	bigger	biggest
black	blacker	blackest
short	shorter	shortest
quiet	quieter	quietest
proud	prouder	proudest
tall	taller	tallest
strong	stronger	strongest
intelligent	more intelligent	most intelligent
pretty	prettier	prettiest
strange	stranger	strangest
proud	prouder	proudest
fierce	fiercer	fiercest
big	bigger	biggest
clever	cleverer	cleverest
famous	more famous	most famous
sweet	sweeter	sweetest
fast	faster	fastest
wet	wetter	wettest
confused	more confused	most confused
noble	nobler	noblest
bright	brighter	brightest
handsome	more handsome	most handsome
heavy	heavier	heaviest
fine	finer	finest
great	greater	greatest
noisy	noisier	noisiest
popular	more popular	most popular
favourite	more favourite	most favourite
active	more active	most active
dark	darker	darkest
bitter	bitterer	bitterest
calm	calmer	calmest
brilliant	more brilliant	most brilliant
thick	thicker	thickest
chubby	chubbier	chubbiest
faithful	more faithful	most faithful
bold	bolder	boldest
cheap	cheaper	cheapest
worthy	worthier	worthiest
boring	more boring	most boring
Thirsty	thirstier	thirstiest
early	earlier	earliest