Degree of Comparison by Mr. Rupjyoti Goswami

This topic has already been published in "Shikhya Jyoti", an annual mouthpiece of Dhubri District Higher Secondary Teacher & Employees Association on 6th November, 2022.

Degree of Comparison : Learn through examples
Introduction : There are three degrees of Comparison of Adjectives-Positive Degree, Comparative Degree and Superlative degree.
1. Positive Degree : It is simply a statement of a quality or quantity of a person or thing without making any comparison with anyone or anything. For example : 'She is a beautiful girl'. In this sentence, no comparison is made between her beauty and anybody else's.

2. Comparative Degree : In this type of sentence, comparison is made between two persons or things with regard to quality or quantity. There are two methods of using Comparative Degrees.
(a) Using "er" after the adjective word followed by "than": For example, "She is taller than Reena"
(b) Using "more" before the adjective word and "than" after the adjective word : This happens normally with words that have 6 or more than 6 letters, excluding the exceptions in special circumstances. For example: Water is more useful than diamond'.
                She is more intelligent than Bina.

3. Superlative Degree : In this type of degree, comparison of quality or quantity is made among many people or things. The number of people or things involved must not be less than three. Here also two types of comparisons are found.
(i) Using "est"after the adjective word followed by "of all" or the noun involved. For example,
Mount Everest is the highest mountain peak in the world. (or)
Mount Everest is the highest of all mountain peaks in the world.
(ii) Using "the most" before the adjective word followed by "of all" or the noun involved. For example: She is the most beautiful of all girls in the school. (or)
She is the most beautiful girl in the school.

Now, let us learn through examples, how to change the degrees of Comparison in a sentence.
1. Australia is the largest island in the world. (Superlative Degree)
Ans:- Positive : No other island in the world is as large as (so large as) Australia.
Comparative : Australia is larger than any other island in the world.
2. She is the most beautiful girl in the school.(Superlative Degree)
Ans:- Positive : No other girl in the school is as beautiful as she is.
Comparative: She is more beautiful than any other girl in the school.

3. Mukesh Ambani is the richest person in India. (Superlative Degree)
Ans:- Positive : No other person in India is as rich as Mukesh Ambani.
Comparative : Mukesh Ambani is richer than any other person in India.

4. Mount Everest is the highest mountain peak in the world. (Superlative Degree)
Ans:- Positive : No other mountain peak in the world is as high as Mount Everest.

5. The USA is the most powerful country in the world.(Superlative Degree)
Ans:- Positive : No other country in the world is as powerful as the USA.
Comparative : The USA is more powerful than any other country in the world.

6. The dog is the most faithful of all animals. (Superlative Degree)
Ans:- Positive : No other animal is as faithful as the dog.

7. The Black Mumba is the most venomous snake in the world. (Superlative Degree)
Ans:- Positive : No other snake in the world is as venomous as the Black Mumba.
Comparative : The Black Mumba is more venomous than any other snake in the world.

8. This is the best book on the subject. (Superlative Degree)
Ans:- Positive : No other book on the subject is as good as this.
Comparative : This is better than any other book on the subject.

9. Kolkotta  is the most populous city in India.(Superlative Degree)
Ans:- Positive : No other city in India is as populous as Kolkata.
Comparative : Kolkotta is more populous than any other city in India.

10. This is the most charming place in Assam.(Superlative Degree)
Ans:- Positive : No other place in Assam is as charming as this.
Comparative : This is more charming than any other place in Assam.

11. The Brahmaputra is the longest river in India.(Superlative Degree)
Ans:- Positive : No other river in India is as long as the Brahmaputra.
Comparative: The Brahmaputra is longer than any other river in India.

12. The Bhupen Hazarika Setu at Dhola Sadiya is the longest bridge in India.(Superlative)
Ans:- Positive : No other bridge in India is as long as the Bhupen Hazarika Setu at Dhola Sadiya.
Comparative : The Bhupen Hazarika Setu at Dhola Sadiya is longer than any other bridge in India.

13. Asia is the largest continent on earth. (Superlative Degree)
Ans:- Positive : No other continent on earth is as large as Asia.
Comparative : Asia is larger than any other continent on earth.

14. The Jupiter is the largest planet in our Solar system.(Superlative Degree)
Ans:- Positive : No other planet in our Solar system is as large as the Jupiter.

15. The safest thing is to leave this place.(Superlative Degree)
Ans:- Positive : Nothing is as safe as leaving this place.
Comparative : Nothing is safer than leaving this place.

4. Quasi-Superlative Degree : There are some sentences in which the Superlative form is used with "one of". Though these sentences contain "est" after the adjective word or "the most" before the adjective word, yet these can't be categorized as Superlative Degrees. Hence there is a slight variation in changing these to Positive or Comparative Degrees. Let's observe these variations in the following examples.
1. MS Dhoni is one of the best batsmen in world cricket.(Quasi-Superlative)
Ans:- Positive : Very few batsmen in world cricket are as good as MS Dhoni.
Comparative : MS Dhoni is better than most other batsmen in world cricket.

2. The Brahmaputra is one of the longest rivers in the world.(Quasi-Superlative)
Ans:- Positive : Very few rivers in the world are as long as the Brahmaputra.
Comparative : The Brahmaputra is longer than most other rivers in the world.

3. Sri Lanka is one of the smallest countries in the world.(Quasi-Superlative)
Ans:- Positive : Very few countries in the world are as small as Sri Lanka.
Comparative : Sri Lanka is smaller than most other countries in the world.

4. Shakespeare is one of the greatest dramatists in the world.(Quasi-Superlative)
Ans:- Positive : Very few dramatists in the world are as great as Shakespeare.
Comparative : Shakespeare is greater than most other dramatists in the world.

5. This is one of the easiest subjects. (Quasi-Superlative)
Ans:- Positive : Very few subjects are as easy as this.
Comparative : This is easier than most other subjects.

6. Cobra is one of the most poisonous snakes in the world. (Quasi-Superlative)
Ans:- Positive : Very few snakes in the world are as poisonous as Cobra.
Comparative : Cobra is more poisonous than most other snakes in the world.

7. Lata Mangeshkar is one of the melodious singers in the world.(Quasi-Superlative)
Ans:- Positive : Very few singers in the world are as melodious as Lata Mangeshkar.
Comparative : Lata Mangeshkar is more melodious than most other singers in the world.

8. Shillong is one of the most beautiful places in the world.(Quasi-Superlative)
Ans:- Positive : Very few places in the world are as beautiful as Shillong.
Comparative : Shillong is more beautiful than most other places in the world.

9. Kohli is one of the most widely followed sportspersons on Instagram. (Quasi-Superlative)
Ans:- Positive : Very few sportspersons on Instagram are as widely followed as Kohli.
Comparative : Kohli is more widely followed than most other sportspersons on Instagram.

10. She is one of the most brilliant students of our school.(Quasi-Superlative)
Ans:- Positive : Very few students of our school are as brilliant as she is.
Comparative : She is more brilliant than most other students of our school.

1. Click here for Report Writing by Rupjyoti Goswami

2. Click here for Letter writing by Rupjyoti Goswami

3. Click here for Poster writing

4. Click here for A few important Letter writing

5. Click here for Degree of comparison by Rupjyoti Goswami

6. Rules for Transforming Sentences

7. Click here for fully solved HS Correct Tenses

8. Click here for fully solved Hs Narration

9. Click here for fully solved HS Voice Change

10. Click here for fully solved HS Preposition

11. Click here for fully solved HS transformation of sentences.

12. Click here for Notice Writing by Mr. Rupjyoti Goswami.

13. Click here for Unseen Passage

14. Click here for Usage Present Indefinite Tense

15. Click here for Simple Complex and compound sentence.

Mr. Rupjyoti Goswami
Post Graduate Teacher (English)
Bhogeswar Hazarika Girls' Higher Secondary School, Bebejia, Nagaon, Assam.
Email: rupjyotigoswami983@gmail.com
Mobile: 9864425896.
Contact us (whatsapp no-7020477396) for free notes on English, Political Science, Logic & Philosophy, MIL Assamese, Advanced Assamese, Swadesh Adhyayan, Economics, Education, History.

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