COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES
Read these sentences:
1. Rama's mango is sweet.
2, Hari's mango is sweeter than Rama's.
3. Govind's mango is the sweetest of all.
In sentence 1, the adjective sweet merely tells us that Rama's mango has the quality of sweetness, without saying how much of this quality it has.
In sentence 2, the adjective sweeter tells us that Hari's mango, compared with Rama's has more of a quality of sweetness.
In sentence 3, the adjective sweetest tells us that of all these mangoes Govind's mango has the greatest amount or highest degree of quality of sweetness.
We thus see that Adjectives change in form (sweet, sweeter, sweetest) to show comparison. They are called the three Degrees of Comparision.
The Adjective sweet is said to be of the Positive Degree.
The Adjective sweeter is said to be in the Comparative Degree.
The Adjective sweetest is said to be in the Superlative Degree.
The Positive Degree of an Adjective is the Adjective in its simple form. It is used to denote the mere existence of some quality of what we speak about. It is used when no comparison is made.
The Comparative Degree of an Adjective denotes a higher degree of quality than the Positive and is used when two things (or sets of things) are compared: as,
This boy is stronger than that.
Which of these two pens is better?
Apples are dearer than oranges.
The Superlative Degree of all Adjective denotes the highest degree of 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 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.
Positive Comparative Superlative
sweet sweeter sweetest
small smaller smallest
tall taller tallest
bold bolder boldest
clever cleverer cleverest
kind kinder kindest
young younger youngest
great greater greatest
When the Positive ends in e, only r and st are added
Positive Comparative Superlative
brave braver bravest
fine finer finest
white whiter whitest
large larger largest
able abler ablest
noble nobler noblest
wise wiser wisest
When the Positive ends in y, preceded by a consonant, the y is changed into i before adding er and est.
Positive Comparative Superlative
happy happier happiest
easy easier easiest
heavy heavier heaviest
merry merrier merriest
wealthy wealthier wealthiest
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.
Positive Comparative Superlative
red redder reddest
big bigger biggest
hot hotter hottest
thin thinner thinnest
sad sadder saddest
fat fatter fattest
Adjectives of more than two syllables form the Comparative and Superlative by putting more and most before the Positive.
Positive Comparative Superlative
beautiful more beautiful most beautiful
difficult more difficult most difficult
industrious more industrious most industrious
courageous more courageous most courageous
Two-syllable adjectives ending in ful (e.g. 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:
polite, simple, feeble, gentle, narrow, cruel, common, handsome, pleasant, stupid
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 Rama is greater than the courage of Balu, we say,
Rama is braver than Balu.
But if we wish to say that the courage of Rama is greater than his prudence, we must say,
Rama 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 other metals.
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:-
Positive Comparative Superlative
good, well better best
bad, evil, ill worse worst
little less, lesser least
much more most (quantity)
many more most (number)
late later, latter latest, last
old older, elder oldest, eldest
far farther farthest
