Comparing and contrasting….Degrees of Comparison

Sakshi Education

Read the conversation
Ram: I would like to buy a pen.
Siddu: Why are you saying it so special?
Ram: Yah! I want to buy a pen that I can store preciously and I want to buy a silver pen.
Siddu: silver pen is costly.
Ram: Am… I am not asking for a gold pen.
Siddu: you can buy if you want. Gold one is costlier.
Ram: May be that is the costliest.
Siddu: No, if you buy a platinum one that is the costliest.

Observe the comparisons

Silver pen is costly
When compared to silver gold is costlier
Of the three gold, silver and platinum, platinum is the costliest
Observe the form of the adjective used and its change basing on the level of comparison

These levels of comparison are named as degrees of comparison.

In positive degree we just talk about the quality / quantity of something using simple adjective. This pen is costly.
In comparative degree the element of comparison is stressed with the use of ‘than’. This pen is costlier than that
In superlative degree the quality of an object is highlighted. This is the costliest pen.

Study carefully the following picture

Ram: How was yesterday’s class?
Siddu: It went on well. I learned quite many rules

in the usage of English language
Ram: Oh! That’s nice, let me know about that
Siddu: We are in fact planning for college day celebrations. I suggested that Feb is more better than March due to approaching exams.
Ram: I feel that is something wrong in the first sentence.
Siddu: Yah... I can not use two modifiers of comparatives in one sentence.
Ram: Just as ‘the most best’ usage. Let’s see some more usages.

Positive	comparative	superlative
Ram is clever.	Ram is cleverer than Siddu	There should be atleast three objects to make superlative
Siddu is not as clever as Ram	Siddu is not cleverer than Ram	-----------comparison between only two
Ram is as clever as Siddu( both are equal)	Very few/ some boys are as clever as Ram in the class. ( Ram is one among others in the class)	Ram is cleverer than many other boys in the class.
No other boy is as clever as Ram.( he is the only one cleverest.)	Ram is cleverer than any other boy /all other boys in the class.	Ram is the cleverest boys in the class.
Ram is not as clever as others.( he is not the cleverest.)	Ram is not cleverer than other boys	Ram is not the cleverest boys in the class.

Observe some other examples

My house is as big as my friend’s. ( both are same)
Laptop is not so / as big as desktop. ( both are not same)
No other gem is as costly as diamond. ( one with many)
He reads as many articles as possible. ( comparing number)
Enemies should be as few as possible. ( comparing number)
Take fast food as less as possible. ( comparing quantity)
Ghee should be as little as possible. ( comparing quantity)
I will help you as much as I can. ( comparing quantity)
You are getting fatter and fatter. (stress on comparison)
We are going more and more slowly. (stress on comparison)
The higher you go the cooler it is. ( two different comparatives)
He has many more opportunities. (modifying more and plural)

He has much more wealth these days. (modifying more and singular)

Positive	Comparative	superlative
Clever	Clever er than	the cleverest
Beautiful	More beautiful than	the most beautiful
Good	Better than	the best
Bad	Worse than	The worst

Some comparatives ending with –er/or take ‘to’ not ‘than’.

She is older than/ to me.
He is superior to me. (v)
He is superior than me. (X)
I prefer coffee to tea.

Common errors

The climate of vizag is cooler than Hyderabad. (X)
The climate of vizag is cooler than that of Hyderabad’s. (v)
The climate of vizag is cooler than Hyderabad’s. (v)
My parents are younger than those of your’s. (v)
He is the most best boy in the group. (X)
He is the best boy in the group. (v)
He is cleverer than she. (X)
He is cleverer than she is. (v)
The higher you go the cooler it is. (v)
The higher you go it is the cooler. (X)

Practice
1. Gold is ---------------(costly) diamonds. ( both are same)
2. Lata is---------------( pretty) than her sister’
3. The Godavari is the ----------------( long) of all the rivers in AP.
4. Iron is---------------( useful) some other metals
5. Which course is --------------(good) at diploma level.
6. your brother is ----------( junior) me.
7. The harder you work --------------(good) is the result.
8. Is post office ------------(farther) from your house?
9. The Eiffel tower is-------------(tall) the Kutub Minar.
10. Meat is --------------( nutritious) some beans. ( both are not same)

Answers
Practice
1. Gold is as costly as diamonds. ( both are same)
2. Lata is prettier than her sister.
3. The Godavari is the longest of all the rivers in AP.
4. Iron is more useful than some other metals.
5. Which course is the best at diploma level.
6. Your brother is junior to me.
7. The harder you work the better is the result.
8. Is post office the farthest from your house?
9. The Eiffel tower is taller than the Kutub Minar.
10. Meat is not as nutritious as some beans. ( both are not same)

Published date : 28 Mar 2011 03:13PM