2. The Degrees of Comparison in English
grammar are made with the Adjective and
Adverb words to show how:
 big or small
 high or low
 more or less
 many or few
of the qualities, numbers and positions of the
nouns (persons, things and places) in
comparison to the others mentioned in the
other part of a sentence or expression.

3. Degree
Of
Comparison
Positive
Superlative
Degree Comparative
Degree
Degree of Parallel
Equality
Degree
Degree of Progressive
Inequality
Degree

4. Positive No compare
Degree
General sense
tall
Ex:
Tom is a tall boy
Eifel tower is a tall man-made
structure.
One noun-person with one quality – ‘tall’
adjective in positive form

5. Degree of
Equality  The adjective or adverb is in positive form showing that
two persons or things are the same – two nouns having the
same quality.
 The common conjunction used is “as … as”.
The pattern : S + to be + as + adj/adv + as + …
Ex :
Two cats with the same height and weight, but different colour.
The brown cat is as beautiful as the grey cat
John is as strong as James.

6. Degree of
Inequality  The adjective or adverb is in positive form showing that
two persons or things are not the same – two nouns not
having the same quality.
 The common conjunction used is “not” + “so(as) … as”.
The pattern : S + to be + not + so(as) + adj/adv + as + …
Peter is not as (so) fast as Paul.
The brown cat is not as beautiful as the
black and white cat

7. The adjective word which The adjective or adverb
Comparative
shows the difference of Degree takes „r‟ or „er‟ to its
quality between two groups positive form, and is said
of persons, animals or things to be in comparative form.
is said to be in the The conjunction „than‟ is
used to connect the two
“Comparative Degree”.
clauses.
The pattern : S + to be + adj/adv + er + than + …
A horse can run faster than a dog.

8. Other examples:
Today is hotter than yesterday
Bill runs faster than Bob
This exercise is easier than the last one
Andi works harder than his brother
The pattern : S + to be + more + adj/adv + than + …
 This red dress is more comfortable than the
white
 This year‟s exhibit is more impressive than the
last year‟s
 He visits his family more frequently than she
does

9. Parallel  Two adjectives or adverbs are being
Degree compared to show that one continues to
increase/decrease when the other
increases/decreases.
 The adjective or adverb is in its
comparative form with the definite article
„the‟ before it.
The steeper the hill, the more
difficult it is to push the rock
up!

10.  The quality or quantity of the
adjective or adverb continues to
Progressive
increase (or decrease) as the time Degree
passes.
 The adjective or adverb in its
comparative form is repeated using
the conjunction „and‟.
 The days are getting
hotter and hotter.
 It is getting hotter and
hotter day by day.

11.  Comparing one noun – person, thing or place – with
several others of its kind to show that this particular Superlative
noun has the highest degree of the quality or quantity Degree
of the adjective or adverb being used to compare.
 The adjective or adverb takes the „superlative form‟,
ending with „st‟ or „est‟, with the definite article „the‟
before it.
 The preposition „of‟ is used when the comparison is
among items, and „in‟ is used to specify the place,
position or area.
S + to be + the + adj/adv + est
The elephant is the largest
of all land animals.

12. The giraffe is the tallest
of all animals.
S + to be + the most + adj/adv
Susan is the most intelligent girl
in the class.