Degrees of Comparison

The adjective has three degrees of comparison namely:

The Positive Degree: We use positive degree when we speak of one person.
Ex: Arun is a good boy
The Comparative Degree: We use the comparative degree when we speak of two
objects or persons.
Ex: Arun is better than Hari.
The Superlative Degree: We use the superlative degree when compare three or more
objects or persons
Ex: Arun is the best boy in the class.
The Degrees of comparison (formation of positive, comparative and superlative)
List - 1 By adding 'er' and 'est' List 2 By adding only 'r' and 'st'
Positive Comparative Superlative Positive Comparative Superlative
Short Shorter Shortest Large Larger Largest
Tall Taller Tallest Fine Finer Finest
High Higher Highest Rare Rarer Rarest
Strong Stronger Strongest White Whiter Whitest
Weak Weaker Weakest Ripe Riper Ripest
Rich Richer Richest Able Abler Ablest
Poor Poorer Poorest Noble Nobler Noblest
Deep Deeper Deepest Wise Wiser Wisest
Broad Broader Broadest Brave Braver Bravest
Dark Darker Darkest Stable Stabler Stablest
Long Longer Longest List 3 When the adjective of the positive ends in 'y' the
Straight Straighter Straightest comparative and the Superlative degrees are formed by
replacing 'y' by ier and iest
Green Greener Greenest Ready Readier Readiest
Full Fuller Fullest Happy Happier Happiest
Dull Duller Dullest Easy Easier Easiest
Sweat Sweater Sweatest Merry Merrier Merriest
Small Smaller Smallest Wealthy Wealthier Wealthiest
Old Older Oldest Heavy Heavier Heaviest
Young Younger Youngest Lazy Lazier Laziest
Great Greater Greatest
List 4 When the adjectives of the positive
degree end with a single consonant and when
the adjectives are of one syllable, we double
the final consonant and add er and est to
form, the comparative and the
superlative degrees
List 5 When the Adjective in the positive
Degree has two or more syllables we form the
comparative and the superlative by using more
and most. The adjectives themselves do not
undergo any change.

Positive Comparative Superlative Positive Comparative Superlative

Red Redder Reddest Beautiful More beautiful Most beautiful
Big Bigger Biggest Splendid More splendid Most splendid
Hot Hotter Hottest Magnificent More magnificent Most magnificent
Fat Fatter Fattest Difficult More difficult Most difficult
Sad Sadder Saddest Proper More proper Most proper
Thin Thinner Thinnest Industrious More industrious Most industrious
Fit Fitter Fittest Courageous More courageous Most courageous
Learned More learned Most learned

List 6 Irregular Comparisons.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Good Better Best
Well Better Best
Ill Worse Worst
Evil Worse Worst
Little Less, Lesser Least
Much More Most
Many More Most
Late Later, Lesser Latest, Last
Old Older Oldest
Far Farther Farthest
Nigh Nigher Nighest, Next
Fore Former Foremost, First
Fore Further Furthest
In Inner Innermost, Inmost
Up Upper Uppermost, upmost
Out Outer Outermost, utmost
Old Elder Eldest
The usage of Certain adjectives

Good: Sita is a good girl.

Better: Lata is better than Sita
Best: Lata is the best girl
Well: She is well today
Better: She is better now
Bad: He is a bad boy
Worse: Hari is worse than Rama.
Worst: He is the worst boy in the class
Ill: Shantha is ill
Evil: He has an evil mind.
Much: She ate much food.
More: I cannot eat more food than she.
Most: Most food was wasted.
Many: I bought many books
More: This library has more books than the other Library
Late: She is late to the class
Later: The Delhi train is later than the Bombay train
Latter: Tom and Dick were both heroes but only the latter is remembered today
Latest: This is the latest news we have received.
Last: She is the last girl in class.
Old: She is an old woman.
Older: Rama is older than Hari.
Oldest: He is the oldest man in the village.
Elder: My elder brother is in Bombay.
Eldest: He is my eldest son
Far: Bombay is far from Bangalore
Farther: Delhi is farther than Bombay from Bangalore
Farthest: She goes farthest in helping us
Nigh: The house is nigh.
Nigher: Your house is nigher than his.
Nighest: She lives in the nighest house, seek her help any time.
Fore: The soldiers stood on the fore ground.
Former: Tom and Dick were both heroes but only the former is remembered today.
Foremost: Gandhiji was the foremost freedom fighter
First: She got teh first rank in the examination
Further: Nothing could be further from the truth.
Furthest: Don't go beyond the furthest tree
Inner: She lives in a inner chamber
Inmost: The queen lives in the inmost chamber of the palace.
Innermost: We do not generally reveal our innermost thoughts.
Upper: The upper level of the atmostphere is not dense.
Upmost: The upmost layer of the earth is called lithosphere.
Outer: She lives in an outer chamber
Utter: This is utter nonsense.
Utmost: Try to the utmost extent to achieve your aim.
Uttermost: Ravana tried to the uttermst extent to defeat Rama but failed.