Degree of adjectives answer “How much” question comparatively and highlights the levels of dimensions, aspects, like quality, nature, characteristics, size, etc. of given noun. Simply, adjectives are used to make comparison by modifying noun or pronouns. Here I’m going to explain the usages of Positive comparative and superlative degrees.
Three Adjective forms:
1.Positive: no comparison
2.Comparative: comparison between two
3.Superlative: comparison between more than two
We use adjectives to describe the different levels about the qualities, nature, and characteristics of nouns whether it is positive or negative, to make them more meaningful and emphatic.
For this to work accordingly, proper forms of degrees of adjectives whether regular or irregular need to be taken to provide natural meaning.
Understanding positive, comparative, and superlative degrees
First of all, let’s begin with rules of positive degree.
Positive degree: rules, usages and examples
Here are some simple rules of positive degree. Just take a look at the following set of rules dictating how to use positive degree.
1.Positive degree is a basic form of degree.
2.It is also called non-comparative
3.Adjectives or adverbs are used to describe positive, as well as negative qualities of nouns.
4.It does not require to change the form of adjectives to formulate positive degree.
5.When we change comparative or superlative degree into positive, then, it requires comparison.
6.Positive degree sentence can be began with either “No other”or “Very few”
7.As….as comparison form is necessary.
Examples of adjectives: basic form
Wise, Large, Easy, Wealthy
Small, Weak, strong, Rich
Great, Clean, Big– (regular adjectives)
Good • Bad • Many etc. (irregular adjectives)
Jonathan is a wise man.
Himalaya is a large mountain.
Running is an easy exercise.
Coral polyps are small organisms.
Warren Buffet is a wealthy man.
Bio-fertilizer is good for food grains crops.
Wise, large, easy, small, wealthy and good are basic forms of adjectives used to describe the qualities or nature of noun.
Examples with comparison of positive degree: Very few, No other —
Very few and no other phrasal words are used to describe something great in degree without making comparison between things.
“Very few” highlights that there are very few things that have such qualities. On the other hand, “no other ” shows nothing else has the same particular qualities. Let’s know through examples
- No other resource on the earth is as important as soil. (Nothing else has the same quality as the soil has)
- Very few resources on the earth are as important as soil. (Very few things have such a qualities that soil possesses)
Formation of positive degree
Use “very few and no other” at the beginning of the sentence.
“As….Adjective….As” structure is used to indicate the state of quality of noun.
Use plural form of noun next to very few. But use basic singular after no other.
No other forest is as dense as the equatorial forest.
Very few forests are as dense as equatorial forests.
No other animal in the desert is as useful as camel.
Very few animals in the desert are as useful as camel.
No other fruit in the world is as delicious as Mango.
Very few fruits in the world are as delicious as Mango.
No other animal is as carefree as tiger.
Very few animals are as carefree as tiger.
Changes in comparative and superlative degree
No other — better than any other– the
Very few –more than most other–one of the
Comparative degree: Rules, usages and examples
1.It is the second level of comparative form between two nouns.
2.Inversion of subject happen when we change positive degree into comparative form.
Very few animals are as useful as camel on the earth– positive degree
Camel is more useful than most other animals in the desert– comparative degree
3.Adverbial is placed at the end of the sentence.
No other resource is as important as soil on the earth.
Positive to comparative transformation
No other resource is as important as soil on the earth.
Soil is more important than any other resources on the earth.
Very few resources are as important as soil on the earth
Soil is more important than most other resources on the earth.
No other in positive changes to any other in comparative degree. While, very few changes to most other in comparison.
Useful examples of comparative degree
1.Equatorial forest is denser than any other forest.
2.Equatorial forest is denser than most other forests.
3.Camel is more useful than any other animals in the desert.
4.Camel is more useful than most other animals in the desert.
5.Mango is more delicious than any other fruits in the world.
6.Mango is more delicious than most other fruits in the world.
7.Tiger is more carefree than any other animals.
8.Tiger is more carefree than most other animals
Superlative degree: rules, usages and examples
For usages of superlative degree, here are some important rules.
This is the highest level of comparative forms and is used to compare between more than two nouns. So, change in the adjective’s form is essential to compare accordingly.
Spelling rules are applicable to change the form of adjectives.“The” determinant is placed before superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs.
Formation of superlative degree
Very few resources are as important as soil on the earth.
Soil is more important than most other resources on the earth.
No other resources are as important as soil on the earth.
Soil is more important than any other resources on the earth.
Positive — comparative– superlative
No other — better than any other– the
Very few –more than most other–one of the
Very few resources are as important as soil on the earth.
Soil is more important than most other resources on the earth.
Superlative: Soil is the most important resource on the earth.
With no other..
No other resources are as important as soil on the earth.
Soil is more important than any other resources on the earth.
Superlative: Soil is one of the most important resources on the earth.
1.The equatorial forest is the densest forest.
2.The equatorial forest is one of the densest forests.
3 Camel is the most useful animal in the desert.
4.Camel is one of the most suitable animals in the desert.
5.Mango is the most delicious fruit in the world.
6.Mango is one of the most delicious fruits in the world.
7.Tiger is the most carefree animal.
8.Tiger is one of the most carefree animals.
Conversion of positive comparative and superlative degrees
Basically, degrees have three types — Positive, comparative, and superlative degrees. And, these types or forms are changeable or can be changed alternatively. In this blog, I am going to explain the Conversion of degree.
A. Conversion from positive to comparative degree
1.“No other” in positive is replaced by “any other” in the comparative degrees.
~ No other => any other
Useful examples of superlative degree
“Very few” in the positive degree is replaced by “most other” in the comparative.
~ Very few => most other.
In the comparative degrees, plural form of nouns are preferred.
~ Very few or most other.
In the positive degree, singular auxiliary is used after plural noun.
Same pattern is applicable when we change the degrees from comparative to positive degree.
No other nation in the world is as diverse as India — positive degree.
India is more diverse than any other nations in the world.
Very few places on the earth are as cold as Antarctica– positive degree.
Antarctica is colder than most other places on the earth.
C. Conversion from Comparative to superlative
In changing comparative degree into superlative forms, “Than any other” is replaced by “The + superlative forms of adjectives”; whereas, “Than most other” is changed into “One of the + superlative forms of adjectives”.
In the subjective degree, singular form of auxiliary is used in both types of sentences.
India is more diverse than any other nations in the world — comparative degree.
India is the most diverse nation in the world.
Antarctica is colder than most other places on the earth — comparative degree.
India is one of the most diverse nations in the world.
Same rules are applicable when we change superlative degree into positive or comparative forms.
Hope, these subject matter of positive, comparative, and superlative degrees will enrich your knowledge and understanding.Adverbs of cause and reason
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrees_of_comparison_of_adjectives_and_adverbs
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-reference/comparative-superlative-adjectives
https://www.port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/choosing-where-and-what-to-study/what-are-the-different-types-of-university-degrees