Uses of Positive Degree of Comparison of Adjectives :
Positive Degree
When two persons or things are said to be equal in respect of some quality, we use the Positive Degree with AS...AS or we can use the Comparative Degree with NOT.
1. This boy is as clever as that.
2. This boy is no less clever than that.
3. That boy is not more clever than this.
Comparative Degree
When two persons or things are said to be unequal in respect of some quality, we use the
Comparative Degree.
(a) This boy is more clever (or cleverer) than that.
(b) This boy is the cleverer of the two.
Forms (a) and (b) do not mean entirely the same thing. Form (a) merely denotes superiority. Form (b) denotes the selection of the one in preference to the other.
In (a) CLEVERER is used predicatively.
In (b) CLEVERER is used attributively or as an epithet - a noun being understood after and it is really to this noun that THE belongs.
This boy is the cleverer (boy) of the two.
Superlative Degree
When one person or thing is said to surpass all other persons or things of the same kind, we use the Superlative Degree with THE / OF.
1. This boy is the cleverest of all.
Observe that the Superlative Degree must always (except in the instances mentioned below) be preceded by the Definite Article.
When the Superlative is (a) preceded by a Possessive adjective or (b) is used to qualify some Noun in the Vocative Case, it is not preceded by the Definite Article.
2. He is my greatest friend or at least one of my greatest friends.
3. O dearest one, when shall we see you again?
4. Your loveliest girl friend was here to meet you.
The Superlative Degree must not be used as if it were equivalent to the Positive Degree preceded by VERY.
1. He wrote a best book. (Incorrect)
2. He wrote a very good book. (Correct)
3. He is a worst scholar. (Incorrect)
4. He is a very bad scholar. (Correct)
The only kind of exception to this rule is that given above. Here O DEAREST ONE is equivalent to O VERY DEAR ONE.
But the Superlative Degree may itself be preceded by VERY where VERY is not an Adverb, but an Adjective signifying real or actual.
1. He is the very best (=the actual best) student in this class.
In such a sentence as….This is a most interesting book…there is no violation of the rule, since MOST INTERESTING is not the Superlative Degree in this sense. What we have is the Positive Degree (interesting) modified by an Adverb of degree. Most = Very)
The words superior, inferior, senior, junior, prior, anterior and posterior are followed by TO instead of THAN.
1. This silk is superior to that.
2. Kamala is inferior to Sita in intelligence.
3. I am senior to him, but junior to you.
RELATED PAGES :
- The Adjective
- An Adjective
- Attribute Position of Adjective
- Predicative Position of Adjective
- Kinds of Adjectives
- Proper Adjectives
- Descriptive Adjectives
-
Quantitative Adjectives ( Adjectives of Quantity )
- Qualitative Adjectives ( Adjectives of Quality )
- Numeral Adjectives ( Adjectives of Number )
- Definite Numeral Adjectives
- Indefinite Numeral Adjectives
- Demonstrative Adjectives ( Demonstrative Adjective )
- Definite Demonstrative Adjectives
- Definite Demonstratives
- Indefinite Demonstrative Adjectives
- Indefinite Demonstratives
- Distributive Adjectives
- Interrogative Adjectives
-
Exclamatory Adjectives
- Possessive Adjectives
- Possessive Determiners
- First Person Possessive Adjectives
- Second Person Possessive Adjectives
- Third Person Possessive Adjectives
- Emphasizing Adjectives
- Coordinate Adjectives
- Paired Adjectives
- Cumulative Adjectives
- Non-Coordinate Adjectives
- Two Uses of Adjectives
- Attributive Use of Adjectives
- Predicative Use of Adjectives
- The Degrees of Comparison
- Comparison of Adjectives
- Latin Comparatives of Adjectives
- Irregular Comparisons of Adjectives
- Formation of Comparatives and Superlatives
- Formation of Comparative and Superlative
- Uses of Quantitative Adjectives
- Uses of Numeral Adjectives
- Definite Numeral Quantities
- Uses of Demonstrative Adjectives
- Uses of Distributive Phrases
- Uses of Distributive Adjectives
- Example Sentences with suitable Adjectives
- Uses of Degrees of Comparison of Adjectives
- Uses of Comparative Degree of Comparison of Adjectives
- Uses of Superlative Degree of Comparison of Adjectives
- Use of The Comparative Degree
- OTHER after Positives and Comparatives
- Preferables in English Grammar
- Double Comparatives
- Double Superlatives
- Comparatives which have lost their force
- Latin Comparatives
- English Comparatives
- Adjectives used as Nouns
- Adjectives in Pairs
- Adjectives preceded by THE
- Position of Adjectives
- Adjectives Used Attributively
- Adjectives Used Predicatively
- The Adjective Clause
Uses of Positive Degree of Comparison of Adjectives :
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