DEGREES OF COMPARISON

Transcription

1 9 DEGREES OF COMPARISON An adjective can be written in three different types to denote three degrees of comparison namely Positive, Comparative, Superlative. The comparison may be of a quality or a quantity, an adjective or an adverb. Sam is as tall as Pam. POSITIVE DEGREE Raj is taller than Joy. COMPARATIVE DEGREE Toby is the tallest boy in the class SUPERLATIVE DEGREE From the above examples it is evident that when the degree of comparison changes from one to another, words (denoting the quality) as well as the structure of the sentence changes. Positive Degree - as adjective as Comparative Degree - adjective than Superlative Degree - the adjective Let us now see how words denoting the comparison are changed. POINTS TO NOTE : If the positive ends in two consonants, or in a single consonant preceded by two vowels, er and est are added. Positive Comparative Superlative Bold bolder boldest Clever cleverer cleverest Great greater greatest Exceptions : just more just than the most just right more right than the most right real more real than the most real wrong more wrong than the most wrong Adverbs of more than one syllable take more and most. quickly more quickly than the most quickly slowly more slowly than the most slowly seldom more seldom than the most seldom When the Positive ends in e, only r and st are added. Able abler ablest Brave braver bravest Fine Finer finest SCHOOL SECTION 177

2 English Grammar MT EDUCARE LTD. When the Positive ends in y, preceded by a consonant, the y is changed into i before adding er and est. Dry drier driest Easy easier easiest Happy happier happiest But if the y is preceded by a vowel, the y is not changed to i. Gay gayer gayest Gray grayer grayest When the Positive is a word of one syllable and ends in a single consonant, preceded by a short vowel, this consonant is doubled before adding er and est. Big bigger biggest Fat fatter fattest Hot hotter hottest In all Adjectives of more than two syllables, and in most Adjectives of two syllables, the Comparative is formed by adding more and the Superlative is formed by adding most. Positive Comparative Superlative Beautiful more beautiful most beautiful Courageous more courageous most courageous Difficult more difficult most difficult Industrious more industrious most industrious Adjectives ending in ed, ing, re, ful, ous and those with the stress on the first syllable usually take more and the most. charming more charming than the most charming famous more famous than the most famous hopeful more hopeful than the most hopeful learned more learned than the most learned obscure more obscure than the most obscure Irregular Comparisons : The following Adjectives are compared irregularly, that is, their Comparative and Superlative are not formed from the Positive. Positive Comparative Superlative Bad, evil, ill worse worst Far (distance) farther farthest Fore former foremost, first Good, well better best 178 SCHOOL SECTION

3 MT EDUCARE LTD. Hind hinder hindmost Late later, latter latest, last Little less least Much (quantity) more most Many (number) more most Old older, elder oldest, eldest English Grammar For the sake of changing the sentence structure we can classify the sentences into three types and follow certain rules for each type. TYPE I : (Comparison between two people or objects) Here only two people or two things are compared therefore only two degrees are required i.e. positive and comparative. There is no need to change into superlative degree. STEPS : Change the position of the 2 things compared If the given sentence is in the positive degree, change to comparative and vice versa If the verb is in affirmative, change it to negative and vice versa John is more intelligent than Joseph 1. interchange the position of John and Joseph 2. change from comparative to positive (more intelligent as intelligent as) 3. change the verb into negative (is is not) Joseph is not as intelligent as John. Sudha sings better than she dances. Sudha doesn t dance as well as she sings. Rahul is a better writer than a singer. Rahul is not as good a singer as a writer. Sushmita is as beautiful as Aishwarya. Aishwarya is not more beautiful than Sushmita. Sameer is stronger. Sameer was not as strong before as he is now. SOLVED EXAMPLES (TYPE I) : 1. Some people have more money than brains. Some people do not have as much brains as money. 2. I know him as well as you do. You do not know him better than I do. SCHOOL SECTION 179

4 English Grammar 3. It is easier to preach than to practise. It is not as easy to practise as to preach. 4. A wise enemy is better than a foolish friend. A foolish friend is not as good as a wise enemy. 5. The pen is mightier than the sword. The sword is not as mighty as the pen is. MT EDUCARE LTD. EXERCISE (TYPE I) : 1. I enjoyed the match as much as they did. 2. Our laws were established far earlier than yours. 3. My dear distant guidance counselor was much more tolerant than those at my university. 4. He cared more about taking care of his customers than he cared about taking care of himself. 5. We treat our machines better then we do ourselves. TYPE II : Meaninig Superlative Comparative Positive Type II A (Comparison is in a group and we select one person as having the quality in the highest degree) the best Dhoni is the best batsman. better than any (or all) other Dhoni is better than any other batsman. No other as good as No other other batsman is as good as Dhoni is. Type II B (Comparison is in a group but there are a few who are the best and we select one of them) one of the best Dhoni is one of the best batsman. better than many (or most) other Dhoni is better than many other batsman. Very few as good as Very few batsman are as good as Dhoni is. Type II A : Ramesh is the best batsman in the team. (S) Ramesh is better than any other batsman in the team. (C) No other batsman in the team is as good as Ramesh. (P) 180 SCHOOL SECTION

5 MT EDUCARE LTD. Australia is the largest island in the world. (S) Australia is larger than any other island in the world. (C) No other island in the world is as large as Australia. (P) English Grammar No other man was as strong as Bhim.( P) Bhim was the strongest man. (S) Bhim was stronger than any other man. (C) SOLVED EXAMPLES (TYPE II A) : 1. Radha is the smartest girl in the class. Radha is smarter than any other girl in the class. No other girl in the class is as smart as Radha. 2. Nothing in the world is as important as being honest. Being honest is the most important thing in the world. Being honest is more important than any other thing in the world. 3. The Taj Mahal is more magnificent than any other monument in India. The Taj Mahal is the most magnificent monument in India. No other monument in India is as magnificent as the Taj Mahal. 4. Helen of Troy was the most beautiful woman in the world. Helen of Troy was more beautiful than any other woman in the world. No other woman in the world was as beautiful as Helen of Troy. 5. No flower is as sweet smelling as the rose. The rose the sweetest smelling flower of all. The rose smells sweeter than any other flower. EXERCISE (TYPE II A) : 1. It was the most beautiful flower of all. 2. I want to be the best sports journalist ever. 3. The most he had ever made was $400 per month. 4. The country offers visitors more themes than any other amusement parks in the world. 5. The phoenix is the best known of all mythical birds. TYPE II B : New York is one of the most crowded cities in America. (S) New York is more crowded than most cities in America. (C) Very few cities in America are as crowded as New York. (P) Very few books I have read are as good as this one. (P) This book is better than many other books I have read. (C) This is one of the best books I have read. (S) Akbar was greater than most other emperors in the world. (C) Akbar was one of the greatest emperors in the world. (S) Very few emperors in the world were as great as Akbar. (P) SCHOOL SECTION 181

6 English Grammar SOLVED EXAMPLES (TYPE II B) : 1. Sachin Tendulkar is one of the greatest cricketers in the world. Sachin Tendulkar is greater than most cricketers in the world. Very few cricketers in the world are as great as Sachin Tendulkar. 2. Very few animals are as useful as the cow. The cow is more useful than many other animals. The cow is one of the most useful animals. 3. Suresh is more industrious than many other boys of his age. Suresh is one of the most industrious boys of his age. Very few boys of his age are as industrious as Suresh. 4. Tilak was one of the most prominent leaders of India. Tilak was more prominent than most other leaders. Very few leaders were as prominent as Tilak. 5. Kolkatta is more thickly populated than most other cities of India. Kolkatta is one of the most thickly populated cities of India. Very few cities of India are as populated as Kolkatta. EXERCISE (TYPE II B) : MT EDUCARE LTD. 1. It was one of the best movies I had ever seen. 2. One of the most important benefits of banana is its contribution in keeping our gastrointestinal tract healthy. 3. It is one of the cheapest hobbies available to boys and girls. 4. Mark Wohlers was one of the hardest throwing pitchers in the league. 5. Very few actors in the world today are as famous as Amitabh Bachhan. EXERCISE : 1. Traveler s cheques and credit cards are safer than carting around wads of cash. 2. Banana is cheaper than other fruits. 3. The spot on her chin was even bigger than it had been the night before. 4. Non-smoking students made far better records in physical development than smokers. 5. The earliest work on dancing is the Natya Shashtra. 6. She hurried still faster. 7. It has taught me to help those who are less fortunate than I am. 8. His second leap was higher. 9. The background of dancing in India is as varied as the land of India itself. 10. Your language will always be understood best by your own family. 182 SCHOOL SECTION