JKBOSE 9th Class English Grammar  Comparison of Adjective 

Read these sentences :

1. Rama’s mango is sweet.

2. Hari’s mango is sweeter than Rama’s.

3. Govind’s mango is the sweetest of all.

In sentence 1, the adjective sweet merely tells us that Rama’s mango has the quality of sweetness, without saying how much of this quality it has.

In sentence 2, the adjective sweeter tells us that Hari’s mango, compared with Rama’s, has more of the quality of sweetness.

In sentence 3, the adjective sweetest tells us that of all these mangoes, Govind’s mango has the greatest amount or highest degree of the quality of sweetness. We thus see that Adjectives change in form (sweet, sweeter, sweetest) to show comparison. They are called the Degrees of Comparison.

(1) The Positive Degree beboe : The Adjective sweet is said to be in the Positive Degree.

(2) The Comparative Degree : The Adjective sweeter is said to Comparative Degree.

(3) The Superlative Degree : The Adjective sweetest is said to be in the Superlative Degree.

1. I have a beautiful horse.

2. She is a good girl.

3. He sang a sweet song.

1. Misha is more beautiful than Liza.tat 2. Which of these two pens is the better?

3. Boys arestronger than girls.

1. This boy is the strongest in the class.

2. He is the best player of our team.

3. It is the coldest place in the region.

1. Comparatives are followed by than.

2. Superlatives are preceded by the.

Most Adjectives of one syllable, and some of more than one, form the Comparative by adding er and the Superlative by adding est or st to the Positive..

(1) If the Positive ands 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              grater                   greatest

(2) When the Positive ands in e, only r and st are added.

able               abler                     ablest

brave             braver                   bravest

fine                finer                      finest

wise               wiser                     wisest

(3) 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

heavy            heavier                  heaviest

(4) 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

thin              thinner                   thinnest

as + Positive Degree + as

                     Or

no/not+ Comparative Degree + than.

1. This boy is as intelligent as that.

2. This boy is not less intelligent than that.

3. This boy is not more intelligent than that.

1. This pen is better than that.

2. This boy is more

1. This pen is the best of all.

2. He is the most intelligent boy in our class.

(i) When the Superlative Degree is preceded by a Possessive Adjective.

(ii) When the Superlative Degree is used to qualify some Noun in the Vocative case.

1. He is my best friend.

2. O dearest son, when will you come back again ?

1. He wrote a best book. (Incorrect)

2. He wrote a very good book. (Correct)

1. He is as intelligent as any other boy in the class.

2. He is more intelligent than any other boy in the class.

But ‘other’ must not be used after a Superlative Degree.

1. He was best of all other leaders. (Incorrect)

2. He was the best of all leaders. (Correct)

Incorrect Use	Correct Use
1. He is more cleverer than his brother.	1. He is cleverer than his brother.
2. She is the most cleverest of all girls.	2. She is the cleverest of all girls.

1. He is one of the best and popular teachers of our school. (Incorrect)

2. He is one of the best and most popular teachers of our school. (Correct)

1. He is one of the best boys in our school.

2.He is one of the youngest members of our club.

But if we wish to say that the courage of Rama is greater than his prudence, we must say :

Rama is more brave than prudent.

This is most unfortunate.

It was a most eloquent speech.

The words later’ and ‘latest’ denote time.The words latter’ and ‘last’ denote position. Study the following sentences carefully :.

Incorrect Use	Correct Use
1. I reached the school latter than sham.	1. I reached the school latter than Sham.
2. What is the last news ?	2. What is the latest news ?
3. The latest batsmen played very well.	3. The last bastsman played very well.
4. Mohan and Sohan are two brothers ; the latter is my classmate.	4. Mohan and Sohan are two brothers ; the latter is my classmate.