Degree

Degree

Degree হল Adjective এর রূপভেদ। এটি ৩টি ভাগে বিভক্ত। যথা-

• Positive Degree
• Comparative Degree
• Superlative Degree

Positive Degree:

Positive degree is the base of the adjective. It denotes the mere existence of a quality.

Positive degree is the base of the adjective. It denotes the mere existence of a quality.

কোন sentence এ Noun বা pronoun এর দোষ, গুন, অবস্থা ইত্যাদি বুঝাতে adjective এর যে রূপ ব্যবহার হয় তাকে Positive Degree বলে।
যেমন – Mr. Roni is a good man.

Examples of Positive degree

(1) Tina is wearing a red dress.

(2) leopard runs fast.

(3) The big dog chased the cat.

(4) There are four pencils in the box.

(5) She is a beautiful girl.

(6) Mohan is an intelligent boy.

(7) The colourful butterfly is sitting on flowers.

(8) We ordered two burgers.

(9) Reema is short in height.

(10) My pencil box is square in shape.

Comparative Degree:

Comparative degree is used to compare one noun or pronoun to another noun or pronoun. In these instances, only two items are being compared.

Words like than and to are used after a comparative adjective in a sentence to show comparison of the two things.

সাধারণত দুটি Noun বা pronoun এর দোষ, গুন, অবস্থা ইত্যাদির তুলনা বুঝাতে adjective এর যে রূপ ব্যবহার হয় তাকে Comparative Degree বলে।
যেমন – Rahim is wiser than Karim.

Example of comparative degree

(1) This box is smaller than one i found.

(2) Rohan is smarter than Abhishek.

(3) My hair is longer than my sister.

(4) John is thinner than Bob.

(5) He is more intelligent than his brother.

(6) Apples are healthier than chips

(7) Russia is larger than France.

(8) The weather is hotter than yesterday.

(9) His car is cheaper than mine.

(10) My watch is more expensive than yours.

Superlative Degree:

Superlative degree is used to compare two or more nouns. They’re also used to compare one thing against the rest of a group. It expresses highest intensity (quality or quantity) of a thing in comparison to other things.

Words like of and in are used after a superlative adjective in a sentence. An article ‘the’ should be used before a superlative degree when modifying a particular noun.

সাধারণত অনেকের মধ্যে তুলনা বুঝাতে adjective এর যে রূপ ব্যবহার হয় তাকে Superlative Degree বলে।
যেমন – Rony is the best player in the team.

Example of superlative degree

(1) Rohan is tallest in the class.

(2) This road is busiest of all the roads.

(3) Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

(4) Seema is the most intelligent girl in the class.

(5) My house is the largest one in our area.

(6) The leopard runs fastest of all animals.

(7) Jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system.

(8) North pole is the coldest place on Earth.

(9) This is the most interesting book I have ever read.

(10) Our english teacher is the best teacher in school.

To describe, quantify, modify or identify nouns/pronouns, adjectives are used or reused. Adjectives have their own degrees called degrees of adjectives or degrees of comparison that compare one thing/person to another.

Adjectives have three degrees of comparison –

• Positive degree of adjectives
• Comparative degree of adjectives
• Superlative degree of adjectives

Degrees of Comparison examples:

Positive degree – The cat runs fast.

Comparative degree – The cat runs faster than dogs.

Superlative degree – The cat runs fastest of all animals.

Rule 1. When two items/people are compared, a comparative degree is used by putting ‘er’ to the adjective word in association with the word ‘than’. In some cases ‘more’ is used.

Comparative degree example:

• She is smarter than her sister.
• She is more cheerful than her sister.

Similarly, when more than two things/people are compared, the superlative degree is used by putting ‘est’ to the adjective word or in some cases ‘most’ is used.

Superlative degree of comparison examples:

• He is the strongest wrestler.
• He is the most handsome actor.

Rule 2. ‘More’ is used when you compare qualities of a single thing/person. Even if the first adjective is a single syllable word.

Degree of comparison examples:

Incorrect – She is smarter than clever.

Correct – She is more smart than clever.

Rule 3. Do not use double comparative adjectives or superlative adjectives.

Degree of comparison examples:

Incorrect – These mangoes are more tastier than those.

Correct – These mangoes are tastier than those.

Rule 4. Never use ‘more or most’ with adjectives that give absolute sense.

Degree of comparison example:

Incorrect – This track is more parallel to that one

Correct – This track is parallel and the other is not.

Rule 5. There are a few adjectives that are accompanied by ‘to’, like, senior, junior, superior, inferior, preferable,  prefer, elder. Do not use ‘than’ with these adjectives.

Degree of adjective examples:

Incorrect: I am elder than her.

Correct: I am elder to her.

Incorrect – This car brand is superior than that.

Correct – This card brand is superior to that.

Rule 6. When comparing two things, similarity should be there, i.e. similar things should be compared.

Examples of degree of comparison:

Incorrect – This wall colour is more beautiful than the old one. (wall colour is compared with the wall)

Correct  – This wall colour is more beautiful than that of the old one. (compare wall colour with wall colour)

Rule 7. When the comparative degree is used in the superlative degree sense

1. Use ‘any other’ when thing/person of the same group is compared.

Degree of comparison example:

Incorrect: Reena is smarter than any student of her class.

Correct: Reena is smarter than any other student of her class.

1. Use ‘any’ if comparison of things/person is outside the group.

Incorrect: Delhi is cleaner than any other city in Bangladesh.

Correct: Delhi is cleaner than any city in Bangladesh.

Rule 8. When in the same sentence two adjectives in different degrees of comparison are used, both should be complete in themselves.

Incorrect- She is as good if not worse than her sister.

Correct – She is as good as if not worse than her sister.

Rule 9. To show whether the difference between the compared thing/person is small or big, we use quantifiers for the comparative degree of an adjective such as (A bit, a little, a lot, far, much, a great deal, significantly, etc).

Example:

• My hostel is only marginally bigger than yours.
• She is a little more popular than her sister in their school.
• Australia is slightly smaller than Africa.

We don’t use quantifiers with superlative degrees of adjectives but there are certain phrases commonly used with the superlative degrees of comparison.

Degree of Comparison Example:

• In metropolitan cities, metros are by far the cheapest mode of transportation.
• Sanskrit is one of the oldest languages in the world.
• Siddhivinayak is the second richest temple in India.

Rule. 10. While changing the degree of comparison for the irregular adjectives, the word completely changes instead of adding ‘er’ or ‘est’.

Examples:

• She has little milk in the jar.
• She has less milk than he has.
• She has the least amount of milk.

The degree of adjectives, positive, comparative and superlative are given below in the list format. Candidates can go through the degrees of comparison list and download the PDF which also gives the rules of degrees of comparison.

Degrees Of Comparison List
Positive Degree	Comparative Degree	Superlative Degree
angry	angrier	angriest
able	abler	ablest
bad	worse	worst
bitter	bitterer	bitterest
big	bigger	biggest
bland	blander	blandest
black	blacker	blackest
bloody	bloodier	bloodiest
bold	bolder	boldest
blue	bluer	bluest
bossy	bossier	bossiest
brief	briefer	briefest
brave	braver	bravest
bright	brighter	brightest
busy	busier	busiest
beautiful	more beautiful	most beautiful
broad	broader	broadest
calm	calmer	calmest
chewy	chewier	chewiest
cheap	cheaper	cheapest
chubby	chubbier	chubbiest
clean	cleaner	cleanest
classy	classier	classiest
clear	clear	clearest
close	closer	closest
cloudy	cloudier	cloudiest
clever	cleverer	cleverest
clumsy	clumsier	clumsiest
cold	colder	coldest
coarse	coarser	coarsest
crazy	crazier	craziest
cool	cooler	coolest
creamy	creamier	creamiest
crispy	crispier	crispiest
creepy	creepier	creepiest
cruel	crueller	cruellest
curly	curly	curliest
crunchy	crunchier	crunchiest
cute	cuter	cutest
curvy	curvier	curviest
damp	damper	dampest
deadly	deadlier	deadliest
dark	darker	darkest
deep	deeper	deepest
dirty	dirtier	dirtiest
dry	drier	driest
dense	denser	densest
dull	duller	dullest
dusty	dustier	dustiest
dumb	dumber	dumbest
easy	easier	easiest
early	earlier	earliest
faint	fainter	faintest
fancy	fancier	fanciest
fair	fairer	fairest
far	further/farther	furthest/farthest
fat	fatter	fattest
fast	faster	fastest
few	fewer	fewest
filthy	filthier	filthiest
fine	finer	finest
fierce	fiercer	fiercest
flaky	flakier	flakiest
firm	firmer	firmest
fresh	fresher	freshest
flat	flatter	flattest
friendly	friendlier	friendliest
funny	funnier	funniest
fit	fitter	fittest
full	fuller	fullest
good	better	best
gentle	gentler	gentlest
grand	grander	grandest
gloomy	gloomier	gloomiest
greasy	greasier	greasiest
grave	graver	gravest
greedy	greedier	greediest
great	greater	greatest
guilty	guilter	guiltiest
gross	grosser	grossest
happy	happier	happiest
hairy	hairier	hairiest
hard	harder	hardest
handy	handier	handiest
healthy	healthier	healthiest
harsh	harsher	harshest
heavy	heavier	heaviest
hip	hipper	hippest
hungry	hungrier	hungriest
high	higher	highest
humble	humbler	humblest
hot	hotter	hottest
handsome	more handsome	most handsome
itchy	itchier	itchiest
icy	icier	iciest
juicy	juicier	juiciest
kind	kinder	kindest
lazy	lazier	laziest
large	larger	largest
likely	likelier	likeliest
late	later	latest
light	lighter	lightest
lively	livelier	liveliest
long	longer	longest
little (amount)	less	least
little (size)	littler	littlest
lovely	lovelier	loveliest
lonely	lonlier	loneliest
low	lower	lowest
loud	louder	loudest
many	more	most
mean	meaner	meanest
mad	madder	maddest
messy	messier	messiest
moist	moister	moistest
mild	milder	mildest
naughty	naughtier	naughtiest
narrow	narrower	narrowest
near	nearer	nearest
nasty	nastier	nastiest
new	newer	newest
neat	neater	neatest
nice	nicer	nicest
noisy	noisier	noisiest
needy	needier	neediest
oily	oilier	oiliest
odd	odder	oddest
old	older/elder	oldest/eldest
popular	more popular	most popular
polite	politer	politest
plain	plainer	plainest
poor	poorer	poorest
proud	prouder	proudest
pure	purer	purest
pretty	prettier	prettiest
quiet	quieter	quietest
quick	quicker	quickest
raw	rawer	rawest
rare	rarer	rarest
ripe	riper	ripest
rich	richer	richest
rough	rougher	roughest
roomy	roomier	roomiest
risky	riskier	riskiest
rusty	rustier	rustiest
rude	ruder	rudest
renowned	more renowned	most renowned
safe	safer	safest
sad	sadder	saddest
sane	saner	sanest
salty	saltier	saltiest
shallow	shallower	shallowest
scary	scarier	scariest
sharp	sharper	sharpest
short	shorter	shortest
shiny	shinier	shiniest
silly	sillier	silliest
shy	shyer	shyest
sincere	sincerer	sincerest
simple	simpler	simplest
sleepy	sleepier	sleepiest
skinny	skinnier	skinniest
slow	slower	slowest
slim	slimmer	slimmest
small	smaller	smallest
smart	smarter	smartest
smelly	smellier	smelliest
smooth	smoother	smoothest
smoky	smokier	smokiest
soon	sooner	soonest
soft	softer	softest
sorry	sorrier	sorriest
sore	sorer	sorest
sour	sourer	sourest
steep	steeper	steepest
spicy	spicier	spiciest
stingy	stingier	stingiest
strict	stricter	strictest
strange	stranger	strangest
sunny	sunnier	sunniest
strong	stronger	strongest
sweet	sweeter	sweetest
sweaty	sweatier	sweatiest
tall	taller	tallest
tasty	tastier	tastiest
thick	thicker	thickest
tan	tanner	tannest
thin	thinner	thinnest
tiny	tinier	tiniest
thirsty	thirstier	thirstiest
true	truer	truest
tough	tougher	toughest
ugly	uglier	ugliest
wealthy	wealthier	wealthiest
warm	warmer	warmest
weird	weirder	weirdest
weak	weaker	weakest
wet	wetter	wettest
wild	wilder	wildest
wide	wider	widest
worldly	worldlier	worldliest
wise	wiser	wisest
worthy	worthier	worthiest
windy	windier	windiest
young	younger	youngest

6) by placing ‘more’ and ‘most’ before the positive form
POSITIVE       COMPARATIVE                     SUPERLATIVE
active                  more active                            most active
attractive           more attractive                     most attractive
beautiful            more beautiful                      most beautiful
brilliant              more brilliant                       most brilliant
careful                more careful                          most careful
courageous        more courageous                 most courageous
cunning              more cunning                       most cunning
difficult               more difficult                       most difficult
famous                more famous                        most famous
faithful                more faithful                        most faithful
important            more important                  most important
proper                 more proper                          most proper
popular               more popular                        most popular
splendid              more splendid                      most splendid
suitable                more suitable                      most suitable
7) Some adjectives do not follow any of the rules explained earlier. They are compared irregularly. Here are
the different forms of such adjectives.
POSITIVE        COMPARATIVE                SUPERLATIVE
bad                    worse                                     worst
evil                     worse                                     worst
good                   better                                    best
ill                         worse                                    worst
far                       farther                                   farthest
well                     better                                    best
late                      later                                      latest (time)
late                       latter                                    last (position)
little                      less                                       least
much                    more                                    most
many                    more                                     most
old                         elder                                     eldest
4
Exercise
Rewrite the sentences given below using different degrees of comparison.
1. Shakespeare is the most famous of all writers in English.
2. Iron is more useful than any other metal.
3. I earn as much money as Ram.
4. China is larger than India.
5. Greenland is the largest island in the world.
6. Air is lighter than water.
7. I am taller than my brother.
8. Shyam is the strongest boy in the class.
Answers
1. No other writer in English is as famous as Shakespeare. / Shakespeare is greater than any other writer in
English.
2. No other metal is as useful as iron. / Iron is the most useful of all metals.
3. Ram does not earn more money than I do.
4. India is not as large as China.
5. Greenland is larger than any other island in the world. / No other island in the world is as large as
Greenland.
6. Water is not as light as air.
7. My brother is not as tall as I am.
8. Shyam is stronger than any other boy in the class. / No other boy in the class is as strong as Shyam.
Positive: – He is as wise as Solomon.
Comparative: – Solomon was not wiser than he is.
5
Positive: – Birds do not fly as fast as the aeroplane.
Comparative: – The aeroplane flies faster than birds.
Positive: – No other metal is as costly as gold
Comparative: – No other metal is costlier than gold
Superlative: – Gold is the costliest of all metals.
Positive: – Very few cities in India are as big as Mumbai.
Comparative: – Mumbai is bigger than most other cities in India
Superlative: – Mumbai is one of the biggest cities in India