RULES OF COMPARISON AND DEGREES
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| 1. Adjectives and adverbs have three degrees: positive, comparative, superlative. | tall -+ taller + tallest |
| 2. Positive degree is the base form. | She is tall. |
| 3. Comparative degree compares two. | She is taller than her sister, |
| 4. Superlative degree compares more than two. | She is the tallest girl in the class. |
| 5. Add "-er" and "-est" for most one-syllable adjectives. | fast faster fastest |
| 6. Add "more/ most" for long adjectives. | beautiful more beautiful + most beautiful |
| 7. Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y change to -ier, iest. | happy happier + happiest |
| 8. Irregular comparatives change form. | good -5 better -+ best / bad worse -i worst |
| 9. Some adverbs form comparisons with -er/est. | hard harder -i hardest |
| 10. Most adverbs use "more/most." | carefully + more carefully -s most carefully |
| 31. "Prefer...to" expresses preference. | I prefer tea to coffee. |
| 32. "Would rather...than" exp resses stro nger preference. | I would rather walk than drive. |
| 33. Use "superior/inferior to" instead of "than." | This product is superior to that one. |
| 34. "Junior/senior to" take "to," not "than." | He is junior to me in rank. |
| 35. Avoid wrong superlatives with two items. | X He is the best of the two. s/ He is the better of the two. |
| 36. Comparative of equality uses "as...as.'j | This dress is as expensive as that one. |
| 37. Adverbs in comparisons follow same rules. | She sings more beautifully than her sister. |
| 38. "Like" compares similarity between nouns. | He runs like a cheetah. |
| 39. "As" compares manner. | Do as I told you. |
| 40. Use "such...as" for similarity. | Such books as these are rare- |
| 11. Always use "than" in comparative degree. | She is taller than me. |
| 12. Don't use double comparatives. | X more better V better |
| 13, Don't use double superlatives. | X most easiest easiest |
| 14. Superlatives are preceded by "the." | the best, the worst |
| 15. Avoid comparing unlike things. | X Her car is faster than him. y/ Her car is faster than his car. |
| 16. use 'as....as" for equality. | She is as tall as her brother. |
| 17. Use "not as/so...as" for inequality. | She is not as tall as her brother. |
| 18. "Less...than" expresses weaker comparison. | This book is less interesting than that one. |
| 19. "More...than" expresses stronger comparison. | He is more intelligent than his classmates. |
| 20. "Much, far, very, a lot" intensify comparatives. | She is much taller than him. |
| 21. "Slightly, a little, a bit" soften comparatives. | She is a little taller than me. |
| 22. "By far" intensifies superlatives. | This is by far the best movie. |
| 23, Double comparatives show increase. | The more you read, the more you learn. |
| 24. Avoid mixing "more" with -er forms. | X more faster C faster |
| 25. "Elder/eldest" is used for family members. | My elder brother / my eldest sister |
| 26. "Older/oldest" is used generally. | He is older than me. |
| 27. "Latter" = second of two; "last" = final of many. | Of the two, the latter is better. |
| 28. "Former" first of two. | Of the two, the former is wiser. |
| 29. Avoid incomplete comparisons. | X She is better. 4/ She is better than me. |
| 30. Use parallel structure in comparisons. | She is smarter than he is tall. |
| 41. use "so...that" for result. | He was so tired that he slept instantly. |
| 42. "Too...to" shows impossibility. | She is too young to drive. |
| 43, "Enough to" shows sufficiency. | She is old enough to vote. |
| 44. Comparisons can be negative. | He is notsmarter than her. |
| 45. Comparisons can be positive. | He is as smart as her. |
| 46. Comparisons can be emphatic. | This is easily the best choice. |
| *47. Wrong use: X Most unique. (unique = absolute) | unique |
| *48. Wrong use: X More perfect. (perfect = absolute) | perfect |
| 49. Always compare things of the same kind. | Her essay is betterthan his essay. |
| 50. Mastering comparisons sharpens accuracy in writing. | Correct use = clarity. |