Degree of Comparison – Comparative and Superlative Examples

Comparative adjectives are used to compare one noun to another noun and Superlative adjectives are used to compare three or more nouns.

Few adjectives and adverbs get their Comparative forms by simply getting “er” after them and their superlative terms, by getting “est” after them.

Adjectives – Comparative and Superlative

Positive Comparative Superlative
bold bolder boldest
bright brighter brightest
brave braver bravest
clever cleverer cleverest
dark darker darkest
fine finer finest
high higher highest
kind kinder kindest
large larger largest
small smaller smallest
sweet sweeter sweetest
strong stronger strongest
tall taller tallest
wise wiser wisest
white whiter whitest
young younger youngest




Adverbs- Comparative and Superlative

Positive Comparative Superlative
fast faster fastest
hard harder hardest
long longer longest
late later latest
loud louder loudest
soon sooner soonest




Adjectives (consonant+y)- Comparative and Superlative

If positive degree of adjective ends with consonant+y, then get their comparative forms by simply replacing ‘y’ with ‘i’ and appending “er” after them and their superlative terms, by appending “est” after them.

Positive Comparative Superlative
dry drier driest
easy easier easiest
happy happier happiest
heavy heavier heaviest
holy holier holiest
silly sillier silliest
pretty prettier prettiest
merry merrier merriest
wealthy wealthier wealthiest




Adverbs (-ly)- comparative and superlative

If positive degree of adverb ends with ‘ly’, then get their comparative forms by adding “more” before them and their superlative terms, by adding “most” before them.

Positive Comparative Superlative
beautifully more beautifully most beautifully
frequently more frequently most frequently
wisely more wisely most wisely
swiftly more swiftly most swiftly
carefully more carefully most carefully




Interchange of Positive, Comparative and Superlative Examples

Positive – No other city in india is so good as Pune.
Comparative – Pune is better than any other city in India.
Superlative – Pune is the best city in India.


Positive – No other student in the class is as good as he.
Comparative – He is better than any other student in the class.
Superlative – He is the best student in the class.


Positive – Very few world heritages are so beautiful as the Taj mahal.
Comparative – The Taj mahal is more beautiful than most other heritages on the earth.
Superlative – The Taj mahal is one of the most beautiful heritage on the earth.


Positive – Very few flowers are as beautiful as rose.
Comparative – Rose is more beautiful than most other flowers.
Superlative – Rose is one of the most beautiful flowers.


Positive – Some girls are at least as clever as she.
Comparative – She is not cleverer than some other girls.
Superlative – She is not the cleverest of all girls.