You might know that adjectives are words that modify a noun or a pronoun, therefore adjectives are called modifiers in English. Sometimes modifiers are used to compare two or more people, things, actions, or qualities. This is called three degrees of adjectives, In this article, we will provide you with rules to know to form and use all three degrees of adjectives correctly.

Also Read:

• Three Degrees of Adjectives Exercises With Answers
• 10 Kinds of Adjective in English

Three Degrees of Adjectives

1. The Positive Degree
The positive degree of an adjective makes no comparison.

• A tall building.
• She runs fast.
• This is a beautiful car.

2. The Comparative Degree
The comparative degree compares two people, things, actives, or qualities.

• A taller building than this one.
• She runs faster than I do.
• This car is more beautiful than yours.

3. The Superlative Degree
The superlative degree compares a person, thing, activity, or quality with the group.

• The tallest building in the town.
• She is the fastest runner among the students.
• This is the most beautiful car I have ever seen.

Rules for making comparatives and superlatives

One syllable adjectives.
1. Form the comparative and superlative forms of a one-syllable adjective by adding –er for the comparative form and –est for the superlative.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
tall	taller	tallest
old	older	oldest
short	shorter	shortest

2. If the one-syllable adjective ends with an –e, just add –r for the comparative form and –st for the superlative form.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
large	larger	largest
wise	wiser	wisest
wide	wider	widest

3. If the one-syllable adjective ends with a single consonant with a vowel before it, double the consonant and add –er for the comparative form and double the consonant and add –est for the superlative form.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
thin	thinner	thinnest
big	bigger	biggest
sad	sadder	saddest

Two-syllable adjectives
1. With most two-syllable adjectives, you form the comparative with more and the superlative with most.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
peaceful	more peaceful	most peaceful
careless	more careless	most careless
famous	more famous	most famous

2. If the two-syllable adjectives ending with –y, change the y to “i” and add –er for the comparative form, and for the superlative form change the “y” to “i” and add –est.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
pretty	prettier	prettiest
happy	happier	happiest
angry	angrier	angriest

3. Two-syllable adjectives ending in –er, -le, or –ow take –er for the comparative form and –est to for the superlative form.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
clever	cleverer	cleverest
narrow	narrower	narrowest
gentle	gentler	gentlest

Adjectives with three or more syllables.
For adjectives with three syllables or more, you form the comparative with more and the superlative with most.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
beautiful	more beautiful	most beautiful
convenient	more convenient	most convenient
comfortable	more comfortable	most comfortable

Exceptions:
Some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Good	better	best
bad	worse	worst
many	more	most
much	more	most
well	better	best
far	farther	farthest/furthest
little	less	least

Note: Two-syllable adjectives that follow two rules. These adjectives can be used with -er and -est and with more and most.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
simple	simpler/more simple	simplest/most simple
clever	cleverer/more clever	cleverest/most clever
gentle	gentler/more gentle	gentlest/most gentle
quiet	quieter/more quiet	quietest/most quiet

Common Mistakes With Comparisons 
1. Avoid making a double comparison.

• After dinner, the orchestra began playing a series of more livelier melodies. (Incorrect)
• After dinner, the orchestra began playing a series of more lively melodies.  (Correct)
• After dinner, the orchestra began playing a series of livelier melodies. (Correct)

2. Some adjectives are “absolute” and cannot be compared.
“ Absolute” Adjectives: first, last, equal and unique are adjective which cannot be compared.

• This is a unique bike. (Correct)
• This is a unique than your. (Incorrect)

3. Make sure that the items being compared are truly comparable. If not, reword as necessary.

• The tropical fish found in the Caribbean are less colorful and varied than the South Pacific.  (Incorrect)
• The tropical fish found in the Caribbean are less colorful and varied than the fish found in the South Pacific. (Correct)

When you learned about three degrees of adjectives then attempt the exercises of this lesson.