Adjectives and Degrees of Comparison
An adjective describes a noun or pronoun. In competitive exams, adjectives are frequently tested through comparison, degree, word choice and sentence correction.
1. Three degrees
| Degree | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | No comparison | strong |
| Comparative | Comparison of two | stronger |
| Superlative | Highest degree among more than two | strongest |
2. Forming comparisons
Short adjectives may form comparative and superlative forms with -er/-est, while longer adjectives commonly use more/most. The source notes give forms such as strong–stronger–strongest, happy–happier–happiest and beautiful–more beautiful–most beautiful.
3. Never double the comparative or superlative
4. Adjectives that take “to”
The source notes highlight senior, junior, superior, inferior, prior, anterior, posterior, exterior, preferable, elder as taking to in the listed comparison patterns rather than “than”.
5. Elder/eldest versus older/oldest
The supplied rule distinguishes family relationships from general comparison: elder/eldest are used for members of the same family, while older/oldest are used for persons or things more generally.
6. Words listed as non-gradable
The notes list words such as perfect, ideal, full, chief, unique, complete, infinite, extreme, entire, universal, empty, impossible, unanimous, square as not admitting variation of degrees.
7. As + adjective + as
The supplied notes state that the positive degree is used in the pattern as + adjective + as.
8. Adjectives after verbs of sensation
The source notes use verbs such as look and taste to illustrate that an adjective can describe the subject’s state after a verb of sensation.
9. Comparing two nouns correctly
When the same noun is omitted in the second part of a comparison, the source notes use that for a singular noun and those for a plural noun.