Study the following sentences
a) Deepika is a clever girl
b) Deepika is cleverer than Sravani
c) Deepika is the cleverest of all the girls in the class
In the above sentences, the adjective 'clever' is used in three degrees to show the comparison. They are;
1. Positive Degree
2. Comparative Degree
3. Superlative Degree
★ Positive Degree is used to denote the existence of some quality. Here no comparison is made.
Mahesh is a handsome hero.
Akbar was a great emperor.
★ We use 'Comparative Degree' when there is a difference in respect of some quality between two
persons, places or things.
Ooty is cooler than Chennai. Virat Kohli is better than most other Indian batsmen.
★ When comparison is made among more than two persons, places or things we use 'Superlative Degree'.
It refers to the highest degree of quality.
Burj Khalifa is the tallest tower in the world.
Bahubali is the highest grosser of Telugu movies till date.
Interchange of Degrees of Comparison
Model Positive Comparative Superlative
I Visakhapatnam is not as Hyderabad is bigger than (Superlative Degree is not
big as Hyderabad Visakhapatnam possible here as the
comparison is made only
between two items)
II The rose is at least as The lily is not more
beautiful as the lily beautiful than the rose
III No other metal is as Lead is heavier than any Lead is the heaviest metal
heavy as lead other metal
IV Very few singers in India K.J.Yesudas is greater than K.J.Yesudas is one of
are as great as most other singers in India the greatest singers in India
K.J.Yesudas
