Degree of Adjectives: Types, Formation & List

Degree of Adjectives List Pdf! Welcome to our blog post on the fascinating world of degrees of adjectives! Adjectives play a crucial role in describing and comparing things, and understanding their different degrees is essential for effective communication. In this article, we’ll explore the types of degrees, and how they are formed, and provide you with a handy list of examples. Let’s dive in!

Before going towards our discussion of what exactly is the comparative and superlative adjective, let us discuss what exactly is an adjective.

What is an Adjective?

In linguistics, an adjective (abbreviated adj.) is a word that modifies a noun or noun phrase or describes its referent. Adjectives describe or modify—that is, they limit or restrict the meaning of—nouns and pronouns. Words like small, blue, and sharp are descriptive, and they are all examples of adjectives.

What is the Degree of Adjective?

In English grammar, adjectives can be classified according to their degree, which refers to the level or intensity of a quality or attribute being described.

The degree of adjectives is sometimes called the degree of comparison.

Types of Degree of Adjectives

The three degrees of adjectives are:

Positive degree: The positive degree of an adjective is the simplest form, used to describe a quality without any comparison. It is used when no comparison is made between two or more things. For example:

  • “She is a talented singer.”
  • “He has a big house.”

Comparative degree: The comparative degree is used when we want to compare two things or qualities. It is formed by adding “-er” to most one- or two-syllable adjectives, or by using “more” with most adjectives of three or more syllables. For example:

  • “She is taller than her sister.”
  • “This book is more interesting than the previous one.”

Superlative degree: The superlative degree is used when we want to compare three or more things or qualities. It is formed by adding “-est” to most one- or two-syllable adjectives, or by using “most” with most adjectives of three or more syllables. For example:

  • “She is the tallest girl in the class.”
  • “That is the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen.”

It’s important to note that some irregular adjectives have different forms in comparative and superlative degrees. For example:

  • “Good” (positive), “better” (comparative), “best” (superlative)
  • “Bad” (positive), “worse” (comparative), “worst” (superlative)

These degrees of adjectives allow us to express a range of comparisons and distinctions in our descriptions.

Formation of a Superlative and Comparative

1. To form a degree of a single syllable adjective we will add ‘-er’ to make comparative and for superlative we can add ‘-est’.

Positive Degree Comparative Degree Superlative Degree
Tall Taller Tallest
High Higher Highest
Strong Stronger Strongest

Note: Sometimes this rule also applies to disyllable adjectives.

Positive Degree Comparative Degree Superlative Degree
Easy Easier Easiest
Happy Happier Happiest
Clever Cleverer Cleverest
Early Earlier Earliest

2. To make a Comparative degree of Adjectives have two or more than two syllables we can add ‘more’ and most for superlative.

Positive Degree Comparative Degree Superlative Degree
Careful More Careful Most Careful
Expensive More Expensive Most Expensive
Difficult More Difficult Most Difficult
Tired More Tired Most Tired

Irregular Comparative and Superlatives

There are no specific rules to make degrees for such adjectives.

Positive Degree Comparative Degree Superlative Degree
Bad Worse Worst
Good Better Best
Little Less Least
Many More Most
Much More Most
Far (place) Farther Farthest
Far (people or time) Further furthest
Old (people) Elder Eldest
Old (people or things) Older Oldest

List of Degree of Adjectives

Below is the list of degrees of adjectives. By exploring the positive, comparative, and superlative degrees, we can effectively express the nuances of different attributes and make meaningful distinctions in our descriptions.

Angry Angrier Angriest
Bad Worse Worst
Big Bigger Biggest
Bitter Bitterer Bitterest
Black Blacker Blackest
Bland Blander Blandest
Bloody Bloodier Bloodiest
Blue Bluer Bluest
Bold Bolder Boldest
Bossy Bossier Bossiest
Brave Braver Bravest
Brief Briefer Briefest
Bright Brighter Brightest
Broad Broader Broadest
Busy Busier Busiest
Calm Calmer Calmest
Cheap Cheaper Cheapest
Chewy Chewier Chewiest
Chubby Chubbier Chubbiest
Classy Classier Classiest
Clean Cleaner Cleanest
Clear Clearer Clearest
Clever Cleverer Cleverest
Close Closer Closest
Cloudy Cloudier Cloudiest
Clumsy Clumsier Clumsiest
Coarse Coarser Coarsest
Cold Colder Coldest
Cool Cooler Coolest
Crazy Crazier Craziest
Creamy Creamier Creamiest
Creepy Creepier Creepiest
Crispy Crispier Crispiest
Cruel Crueler Cruelest
Crunchy Crunchier Crunchiest
Curly Curlier Curliest
Curvy Curvier Curviest
Cute Cuter Cutest
Damp Damper Dampest
Dark Darker Darkest
Deadly Deadlier Deadliest
Dear Dearer Dearest
Deep Deeper Deepest
Dense Denser Densest
Difficult More difficult Most difficult
Dirty Dirtier Dirtiest
Dry Drier Driest
Dull Duller Dullest
Dumb Dumber Dumbest
Dusty Dustier Dustiest

 

Early Earlier Earliest
Easy Easier Easiest
Empty Emptier Emptiest
Faint Fainter Faintest
Fair Fairer Fairest
Famous More famous Most famous
Fancy Fancier Fanciest
Far Farther/further Farthest/furthest
Fast Faster Fastest
Fat Fatter Fattest
Few Fewer Fewest
Fierce Fiercer Fiercest
Filthy Filthier Filthiest
Fine Finer Finest
Firm Firmer Firmest
Fit Fitter Fittest
Flaky Flakier Flakiest
Flat Flatter Flattest
Foolish More foolish Most foolish
Fresh Fresher Freshest
Friendly Friendlier Friendliest
Full Fuller Fullest
Funny Funnier Funniest
Gentle Gentler Gentlest
Gloomy Gloomier Gloomiest
Good Better Best
Grand Grander Grandest
Grave Graver Gravest
Greasy Greasier Greasiest
Great Greater Greatest
Greedy Greedier Greediest
Green Greener Greenest
Gross Grosser Grossest
Guilty Guiltier Guiltiest
Hairy Hairier Hairiest
Handy Handier Handiest
Happy Happier Happiest
Hard Harder Hardest
Harsh Harsher Harshest
Healthy Healthier Healthiest
High Higher Highest
Hip Hipper Hippest
Humble Humbler Humblest
Hungry Hungrier Hungriest
Icy Icier Iciest
Itchy Itchier Itchiest
Juicy Juicier Juiciest
Kind Kinder Kindest
Large Larger Largest
Late Later Latest
Light Lighter Lightest
Likely Likelier Likeliest
Little Littler Littlest
Lively Livelier Liveliest
Lonely Lonelier Loneliest
Long Longer Longest
Loud Louder Loudest
Lovely Lovelier Loveliest
Low Lower Lowest
Mad Madder Maddest
Many More Most
Mean Meaner Meanest
Messy Messier Messiest
Mild Milder Mildest
Moist Moister Moistest

 

Narrow Narrower Narrowest
Nasty Nastier Nastiest
Naughty Naughtier Naughtiest
Near Nearer Nearest
Neat Neater Neatest
Needy Needier Neediest
New Newer Newest
Nice Nicer Nicest
Noisy Noisier Noisiest
Odd Odder Oddest
Oily Oilier Oiliest
Old Older Oldest
Plain Plainer Plainest
Polite Politer Politest
Poor Poorer Poorest
Popular More popular Most popular
Pretty Prettier Prettiest
Proud Prouder Proudest
Quick Quicker Quickest
Quiet Quieter Quietest
Rare Rarer Rarest
Raw Rawer Rawest
Renowned More renowned Most renowned
Rich Richer Richest
Ripe Riper Ripest
Risky Riskier Riskiest
Roomy Roomier Roomiest
Rough Rougher Roughest
Rude Ruder Rudest
Rusty Rustier Rustiest
Sad Sadder Saddest
Safe Safer Safest
Salty Saltier Saltiest
Sane Saner Sanest
Scary Scarier Scariest
Shallow Shallower Shallowest
Sharp Sharper Sharpest
Shiny Shinier Shiniest
Short Shorter Shortest
Shy Shyer Shyest
Silly Sillier Silliest
Simple Simpler Simplest
Sincere Sincerer Sincerest
Skinny Skinnier Skinniest
Sleepy Sleepier Sleepiest
Slim Slimmer Slimmest
Slimy Slimier Slimiest
Slow Slower Slowest
Small Smaller Smallest
Smart Smarter Smartest
Smelly Smellier Smelliest
Smoky Smokier Smokiest
Smooth Smoother Smoothest
Soft Softer Softest
Soon Sooner Soonest
Sore Sorer Sorest
Sorry Sorrier Sorriest
Sour Sourer Sourest
Spicy Spicier Spiciest
Steep Steeper Steepest
Stingy Stingier Stingiest
Strange Stranger Strangest
Strict Stricter Strictest
Strong Stronger Strongest
Sunny Sunnier Sunniest
Sunny Sunnier Sunniest
Sweaty Sweatier Sweatiest
Sweet Sweeter Sweetest
Tall Taller Tallest
Tan Tanner Tannest
Tasty Tastier Tastiest
Thick Thicker Thickest
Thin Thinner Thinnest
Thirsty Thirstier Thirstiest
Tiny Tinier Tiniest
Tough Tougher Toughest
True Truer Truest
Ugly Uglier Ugliest
Warm Warmer Warmest
Weak Weaker Weakest
Wealthy Wealthier Wealthiest
Weird Weirder Weirdest
Wet Wetter Wettest
Wide Wider Widest
Wild Wilder Wildest
Windy Windier Windiest
Wise Wiser Wisest
Worldly More worldly Most worldly
Worthy Worthier Worthiest
Young Younger Youngest

Correct Use of Degree of Adjectives

List of common errors in the use of adjectives:

  • Incorrect: He is a taller boy.
  • Correct: He is a tall boy.
  • Incorrect: She is my older sister.
  • Correct: She is my elder sister.
  • Incorrect: He lost a few friends he had.
  • Correct: He lost the few friends he had.
  • Incorrect: I have few books.
  • Correct: I have a few books.
  • Incorrect: He is a taller boy in the class.
  • Correct: He is the tallest boy in the class.
  • Incorrect: This book is inferior than that.
  • Correct: This book is inferior to that.
  • Incorrect: I have spilt little milk I had.
  • Correct: I have spilt the little milk I had.
  • Incorrect: Iqbal is greater than any poet.
  • Correct: Iqbal is greater than any other poet.
  • Incorrect: Little money is better than no money.
  • Correct: A little money is better than no money.
  • Incorrect: He gave me fullest reply.
  • Correct: He gave me full reply.
  • Incorrect: He is the eldest in the colony.
  • Correct: He is the oldest in the colony.
  • Incorrect: I have less books than Ali.
  • Correct: I have fewer books than Ali.
  • Incorrect: This cloth touches roughly.
  • Correct: This cloth touches rough.
  • Incorrect: Ali is the better singer in the town.
  • Correct: Ali is the best singer in the town.
  • Incorrect: He is more intelligent of all the students.
  • Correct: Ali is the most intelligent of all the students.
  • Incorrect: My hat is better than you.
  • Correct: My hat is better than yours.
  • Incorrect: There is still any milk in the jug.
  • Correct: There is still some milk in the jug.
  • Incorrect: He has most perfect features.
  • Correct: He has perfect features.
  • Incorrect: Lahore is further than Karachi.
  • Correct: Lahore is farther than Karachi.
  • Incorrect: I have no farther comments to make.
  • Correct: I have no further comments to make.
  • Incorrect: He did not give me some book.
  • Correct: He did not give me any book.
  • Incorrect: The later part of the story is interesting.
  • Correct: The latter part of the story is interesting.
  • Incorrect: Sorry, I have a few friends.
  • Correct: Sorry, I have few friends.
  • Incorrect: No less than ten came.
  • Correct: No fewer than ten came.
  • Incorrect: Health is more preferable to wealth.
  • Correct: Health is preferable to wealth.
  • Incorrect: My name was the latest on the list.
  • Correct: My name was the last on the list.
  • Incorrect: Iqbal is better of all poets.
  • Correct: Iqbal is the best of all poets.
  • Incorrect: Please give me little sugar.
  • Correct: Please give me a little sugar.
  • Incorrect: She is clever than you.
  • Correct: She is more clever than you.
  • Incorrect: The rotten eggs smell badly.
  • Correct: The rotten eggs smell bad.

Infographics (Degree of Adjectives)

Degree of adjectives list

Degree of adjectives list

Degree of adjectives list

formation of superlative and comparative

Degree of adjectives list

Correct use of degrees of adjectives

Correct use of degrees of adjectives

Download PDF

2 Comments

  1. Visit Website
  2. Ekonomia Portal