7: Making Comparisons

Key Concept 1

All adverbs that end in -ly form their comparative and superlative degrees with more and most regardless of the number of syllables.

Which word in the passage from "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" by Robert Herrick is an irregular superlative adjective?

best

Degrees of Adjectives: Comparative

worse, worse farther, further better, later less, more, more better

That autumn the knights experienced their (bad) defeat in many years. Which form of the adjective bad correctly completes the sentence?

worst

Degrees of Adjectives: Superlative

worst, worst farthest, furthest best, last or latest least, most, most best

Absolute Modifiers

A few modifiers cannot be used in comparisons because they are absolute in meaning; that is, their meanings are entirely contained in the positive degree. If, for example, one vase is priceless, another vase cannot be more priceless.

Key Concept 5

Avoid using absolute modifiers illogically in comparisons. Among the most common absolute modifiers are the words dead, entirely, eternal, fatal, final,identical, infinite, mortal, opposite, perfect, and unique. Rather than use words such a these in comparisons, try to find similar words whose meanings are not absolute.

Comparative

I am less talented than Sheila. Orange will be more conspicuous than blue. Both of these examples involve two people or things.

Which group of words in the passage The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell contains a logical comparison?

I have known David Garrick longer than you have

Examples 6

Illogical Corey runs faster than anyone on the team. Logical Corey runs faster than anyone else on the team. In the first example, Corey cannot be compared to all the members on the team because Corey is one of those people. Adding else separates Corey from the rest of the group.Omitting the words other or else results in illogical comparison. Something is unintentionally compared with itself.

Examples 7

Illogical This truth is more eternal than any other. Logical This truth is more enduring than any other. Illogical Your thesis is more unique than anyone else's. Logical Your thesis is more original than anyone else's.

Which sentence makes a logical comparison?

In 1990, Chicago had the tallest building of any other city.

Incorrect and Correct 1

Incorrect This is the most happiest day of my life. Correct This is the happiest day of my life. Incorrect My cold is worser today than it was yesterday. Correct My cold is worse today than it was yesterday.

In which sentence is the comparison in the correct form?

It is the tallest building in the world.

Which sentence makes a logical comparison?

Lee's office building is more comfortable than Rita's.

Regular Forms

Like verbs, adjectives and adverbs can be either regular or irregular. The number of syllables in regular modifiers determines how their degrees form. Use -er or more to form the comparative degree and -est or most to form the superlative degree of most one- and two-syllable modifiers.

Key Concept 6

Make sure that your sentences compare only items of a similar kind. Unbalanced The plants in this greenhouse are fresher than the greenhouse down the road. Correct The plants in this greenhouse are fresher than those in the greenhouse down the road. In the unbalanced example, the sentence illogically compares dissimilar things: a greenhouse with the plants in a greenhouse.

Real World Connection

Many job applications—as well as many jobs—require making oral and written comparisons. Compile a list of comparisons you may be required to make when applying for jobs or performing tasks such as interviewing, giving presentations, writing reports, and creating charts and graphs.

Key Concept 4

Note that a double comparison is a usage error caused by using both -er and more or both -est and most to form a regular modifier. A double comparison can also be created by adding any of these endings to an irregular modifier.

Examples 4

Note that the word bad is an adjective; badly is an adverb. Bad cannot be used as an adverb after an action verb. The children behaved badly.(Badly is an adverb.) The children felt bad about it.(Bad is an adjective.) Note also that good is an adjective; well can be used as an adjective or an adverb. Good cannot be used as an adverb after an action verb.

In which sentence is the comparison in the correct form?

Our city has the most beautiful skyscrapers in the world.

Using Comparative and Superlative Degrees

One basic, two-part rule covers the correct use of comparative and superlative forms: Use the comparative degree to compare two persons, places, or things. Use the superlative degree to compare three or more persons, places, or things.

Superlative

Orange is the most conspicuous color of all. I am the least talented person for this work. Both of these examples involve several people or things.

Degrees of Adjectives 1

Positive quick, pleasant, bad Comparative quicker, more pleasant, worse Superlative quickest, most pleasant, worst

Degrees of Adverbs 1

Positive slow, pleasantly, badly Comparative slower, more pleasantly, worse Superlative slowest, most pleasantly, worst

Which sentence contains the correct form of the adverb?

Skyscrapers today are built more quickly than before.

Key Concept 3

Some modifiers differ only in the positive degree. Bad, badly, and ill, for example, all have the same comparative and superlative forms (worse,worst).

Irregular Forms

Some modifiers that end in -y are regular, while others are irregular. Gray becomes grayer; lonely may become both lonelier and more lonely; but loudly becomes more loudly, not loudlier. Because several adjectives and adverbs form their comparative and superlative degrees in unpredictable ways, it is necessary to memorize them. The irregular comparative and superlative forms of certain adjectives and adverbs must be memorized.

Which sentence uses the modifier unique correctly?

The building's unique design surprised us.

Examples 5

The children felt good about it. (Good is an adjective.) The children behaved well. (Well is an adverb.) The children did not feel well after eating candy. (Well is an adjective.)

Recognizing Degrees of Comparison

The three degrees of comparison are the positive, the comparative, and the superlative. Both adjectives and adverbs are shown in each of the three degrees. The three different ways that the words change form: (1) with -er and -est, (2) with more and most, and (3) with entirely different words.

Which sentence uses the adjective infinite correctly?

The variations on the design are infinite.

Logical Comparisons

To write logical comparisons, make sure that you do not compare unrelated items or compare something with itself. Unbalanced A message conveyed by telephone is more private than a postcard. Correct A message conveyed by telephone is more private than one written on a postcard.

Key Concept 2

Use more and most to form the comparative and superlative degrees of all modifiers with three or more syllables.

Which sentence makes a logical comparison?

We thought Kelly's office was more colorful than any other office.

Other and Else in Comparisons

When comparing one of a group with the rest of the group, make sure that your sentence contains the word other or the word else. Illogical We thought the Grand Canyon was more beautiful than any national park we visited. Logical We thought the Grand Canyon was more beautiful than any other national park we visited. In the example, the Grand Canyon, which is one of the national parks, cannot be compared with all national parks. Adding other excludes the Grand Canyon from the rest of the national parks.

Even the weakest foot soldiers moved more quickly than armored knights. Place the underlined modifiers in the following order: positive degree, comparative degree, and superlative degree.

armored, more quickly, weakest

Degrees of Adjectives: Positive

bad, badly far(distance), far (extent) good, late, Little(amount) many, much, well

Examples 3

beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful generous, more generous, most generous Note that less and least can also be used to form the comparative and superlative degrees of most modifiers. soft, less soft, least softappetizing, less appetizing, least appetizing

Some old skyscrapers need repair, but this old building is in _____ condition than most. Which form of the word good correctly completes the sentence?

better

Which modifier can be used in the comparative degree?

bright

Examples 2

curtly, more curtly, most curtly shrewdly, more shrewdly, most shrewdly freely, more freely, most freelyabruptly, more abruptly, most abruptly happily, more happily, most happily

In the passage from Paradise Lost by John Milton, find the word that is being used in the superlative.

hugest

The enemy was _____ worried about the knights than about the archers. Which form of the irregular adverb little completes the sentence correctly?

less

Of all the applicants, Cindy is the _____ person for the job. Which form of the adjective qualified correctly completes the sentence?

most qualified

Charles could study many things, but he is thinking _____ about studying the Middle Ages. What form of the adverb seriously correctly completes the sentence?

most seriously

The knights could earn a reputation by participating in dangerous tournaments. What is the degree of the adjective dangerous in the sentence?

positive

Examples 1

smart, smarter, smartestfunny, funnier, funniestbrisk, more brisk, most briskspiteful, more spiteful, most spiteful