Degrees of Comparison In this video “English Grammar” is discussed about Degrees of Comparison (Degrees of Comparison) or Comparison of Adjectives (Comparison of Adjectives) or Degree in English Grammar (Degree in English Grammar).

 

Degrees of Comparison

In the English language, a degree of comparison is a form of adjective that is used to compare a person or thing possessing the same quality with another. It is related to the adjective or adverb in a sentence. The Collins Dictionary defines the ‘degree of comparison’ as “the listing of the positive, comparative, and superlative forms of an adjective or adverb.” In other words, it can be said that one can use the degree of comparison to make a comparison between nouns having comparable quality or qualities.

The Three Degrees of Comparison in English Grammar

As you have already seen, the degrees of comparison are used to make comparisons. In English grammar, there are three degrees of comparison and they are,

• Positive Degree of Comparison
• Comparative Degree of Comparison
• Superlative Degree of Comparison

Let us now look at each of the above-mentioned degrees of comparison in detail.

Positive Degree of Comparison

The positive degree of comparison is basically the original form of the adjective. This degree does not allow you to make any comparison. It only gives the audience the information about a particular quality possessed by a noun.

For example:

• Lisa is happy.
• This dress is pretty.
• He looks handsome.
• Meena is tired.
• The sun is bright.

Comparative Degree of Comparison

The comparative degree of comparison is used to compare between two nouns that have the same quality or the particular quality of a noun at two different times. It shows which one of the two has the greater or lesser degree of the particular quality being referred to.

For example:

• Tina looks sadder than Katie.
• This bed is more comfortable than the other bed.
• The sun is brighter than yesterday.
• Your hair is longer than hers.
• My brother is taller than me.

Superlative Degree of Comparison

The superlative degree of comparison is the highest degree of comparison. It is used to compare the similar qualities shared by more than two nouns. It shows which of these nouns being compared has the greatest or least degree of the mentioned quality or qualities.

For example:

• We climbed the highest mountain.
• The last group was the best of all.
• The Himalayas are the longest mountain ranges.
• Sanjana is the tallest girl in our gang.
• Adharsh is the most silent boy in class.

 

How Do You Use Degrees of Comparison? – Rules and Points to Remember

Like every other grammatical component in English, there are some rules and points you will have to remember when using the degrees of comparison. Take a look at the following.

• The first thing that you should remember about degrees of comparison is that they are used to compare adjectives and adverbs.
• The positive degree of comparison is the base form of the adjective or adverb and does not allow any comparison.
• The comparative degree of comparison is used to compare two nouns that possess or do not possess the same qualities. It is mostly indicated by the addition of ‘-er’ to the end of the adjective.
• The comparative degree of comparison is always indicated by the addition of ‘than’ after the comparative form of the adjective.
• The superlative degree of comparison is used to show which of the nouns possess the greatest or least of the quality or qualities. It is indicated by the use of the article ‘the’ before the adjective and the addition of ‘-est’ to the end of the adjective.
• Make sure you retain the adjuncts that are there in the sentence when you are using the comparative or superlative degree of comparison.

 

Details about Degrees of Comparison – English Grammar :

 

Subject Verb Agreement Its classes are divided into two phases. The purpose of these classes is mainly to help the contestants of competitive exams (eg BCS preparation, university admission classes or university admission preparation classes) in English subject preparation. However, this lesson will also help those who are English grammar learners in other classes. Our lessons will help you improve your English at any moment of your life.

 

Subject Verb Agreement

The term ‘subject-verb agreement’, just like the name suggests, refers to the agreement between the subject and the verb. This is mainly with reference to singular and plural nouns/pronouns that act as subjects. According to the Collins Dictionary, “concord refers to the way that a word has a form appropriate to the number or gender of the noun or pronoun it relates to. For example, in ‘She hates it’, there is concord between the singular form of the verb and the singular pronoun ‘she’.”

The general rule of subject-verb agreement according to Garner’s Modern English Usage is “to use a plural verb with a plural subject, a singular verb with a singular subject. This rule holds true for most cases. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Check out the next section to learn how verbs have to be conjugated in order to agree with the subject.

 

Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement with Examples

The concept of subject-verb concord matters the most when using the present tenses. The simple past and simple future tenses have the same verbs used irrespective of the subject in the sentence. Knowing and following the rules of subject-verb agreement will help you write error-free sentences. Go through the following rules and also go through the examples to understand how each rule is applied.

Rule 1

The first rule is what we have already discussed – the use of a singular verb with a singular subject and a plural verb with a plural subject. The subject can be a noun, a pronoun or even a noun phrase. If it is a pronoun, the subject-verb agreement is done with reference to the person of the pronoun.

For example:

• Rachel spends her free time listening to music. (Singular subject with singular verb)
• Blaine and Kurt play the piano. (Plural subject with plural verb)
• She likes to have a dessert after every meal. (Third person singular pronoun with singular subject)

Rule 2

When using the ‘be’ form of verbs, there is an exception. In this case, the verb is used according to the number and person of the subject. Check out the following table to see how it works with different pronouns.

 

 

Person	Pronoun	Verb	Example
First person singular	I	am	I am confident.
First person plural	We	are	We are confident.
Second person singular/plural	You	are	You are confident.
Third person singular	He	is	He is confident.
	She	is	She is confident.
	It	is	It is amazing.
Third person plural	They	are	They are confident.

Furthermore, when used with other nouns and noun phrases, the rule applies. The same works even with simple past, present continuous and past continuous tenses when the ‘be’ form of verbs are used as the principal verb/helping verb. Check out the following examples to understand.

• Santana is a singer.
• The girls are waiting for you.
• We were happy with the review of our first movie.
• Michael Jackson’s songs are still enjoyed by millions.
• I was reading the latest book by Rudyard Kipling.

Rule 3

The use of ‘have’ and ‘has’ in the present perfect tense, the present perfect continuous tense and as a main verb is also dependent on the subject. All singular subjects use ‘has’ and all plural subjects use ‘have’.

For example:

• I have a younger brother.
• You have taken the wrong cut.
• Swetha has a pet dog.
• William Shakespeare has written around 37 plays.
• Finn has been waiting to talk to you about the test results.

 

 

Rule 4

Compound subjects combined using the conjunction ‘and’ take a plural verb.

For example:

• Krish and Radha are on their way to the airport.
• Caren, Sheela and Akash have completed their assessments.

Rule 5

When more than one noun is joined by the conjunction ‘or’, the subject is considered to be singular and a singular verb is used.

For example:

• Celery or spring onion works fine.
• Your mom or dad has to be here in an hour.

Rule 6

Sentences with pronouns such as anybody, anyone, no one, somebody, someone, everybody, everyone, nothing and nobody are treated as singular subjects and will therefore use a singular verb.

For example:

• Nobody has understood anything.
• Everyone was happy with the outcome.
• Nothing fits me well.
• No one finds the movie interesting.

Rule 7

For sentences using ‘either..or’ and ‘neither..nor’, the verb should agree with the noun or pronoun that comes just before it.

For example:

• Neither Ricky nor Gina is here yet.
• Either the teacher or the students have to take an initiative to keep the classroom clean.
• Neither the children nor their parents are aware of the consequences.

Rule 8

When sentences have subjects like police, news, scissors, mathematics, etc. (nouns that are plural by default), the verb used should be plural.

For example:

• The news of demonetisation shocks the entire nation.
• The police have been looking for the culprits.

 

 

Rule 9

When a negative sentence is written, the ‘do’ verb is used and it has to match the subject.

For example:

• The children do not like working out trigonometry problems.
• My father does not work at the bank anymore.

Rule 10

Interrogative sentences also take the help of the ‘do’ verb. As far as the subject-verb agreement of interrogative sentences is concerned, the first verb (‘be’ verb or ‘do’ verb) has to be aligned with the subject of the sentence.

For example:

• Do you read thriller novels?
• Doesn’t she know you already?
• Is Tina happy with the new house?
• Were you looking for me?
• Has Sharon submitted her final project yet?

Rule 11

When you have sentences that begin with ‘here’, ‘there’, ‘this’, ‘that’, ‘those’, ‘these’, etc., always remember that the subject follows the verb and therefore the verb has to be conjugated with reference to the subject.

For example:

• Here is your book.
• There lies your shirt.
• That was a great movie.
• There have been many changes in the timetable.

Rule 12

Abstract nouns and uncountable nouns are considered as singular subjects, so make sure you use a singular verb along with it.

For example:

• Honesty is the best policy.
• Love makes people do crazy things.
• Good friendship keeps your mind and body healthy.

Rule 13

When the subject refers to a period of time, distance or a sum of money, use a singular verb.

For example:

• 1267 kilometres is too long for us to travel in half a day.
• 10 years is not considered optimum to go on the water slide.
• Don’t you think 1000 rupees is a little too much for a portrait?

 

 

Rule 14

The next rule is based on the use of collective nouns as subjects. Remember that when you have a collective noun as the subject of the sentence, the verb can be singular or plural based on the sentence and the context.

For example:

• My family is settled in Australia.
• All groups of participants have arrived.

Rule 15

In sentences that have adjectives such as ‘all’, ‘a lot of’, ‘lots of’ or ‘some’ are used along with nouns to form a phrase that acts as the subject of the sentence, the verb is used according to the noun just before it.

For example:

• All of my dresses have become tight.
• A lot of food is left out.
• Some of the books are torn and damaged.

Rule 16

When a sentence begins with ‘each’ or ‘every’ as the subject, it is considered singular and so the verb has to be singular too.

For example:

• Each student has been asked to provide a consent letter.
• Every teacher, parent and student is expected to work together.

Rule 17

When you are using a sentence to express a wish or a sentence expressing a request, verbs are used a little differently from other sentences.

For example:

• I wish I were a bird.
• If you were here, I would not be sad.
• We request that everyone make their choices now.

Furthermore, go through the article on tenses to learn how verbs are conjugated according to the tense of the sentence.

 

Details about Subject Verb Agreement – English Grammar :

 

Modal Verbs The purpose of these classes is mainly to help the contestants of competitive exams (eg BCS preparation, university admission classes or university admission preparation classes) in English subject preparation. However, this lesson will also help those who are English grammar learners in other classes. Our lessons will help you improve your English at any moment of your life.

 

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are helping verbs that are used along with main verbs to represent the ability, possibility and probability of a subject to do an action and emphasise the necessity of an action.

 

Examples of Modal Verbs

Let us look at some examples of modal verbs used as auxiliary verbs and their functions.

Modal Verb	Function
Can	Used to denote the ability of the subject to perform an action or to request permission to perform an action
Could	Used to denote the ability of the subject to perform an action or an offer made by the subject to perform an action
May	Used to denote the probability of an action taking place or to request permission to perform an action
Might	Used to denote the probability of an action taking place or to make suggestions
Will	Used to denote the surety of an action taking place or the assurance of the subject to perform a particular action
Would	Used to show politeness when requesting or asking if an action can be done by the subject.
Shall	Used to denote the surety of an action taking place or the assurance of the subject to perform a particular action
Should	Used to denote the necessity of an action to be done by the subject
Must	Used to denote the strong obligation or necessity for the subject to do or not do an action
Ought to	Used to denote the obligation of the subject to perform a particular action

How to Use Modal Verbs in Sentences

Given below are a few examples of how modal verbs can be used to indicate the possibility or probability of an action taking place.

• It might rain in the evening.
• I think they will reach Coimbatore by 8 pm.
• Can you pick up my brother from school on your way home tomorrow?
• I could make some time to help you with your assignments.
• Your friends may come to visit you next week.
• It would not be possible for you to complete all of it by tomorrow evening.

Here are some examples of modal verbs being used to show the necessity and obligation of the subject to perform a particular set of actions.

• All students of this institution ought to abide by the rules and instructions provided.
• All employees should follow the dress code strictly.
• You must get yourself checked before the situation becomes worse.
• Your sister will have to apply for a leave request if she wants to take a month’s leave.

 

 

Modal verbs can be used to make offers, suggestions and requests. Check out the examples given below for know-how.

• It would be better if you did it the other way.
• I could help you if you want.
• Shall I bring you some water to drink?
• Could you please pass me the science record?
• Will you please take care of my son for an hour? I have some grocery shopping to be done.

 

Details about Modal Verbs – English Grammar :

 

What is Article this class is mainly designed to prepare Bengali speaking candidates who are willing to participate in competitive exams (eg BCS preparation, university entrance classes or university entrance preparation classes) in English subject. However, this lesson will also help those who are English grammar learners in other classes. Our lessons will help you improve your English at any moment of your life.

 

What is Article

An article is a short monosyllabic word that is used to define if the noun is specific or not. Articles are normally used before nouns and since they are used to speak about the noun, they can be considered as adjectives.

Look at how various dictionaries define an article to have a much clearer idea of what they are.

 

Definition of an Article

An article, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is defined as “any of a small set of words or affixes (such as a, an, and the) used with nouns to limit or give definiteness to the application.” According to the Collins Dictionary, “an article is a kind of determiner. In English, ‘a’ and ‘an’ are called the indefinite article, and ‘the’ is called the definite article.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines an article as “a type of determiner (=word used before a noun) that shows whether you are referring to a particular thing or to a general example of something. The indefinite article is ‘a’ or ‘an’ and the definite article is ‘the’.”

Types of Articles

There are three articles in English – ‘a’, ‘an’ and ‘the’. These articles are divided into two types namely:

• Definite Article
• Indefinite Article

Definite Article

Among the three articles, ‘the’ is said to be the definite article. A definite article is used to determine something that is specific or particular. It is also used before plural nouns and to indicate the superlative degree of comparison. Furthermore, it can be used before collective nouns as well.

 

 

For example:

• The Sun sets in the west.

In the above sentence, the nouns ‘Sun’ and ‘west’ are proper nouns and are specific and so the definite article has to be used.

• The children are playing cricket.

In the above sentence, the definite article is used to determine the plural noun, ‘children’.

• This is the world’s longest river.

In the above sentence, the definite article is used to denote the superlative degree of comparison.

• The crowd sang along with the band.

In the above sentence, the definite article is used before the collective nouns, ‘crowd’ and ‘band’.

 

Indefinite Article

The articles ‘an’ and ‘an’ are termed as indefinite articles. An indefinite article, as the name suggests, is used to indicate something that is not definite or specific. It can also be used before singular nouns.

Among the indefinite articles, ‘an’ is used before singular nouns that start with vowel sounds and ‘a’ is used before singular nouns that begin with consonant sounds.

For example:

• I had an apple for breakfast.
• Do you have an eraser?
• I saw an aeroplane.
• She has a pet dog.
• My father is a doctor.
• My brother gave me a calculator.

 

Details about What is Article – English Grammar :