4. Go compare!

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As you have seen, this section is about comparison. In this section we are going to learn how comparative and superlative structures are in English and we are going to practise them. Let's start!

Read the following sentences:

1. John is tall.
2. Peter is taller than John.
3. Harry is the tallest of the three.

In sentence 1, the adjective tall merely says something about John’s height. It doesn’t state how tall John is. In
sentence 2, the adjective taller is used to compare John’s height with Peter’s height.
In sentence 3, the adjective tallest is used to compare Harry’s height with that of John and Peter.
We have thus seen that adjectives change in form to show comparison. These different forms of the adjective are
called the degrees of comparison.
In the examples given above, the adjective tall is said to be in the positive degree. The adjective taller is said to
be in the comparative degree and the adjective tallest is said to be in the superlative degree.

1. The positive degree of an adjective is the adjective in its simple form. It is used to denote the mere existence of
some quality. Adjectives in the positive degree are used when no comparison is made.
2. The comparative degree of an adjective shows a higher degree of the quality than the one that is present in the positive degree. It is used when 2 things or 2 sets of things are compared.

Peter is smarter than John.
Which of the 2 sisters is the prettier?
Apples are dearer than oranges.

3. The superlative degree of an adjective denotes the highest degree of the quality. It is used when more than 2
things or sets of things are compared.

Peter is the smartest boy in the class.
Iron is the most useful of all metals.
Alice is the prettiest girl in the neighborhood.

Source: http://www.englishgrammar.org/degrees-comparison/

Importante

Degrees of adjectives & ways of comparison: summary & structures

There are 3 degrees of adjectives:

1. Positive degree.

The adjective in its base form

E.g.: She is an intelligent person

2. Comparative degree. We use several different structures of comparing.

1. Comparative of inferiority:
  
  less + noun/adjective + than...
  
  E.g.: You have less money than I /She is less intelligent than he is
2. Comparative of equality:
  
  as + adjective/adverb/noun + as...
  
  E.g.: Please get here as soon as possible / You are as clever as your mum / She tried as many dishes as they did.
3. Comparative of superiority:
  
  more + noun/adjective/adverb + than... ; adjective/adverb ending in -er + than...
  
  E.g.: You earn more money than he / My husband is older than me / My sister is more intelligent than me / She speaks more slowly than me / He can run faster than she

3. Superlative degree.

(the) + most + adjective/adverb ; (the) + adjective/adverb ending in -est

E.g.: He is the most imaginative of them all / Mary is the tallest in the class / His accent is the worst in the class

Grammar

Talking about comparison: Similarity

To say that people, things or actions are similar in a way, we can use as and like. Adverbs such as too, also and as well can also be used. E.g.:

She looks just like her mother.
He fought like a lion.
He fought as a lion does.
The papers were late and the post was, too.

Structures such as so do I and neither do I can also be used. E.g.:

She doesn’t like meat, and neither do I.
She likes music, and so do I.

To say that people or things are identical in a way, we can use the same as. E.g.:

Her eyes are just the same color as mine.

To talk about differences, we use the negative forms of these structures.

She doesn’t look like her mother.

Her eyes are not the same color as yours.

Source: http://www.englishpractice.com/improve/talking-equality-inequality/

Talking about comparison: equality and inequality

To say that people or things are equal in a way, we use the structure as…as or as much/many…as. E.g.:

She earns as much money as he does. (comparative of equality)

In negative comparisons, we can use not as…as or not so…as. E.g.:

She doesn’t earn so much money as he does.

To say that people or things are unequal in a way, we use comparative adjectives and adverbs with than. E.g.:

She is taller than you. (comparative of superiority)
She is more intelligent than her husband. (comparative of superiority)

We can also use less (...) than or least to talk about inequality. E.g.:

She earns less than I do. (comparative of inferiority) OR I earn more than she does. (comparative of superiority)
She is less ugly than you. (comparative of inferiority) OR You are uglier than her. (comparative of superiority)

Adapted from: http://www.englishpractice.com/improve/talking-equality-inequality/