Interchange of Degrees of Comparison English Grammar

The Interchange of Degrees of Comparison intends to make a comparison between two equal persons or things, two unequal persons or things, and more than two things or persons.

Learn how to switch between the positive, comparative, and superlative forms of adjectives with the Interchange of Degrees of comparison as Directed with workout examples, and exercises.

Interchange of Degrees of Comparison

Interchange of Degrees of Comparison is a type of transformation to different degrees of Comparison, following the given directions.

The following rules and exceptions of the Interchange of Degrees of Comparison will enhance communication skills and make the writing style a perfect one.

Interchange of Degrees of Comparison in a Sentence.

Interchange of Degrees of Comparison in a sentence means to change the sentence from Positive Degree to Comparative Degree or Superlative Degree as directed.

The following examples of the Interchange of Degrees of Comparison that are shown in sentences will help to transform the Positive degree to the Comparative degree and Superlative degree.

Comparison 1 :

Degree change positive to comparative

Positive Degree

(i) No suffix ( such as -er, -est ) will be added to the adjective in the positive degree.

(ii) Basically, if there is “ as ….. as”, “ so ……. as”, or “ as …..” in the sentence, we use the positive degree which is the simplest form of the adjective.[ there is nothing like “than” or “ the ….. of ”]

Comparative Degree

(i) In Comparative Degree generally [ -er ] is added to the adjectives. As
taller = tall + er; sweeter = sweet + er; cleverer = clever + er, if the adjective is of one syllable [ mono-syllabic word].

(ii) If the adjective is of more than one syllable, [ more ] is added before the adjective in the Comparative Degree. As Iron is more useful than any other metal. [ Here ‘use – ful’ is a di-syllabic word]

Superlative Degree

(i) In Superlative Degree generally [ -est ] is added to the adjectives. As
tallest = tall + est; sweetest = sweet + est; laziest= lazy + est, if the adjective is of one syllable [ mono-syllabic word].

(ii) If the adjective is of more than one syllable, [ most ] is added before the adjective in the Superlative Degree. As Ram is the most intelligent boy in the class. [ Here in-te-lli-gent is a quadri-syllabic (4) word]

(iii) Basically, if there are “ the …….. of ”, “ the …….”, and “…….. of ” in a sentence, we use Superlative Degree.

Positive: He is as cunning as a fox.

Comparative: A fox is not more cunning than he.

Positive: This mango is not so good as that.

Comparative: That mango is better than this one.

Comparison 2:

Degree change positive to comparative and Superlative

Superlative: Mount Everest is the highest mountain peak in the world.

Comparative: Mount Everest is higher than all other mountain peaks (or any other mountain peak) in the world.

Positive: No other mountain peak in the world is as high as Mount Everest.

Superlative: Iron is the most useful of all metals.

Comparative: Iron is more useful than any other metal (or all other metals).

Positive: No other metal is as useful as iron.

Positive: Some boys are at least as good as Ram.

Comparative: Ram is not better than some other boys.

Comparative: Some boys are not less good than Ram.

Superlative: Ram is not the best of all boys in the class.

People also read this:

Do as Directed Questions Answers	Complex Sentences into Compound
Affirmative sentence to Negative	Simple sentence into Complex
Interrogative Sentence to Asserti v e	Interchange of Degree of Comparison
Exclamatory Sentence to Assertive	Interchange of parts of speech.
Simple sentence into a compound	Change the mode of Narration

Examples of the Interchange of the Degrees of Comparison

Some examples of the interchange of Degrees of Comparison from Positive to Comparative and Superlative have been discussed below for a better understanding of changing the degrees in sentences.

Degree change positive to comparative and Superlative examples

Positive: Very few towns in India are as big as Madras,

Comparative: Madras is bigger than most other towns in India.

Superlative: Madras is one of the biggest towns in India.

Positive: I would as soon die as injure you,

Comparative: I would die sooner than injure you,

Positive: Some girls are at least as beautiful as Pompi,

Comparative: Some girls are not less beautiful than Pompi,

Superlative: Pompi is not the most beautiful of the girls,

Superlative: Kolkata is not one of the richest towns in India,

Comparative: Some towns in India are richer than Kolkata,

Positive: Kolkata is less richer than some other towns in India,

Positive: Kolkata is not as rich as some other towns in India.

Superlative: Shakuntala is the best drama in Sanskrit.

Comparative: Shakuntala is better than any other drama in Sanskrit.

Positive: No other drama in Sanskrit is so good as Shakuntala.

Transformation of Interchange of Degrees of Comparison Exercises

Transformation of Interchange of Degrees of Comparison means to change the sentence from Positive to Comparative and Superlative without changing the meaning.

Positive, comparative superlative exercises: Transformation of Sentences

Superlative: Lead is the heaviest of all metals.

Comparative: Lead is heavier than all other metals.

Comparative: Mahabaleshwar is cooler than Panchgani.

Positive: Panchgani is not so cool as Mahabaleshwar.

Superlative: Chennai is one of the biggest of Indian cities.

Comparative: Chennai is bigger than most other Indian cities.

Positive: Very few Indian cities are as big as Chennai.

Positive: Some essayists are at least as great as Bacon.

Comparative: Bacon is not greater than some other essayists.

Comparative: Some essayists are not less great than Bacon.

Superlative: Bacon is not the greatest of all essayists.

Positive: I know him as well as you.

Comparative: I know him much better than you.

Positive: I know him quite as well as you do.

Comparative: You do not know him better than I do.

Positive: I do not know him as well as you do.

Interchange of Degrees of Comparison Exam Questions as Directed

Do as Directed for the Interchange of Degrees of Comparisons

Change the degrees of comparison as directed in a sentence.

(1) Malacca is the oldest town in Malaysia. ( Change into Positive and Comparative)

Ans: No other town in Malaysia is as old as Malacca. (Positive)

Ans: Malacca is older than any other town in Malaysia. (Comparative)

(2) Abdul is as strong as his brother. (Change the degree from Positive to Comparative)

Ans: Abdul is not stronger than his brother. (comparative)

(3) He is as good as Mohan. (Change into comparative)

Ans: Mohon is not better than he is. (Comparative)

(4) This stone is less heavy than that. ( Change into Positive and Comparative)

Ans: That stone is heavier than that stone. (Comparative)

Ans: This stone is not as heavy as that stone. (Positive)

(5) She is as cunning as a fox. (Change into comparative)

Ans: A fox is not more cunning than he. (Comparative)

(6)This church is the biggest in Mumbai. ( Change the degree into Positive and Comparative)

Ans: No other church In Mumbai so big as this church. (Positive)

Ans: This church is bigger than any other church in Mumbai. (Comparative)

(7) Venus is brighter than any other planet. ( Change the degree into Positive and Superlative)

Ans: Venus is the brightest planet. (Superlative)

Ans: No other planet is so bright as Venus. (Positive.)

(8) Maha Baleshwar is cooler than Mysore. (Change to a positive degree.)

Ans: Mysore is not so cool as Mahabaleshwar.

Workout Examples of Interchange of Degrees of Comparison

Change the degree in a sentence as directed.

(1) Gold is costlier than silver. (Change to a positive degree.)

Ans: silver is not as costly as gold.

(2) The pen is mightier than the sword. (Begin the sword is…).

Ans: The sword is not as mighty as the pain.

(3) Akbar was one of the greatest emperors of India. (Change into Positive and comparative)

Ans: Very few emperors of India were as great as Akbar. (Positive)

Ans: Akbar was Greater than most other emperors of India. (Comparative)

(4) Very few cities in India are as big as Chennai. ( Change into comparative)

Ans: Chennai is bigger than most other cities in India. (comparative)

(5) Some boys are at least as industrious as Karim. (Change the degree from Positive to Comparative and Superlative)

Ans: Karim is not more industrious than some other boys. (Comparative)

Ans: Some boys are not less industrious than Karim. (Comparative)

Ans: Karim is not the most industrious of all boys. (Superlative)

(6) Iron is more useful than all other metals. (Change the degree from comparative to Positive and Superlative)

Ans: Iron is the most useful of all metals. (Superlative)

Ans: No other metal is so useful as iron. (Positive)

(7) Iron is more useful than copper. (Change the degree from comparative to Positive)

Ans: Copper is not as useful as Iron. (Positive)

(8) No other metal is as useful as iron. (Change the degree from positive to Comparative and Superlative)

Ans: Iron is more useful than any other metal. (Comparative)

Ans: Iron is the most useful metal. (Superlative)

Solved Worksheet 2023: Interchange of Degrees of Comparison: English Grammar

Change the degree in a sentence as directed.

(1) Air is lighter than water. (Change the degree from Comparative to Positive)

Ans: Water is not as light as air. (Positive)

(2) Gold is not more useful than iron. (Change the degree from Comparative to Positive)

Ans: Iron is at least as useful as gold. (Positive)

(3) Sahara is the biggest desert in Africa. (Change the degree from Superlative to Positive and Comparative)

Ans: No other desert in Africa is as big as Sahara. (Positive)

Ans: Sahara is bigger than any other desert in Africa. (Comparative)

(4) Everest is the highest peak in the world. (Change the degree from Superlative to Positive and Comparative)

Ans: No other peak in the world is as high as Everest. (Positive)

Ans: Everest is higher than any other peak in the world. (Comparative)

Frequently Asked Questions on Interchange of Degrees of comparison

(1) Q: How do you interchange degrees of comparison?

Ans: Positive degree of Comparison: equal in respect of some quality: Use as…as, so…as, and no suffix is added after the adjective. As: He is as brave as Robin.

Comparative Degrees of Comparison: to be unequal in respect of some quality: Use er/more with the adjective with than. As: He is smarter than Rubina.

Superlative Degrees of Comparison: between more than two things or persons: Use est/most with the…of. As: She is the most intelligent girl in the class.

(2) Q: How do you change positive to comparative and superlative?

Ans: To change positive to comparative and superlative, we need to add er/more with the adjectives for the comparative degree and est/most with the adjectives for the superlative degree. In a positive degree, no suffix will be added to the adjective.

Example:

Tall: Positive – No other boy in the class is as tall as John.

Taller: Comparative – John is taller than any other boy in the class.

Tallest: Superlative – John is the tallest boy in the class.

(3) Q: What are the basic rules of degrees of comparison?

Ans: The basic rules of degrees of comparison are that we need to add er/more with the adjectives for the comparative degree and est/most with the adjectives for the superlative degree. In a positive degree, no suffix will be added to the adjective.

(4) Q: What are degrees of comparison explain with examples?

Ans: Degrees of Comparison are the comparisons between two or more persons or things according to their Quantity, and Number or Quality.

For example

Positive: Two persons or things are said to be equal in respect of some quality.

Heavy: No other metal is as heavy as lead.

Comparative: When two persons or things are said to be unequal in respect of some quality.

Heavier: Lead is heavier than all other metals.

Superlative: The superlative degree is used when the comparison is intended between more than two things or persons.

Heaviest: Lead is the heaviest of all metals.

Interchange of Degrees of Comparison: English Grammar