Time To Compare: Adjectival and Adverbial Degrees of Comparison

Summary
A review lesson about how to use adjectival and adverbial degrees of comparison.

Objectives
• to review the meaning of the degrees of comparison;

• to review the positive, comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs;

• to provide examples and definitions of each degree used.

Suggested Grades
5th Grade
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade

Excerpt
Have you ever wanted to compare one thing to another? If so, adverbs and adjectives can help. We use three degrees when comparing one thing to another:

1. positive
2. comparative
3. superlative

Adjectives or adverbs can be compared either up or down. For example, a person can be taller (comparing up), or less tall (comparing down) than someone else.

To compare adjectives upwards there are a few simple rules to follow. When comparing in the positive degree, we are usually talking about the quality of one thing. Adjectives in positive degree use the root word. The adjective big, for example.

Continued...