Mastering errors in degrees of comparisons is essential for accurate English sentence structure and grammar proficiency. In English grammar, comparing two or more items requires a solid understanding of DEGREE : COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVE rules, positive, comparative, and superlative forms, and non-gradable adjectives to avoid common pitfalls.
What Are Common Errors in Degrees of Comparisons?
To compare two or more things correctly, one must have a good idea about degrees of comparison. Here are scattered examples of common mistakes in the use of positive, comparative, and superlative degrees, along with their corrections and bilingual explanations in Bengali.
(দুই বা ততোধিক জিনিসের মধ্যে তুলনা করতে হলে "degrees of comparison" সম্পর্কে সম্যক ধারণা থাকা আবশ্যক। Positive, Comparative এবং Superlative degree ব্যবহারের ক্ষেত্রে সচরাচর যে সব ভুল হয়ে থাকে এখানে তার কিছু বিক্ষিপ্ত উদাহরণ দেওয়া হলো।)
Mistakes Involving Two Objects or General Comparisons
| Incorrect Sentence (Wrong) | Correct Sentence (Right) |
|---|---|
| This is a more expensive book. | This is a very expensive book. |
| This is the most expensive of the two cars. | This is the more expensive of the two cars. |
| Shila is the prettiest twin. | Shila is the prettier twin. |
| The patient is comparatively better now. | The patient is comparatively well now. |
| The streets of Dhaka are wider than Rajshahi. | The streets of Dhaka are wider than those of Rajshahi. |
| Dhaka is more larger than Chittagong. | Dhaka is larger than Chittagong. |
| He is the most tallest boy in the class. | He is the tallest boy in the class. |
| My pen is better than you. | My pen is better than yours. |
| This car moves much more faster than that one. | This car moves much faster than that one. |
| The population of Dhaka is higher than Rajshahi. | The population of Dhaka is higher than that of Rajshahi. |
How to Compare Students and Similar Entities Correctly?
When comparing an individual to other members of the same group or class, specific structural rules apply to prevent logical errors.
As students in the same class (একই শ্রেণীর ছাত্র হিসেবে):
| Incorrect Sentence (Wrong) | Correct Sentence (Right) |
|---|---|
| Jalil is taller than any boy in the class. | Jalil is taller than any other boy in the class. |
| Dhaka is larger than any city in Bangladesh. | Dhaka is larger than any other city in Bangladesh. |
| He is senior/junior than me. | He is senior/junior to me. |
| This material is superior/inferior than that. | This material is superior/inferior to that. |
| This box is more/less square than that one. | This box is more/less nearly square than that one. |
| This cat is deader than that cat. | This cat has been dead longer than that cat. |
Advanced Comparative Sentences and Preference Structures
Certain sentences express personal preferences or relational actions where omitting verbs leads to grammatically flawed statements.
“I prefer Belal to Helal” - in this sense (“আমি হেলালের চেয়ে বেলালকেই বেশী পছন্দ করি"- এই অর্থে):
- Wrong: I like Belal more than Helal.
- Right: I like Belal more than I like Helal.
“রেবাকে রেজা যতখানি ভালবাসে আমি তাকে তার চেয়ে বেশী ভালবাসি"- এই অর্থে:
- Wrong: I love Reba more than Reza.
- Right: I love Reba more than Reza does.
- Wrong: Reza was one of our better students.
- Right: Reza was one of our superior students.
- Wrong: Father gave me more money than my brother.
- Right: Father gave me more money than he gave my brother.
- Right: Father gave me more money than my brother gave me.
- Wrong: This is the most perfect essay.
- Right: This essay is quite perfect.
What Are Non-Gradable Adjectives in English?
N.B. There are adjectives in English that are never used in comparative or superlative degrees. Such adjectives are called non-gradable adjectives.
(ইংরেজীতে এমন কিছু adjective আছে যেগুলো কখনোই comparative কিংবা superlative degree-তে ব্যবহৃত হয় না। এ ধরনের adjective কে non-gradable adjective বলা হয়।)
Key Takeaways
- Always use "any other" when comparing one member to the rest of the same group.
- Never combine double comparatives like "more larger" or double superlatives like "most tallest".
- Words like senior, junior, superior, and inferior take the preposition "to" instead of "than".
- Absolute adjectives such as perfect or dead are non-gradable and do not take comparative modifiers.
Quick Practice Exercise
Test your knowledge by correcting these sentences in the comment section below:
- He is senior than me.
- Iron is more useful than any metal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a non-gradable adjective?
A non-gradable adjective describes a quality that is absolute, meaning it cannot be intensified or compared using comparative (-er/more) or superlative (-est/most) forms, such as perfect or dead.
Why do we use "to" instead of "than" with words like senior and junior?
Latin-derived comparative adjectives ending in "-or" (such as senior, junior, superior, inferior) historically take the preposition to rather than than in standard English syntax.