Positive Degree of Comparison: Definition, Rules, Exercises

Ever wondered how you can describe things without comparing them to something? Well, in English grammar, to do so, we make use of the positive degree of comparison. It is a fundamental concept which allows us to express qualities in their basic form. As you continue reading this blog post, you will understand the positive degree of comparison in a comprehensive manner, along with an extensive list of examples. We have also provided you with several tips to help you master them.

What is the Positive Degree of Comparison?

The positive degree of comparison is the best form of an adjective or adverb. It is used in describing a quality without comparing it to another person, place or thing. Essentially, it states facts about something as it is. 

• Adjectives: Describe nouns (e.g., “The cat is small.”).
• Adverbs: Describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs (e.g., “She runs quickly.”).

The positive degree simply states that the cat is small and she runs quickly, without comparing their size or speed to anything else.

Also Read: Degree of Comparison Rules

Forming the Positive Degree (Rules and Examples)

As discussed above, the positive degree of comparison is the fundamental form of adjectives and adverbs. Furthermore, it is used to describe a quality or characteristic without making any comparisons. In essence, it states a fact or an attribute as it exists.   

Let us look at the following rules for the positive degree of comparison with examples to get a better understanding.

1. Using the Base Form 

• Adjectives: The adjective is used in its basic form to describe a noun.

Example: The house is large. (Here, “large” describes the house without comparing it to other houses.)

• Adverbs: The adverb is used in its basic form to describe a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

Example: He runs quickly.”(Here, “quickly” describes how he runs, without comparing his speed.)

2. Forming Comparisons of Equality with “as…as”

• This structure is used to show that two things are equal in a particular quality.   
• Structure: “as + adjective/adverb + as”

Example with Adjectives:

• She is as tall as her brother. (Their heights are equal.)
• This book is as interesting as the movie. (Their level of interest is equal.)
• The weather is as hot as it was yesterday.

Example with Adverbs:

• He runs as fast as his friend. (Their speeds are equal.)
• She sings as beautifully as her mother. (Their singing quality is equal.)
• They work as diligently as their colleagues.

3. Negative Comparisons of Equality with  “not so…as” or “not as…as”

• This structure is used to show that two things are not equal in a particular quality.
• Structure: “not so/as + adjective/adverb + as”

Examples:

• This task is not so difficult as I thought.
• He is not as tall as his father.
• She does not sing as loudly as her sister.

4. Using “nearly as…as” or “almost as…as”

• These phrases indicate that two things are very close in a particular quality, but not exactly equal.

Examples:

• He is nearly as tall as his father.
• The cake was almost as delicious as the one I made last week.

Also Read: Comparative Vs Superlative Adverbs

Common Examples of Positive Degree of Comparison in Sentences

Take a look at the following examples of a positive degree of comparison and how they can be implemented in sentences. 

Feature	Description	Examples	Usage
Definition	The base form of adjectives and adverbs is used to describe a quality without comparison.	Adjectives: tall, kind, beautiful  Adverbs: quickly, loudly, diligently	To state facts or attributes as they are.
Simple Description (Base Form)	Uses the adjective or adverb in its basic form.	Adjective: “The house is large.”   Adverb: “He runs quickly.”	Describing a quality directly without comparison.
Comparisons of Equality (“as…as”)	Shows that two things are equal in a particular quality.	Adjective: “She is as tall as her brother.”  Adverb: “He runs as fast as his friend.	Comparing two things and indicating they are equal in a specific attribute.
Negative Comparisons of Equality (“not so/as…as”)	Shows that two things are not equal in a particular quality.	Adjective: “This task is not so difficult as I thought.”  Adverb: “She does not sing as loudly as her sister.”	Comparing two things and indicating they are not equal in a specific attribute.
Near Equality (“nearly as…as” / “almost as…as”)	Indicates that two things are very close in quality, but not exactly equal.	Adjective: “He is nearly as tall as his father.”  Adverb: “The cake was almost as delicious as the one I made last week.”	Showing a close resemblance or near equality.
Contextual Usage	Meaning can vary depending on the context of the sentence or conversation.	“The weather is warm.” (Context: temperature)  “She speaks clearly.” (Context: communication)	Understanding the surrounding information is crucial for correct interpretation.
Formal vs Informal	“as…as” is preferred in formal writing; “not so…as” is common in informal speech.	Formal: “The report is as detailed as requested.”  Informal: “The test was not so easy as expected.”	Adapting language to the audience and purpose.
Avoiding Ambiguity	Ensure the comparison is clear and unambiguous to prevent confusion.	“The fruit is as ripe as the one we bought yesterday.” (Clear comparison)	Use precise language to avoid misinterpretation.

Also Read: What are Comparative Adjectives?

How to Use the Positive Degree Effectively (Tips and Tricks)

Let us now delve into the effective use of the positive degree of comparison, exploring various tips and tricks to enhance your understanding and application for the same. 

1. To use the positive degree of comparison effectively, make sure that you simply use the base form of an adjective without adding any words such as “more” or “most” when you want to describe a quality without comparing it to anything else. 
2. The positive degree is used with as…as to compare two equal things.
3. Use modifiers like very, quite, or rather before a positive degree adjective or adverb to intensify the quality or action.
4. The positive degree is often used in exclamatory sentences to express strong emotions or surprise.
5. Use the positive degree to give a general description of something, stating a fact without any comparison.
6. The positive degree can be used enough to indicate that something has sufficient quality or quantity.

Also Read: Degree of Comparison Exercises

Practice Exercises for Positive Degree of Comparison

After you have gained all the necessary information on the positive degree of comparison, let us now go through the following practice exercises to test our knowledge on this topic. We have also provided answers to all the questions in the end.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks (Using “as…as”)

Instructions: Complete the sentences with the correct form of the adjective or adverb in the positive degree using “as…as”:

1. The weather today is ______ (warm) yesterday.
2. She sings ______ (loudly) her sister.
3. The book is ______ (interesting) the movie.
4. He runs ______ (fast) his friend.
5. The cake is ______ (delicious) the one I baked last week.

Exercise 2: Sentence Completion (Positive Degree)

Instructions: Complete the sentences using the positive degree of the adjective or adverb in parentheses:

1. The sky is ______ (blue).
2. He speaks ______ (clearly).
3. The flower is ______ (beautiful).
4. The task is ______ (simple).
5. The coffee is ______ (hot).

Exercise 3: Identifying the Correct Usage

Instructions: Read the following sentences using “not so/as…as” to make a negative comparison.

1. This test is easier than I thought.
2. She sings louder than her friend.
3. The movie was more interesting than the book.
4. He runs faster than his brother.
5. The cake was more delicious than the pie.

Exercise 4: Identifying Correct Usage

Instructions: Choose the sentences that correctly uses the positive degree of comparison.

1. a) He is taller than his brother. b) He is as tall as his brother.
2. a) She sings more beautifully than her mother. b) She sings as beautifully as her mother.
3. a) The book is more interesting than the movie. b) The book is as interesting as the movie.
4. a) The car is faster than the train. b) The car is as fast as the train.
5. a) The weather is warmer than yesterday. b) The weather is as warm as yesterday.

Exercise 5: Sentence Transformation

Instructions: Rewrite the following sentences using the positive degree of comparison. 

1. The two buildings are equally tall.
2. His performance was similar to hers.
3. The two cakes have the same taste.
4. The two tasks are equally difficult.
5. Their speeds are equal.

Answer Key:

Exercise 1:

1. as warm as
2. as loudly as
3. as interesting as
4. as fast as
5. as delicious as

Exercise 2:

1. blue
2. clearly
3. beautiful
4. simple
5. hot

Exercise 3:

1. This test is not so/as easy as I thought.
2. She does not sing so/as loudly as her friend.
3. The movie was not so/as interesting as the book.
4. He does not run so/as fast as his brother.
5. The cake was not so/as delicious as the pie.

Exercise 4:

1. b) He is as tall as his brother.
2. b) She sings as beautifully as her mother.
3. b) The book is as interesting as the movie.
4. b) The car is as fast as the train.
5. b) The weather is as warm as yesterday.

Exercise 5:

1. The two buildings are as tall as each other.
2. His performance was as good as hers.
3. The two cakes are as tasty as each other.
4. The two tasks are as difficult as each other.
5. They run as fast as each other.

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