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Positive Degree
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What Is the Positive Degree? (with Examples)
"Positive degree" is a term that relates to adjectives and adverbs. An adjective or adverb that does not make a comparison is said to be in the positive degree. (In other words, the "positive degree" is the normal form of an adjective or adverb.)In English, there are three degrees of comparison:
- The Positive Degree. The positive degree of an adjective or adverb offers no comparison. For example:
- adjectives: rich, pretty, handsome, good
- adverbs: slowly, beautifully
- The Comparative Degree. The comparative degree of an adjective or adverb shows the greater or lesser degree. For example:
- adjectives: richer, prettier, more handsome, better
- adverbs: more slowly, more beautifully
- The Superlative Degree. The superlative degree of an adjective or adverb shows the greatest or least degree. For example:
- adjectives: richest, prettiest, most handsome, best
- adverbs: most slowly, most beautifully
Read more about forming the comparative and superlative degrees of adverbs.

Printable and Sendable Test
The Three Degrees of Comparison
The table below offers some more examples of the three degrees of comparison.Positive Degree | Comparative Degree | Superlative Degree |
---|---|---|
sharp (adjective) | sharper | sharpest |
happy (adjective) | happier | happiest |
precise (adjective) | more precise | most precise |
fast (adverb) | faster | fastest |
merrily (adverb) | more merrily | most merrily |
badly (adverb) | worse | worst |
Don't Forget the Lesser and Least Degrees
Remember that, as well as showing the more and most degrees, the comparative and superlative degrees show the less and least degrees too. Therefore, the table above ought to look more like this:Positive Degree | Comparative Degree | Superlative Degree |
---|---|---|
sharp (adjective) | sharper less sharp (or blunter) | sharpest least sharp (or bluntest) |
happy (adjective) | happier less happy (or sadder) | happiest least happy (or saddest) |
precise (adjective) | more precise less precise | most precise least precise |
fast (adverb) | faster slower (or, possibly, less fast) | fastest slowest (or, possibly, least fast) |
merrily (adverb) | more merrily less merrily | most merrily least merrily |
badly (adverb) | worse | worst |
Why the Positive Degree Is Important
The positive degree is the normal form of an adjective or adverb, and, as such, it is not responsible for causing many writing errors. Most of the writing errors related to the degrees of comparison are associated with the comparative degree and the superlative degree. Here are two common ones:(Issue 1) Don't form a double comparative or a double superlative.
- He is more smarter than me.
(Issue 2) Don't use the comparative degree when comparing more than two things.
- Out of Jack, Jill, and Peter, Jill is the smarter.
...Back to the Positive Degree
Below are two tips related to adjectives and adverbs in the positive degree.(Tip 1) Don't use an adverb that ends "-ly." Choose better words for your sentence.
- She looked at her rival angrily.
- She glared at her rival.
(Tip 2) Don't use an adverb like "extremely" and "very" before an adjective. Choose better adjectives.
- She was very angry.
- She was livid.
Key Point
- Have you used an adjective or adverb in the positive degree? Yes? Did you precede it with "very"? Yes? Delete "very." Pick a better word.
- It is
very importantessential that you follow this tip.
- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?
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