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 Conversion of   Degrees  in sentences.

Here, in this topic, we are going to study  the   conversions of  degrees of adjectives in sentences.

First of all,  let’s go through the following sentences and analyze it.

• Jacob is  a  clever boy.

In this sentence we can see the adjective clever ,  and also the sentence is in positive degree. 

The sentence  says about  only one noun Jacob,  and  so it  doesn’t show a comparison.

• Jacob is cleverer than Mathew.

In this sentence we can see  the comparative degree   ‘cleverer ‘ .  

The sentence shows a comparison between two nouns Jacob and Mathew.

• Jacob is the cleverest boy in his class.

In this sentence,  we can see the  superlative degree  ‘cleverest’. 

And also the sentence says that no other boy in his class is  so  clever as Jacob.

• Jacob is one of the cleverest boys in his class.

Here   also, the sentence  is in superlative degree with the adjective ‘cleverest’. 

But here  the sentence says that  the noun Jacob belongs to one among the very few cleverest boys.

 

So,  we have seen  and analyzed  the above four  sentences written in different degrees of the adjective  ‘clever’.

 

Now,  let’s study the conversion of degrees in sentences.

There are three types of conversion of degrees.

• Type 1

This type tells about the conversion of comparative degree into positive degree.

In this type there is no superlative degree of adjectives,  as the adjective here qualifies only two nouns.

That is,  when an adjective is applied to qualify any two nouns,  it cannot be presented into the superlative degree.

 

For studying the first type of conversion of degrees,  let’s bring back the second sentence, that is

• Jacob is cleverer than Mathew in the class.

From this sentence, we can make a general pattern for sentences in comparative degree of type 1,   as,

• ( 1^st Noun + be-forms +  comparative degree of the adjective + than + 2^nd Noun + balance)

To convert this sentence into  positive degree without changing its meaning,  we have to make a general pattern for the sentences in positive degree of type 1.

The general pattern of positive degree is

• ( 2^nd Noun + be-forms + not + so/as + positive degree of the adjective + as + 1^st Noun + balance)

Following this pattern,  we can change the above sentence  into positive degree as,

• Mathew is not so clever as Jacob in the class.

Here, the sentence becomes positive degree with the adjective clever.

 

To remember once more,  let’s bring back  the general  patterns  together.

• Conversion of degrees in Type 1

Comparative degree

• ( 1^st Noun + be-forms +  comparative degree of the adjective + than + 2^nd Noun + balance)

Positive degree

• ( 2^nd Noun + be-forms + not + so/as + positive degree of the adjective + as + 1^st Noun + balance)

(One thing that we should understand that,   as the 1^st   noun  in the comparative and the 2^nd  noun in the positive degree  agree with be-forms,  the nouns are to be treated as the subjects of the sentences.)

Now,   let’s  try to  convert the degrees of adjectives in the following sentences of  Type 1  according to the general patterns mentioned above.

• Jancy is not as generous as  her sister.   ( Positive degree)

          Her  sister is more generous than Jancy (comparative degree)

• Prevention is better than cure. ( comparative degree)

          Cure is not so good as prevention ( positive degree)

• A horse is not as fast as  Leopard  ( positive degree)

          Leopard is faster than a horse.  ( Comparative degree)

 

• Type 2

Superlative degree of adjective is included in this type. 

To convert the degrees of adjective in this type,  we have to study the general patterns of superlative , comparative and positive degrees , as follows,

Superlative degree

• ( 1^st Noun + be-forms + the +superlative degree of the adjective + 2^nd Noun + balance)

Eg:   Martin is the richest man in the village.

Comparative degree

• ( 1^st Noun + be-forms + comparative degree of the adjective + than + any other +  2^nd Noun + balance)

Eg:  Martin is richer than any other man in the village

Here , ‘all other’ can be written instead of  ‘any other’,  but then the following  2^nd noun will be in plural form.

Let’s rewrite the sentence with all other.

        Martin is richer than all other men in the village.

Positive degree

• ( No other + 2^nd Noun + balance + be-forms + so/as + positive degree of the adjective + as + 1^st Noun)

Eg:   No other man in the village is so rich as Martin.

So, we have studied the  degrees of adjectives and their conversion  of  Type 2.

 

Now,  let’s try to convert the degrees of adjectives of the following sentences in this type.

• My wife is the most brilliant teacher in her school.        ( superlative degree)

My wife is more brilliant than all other teachers in her school.  ( comparative degree)

No other teacher in her school  is as brilliant as my  wife.   ( positive degree)

• English is more difficult than any other language to students. ( comparative degree)

No other language is so difficult as English to students.  ( positive degree)

English is the most difficult language to students.   ( superlative degree)

So, we have studied the second type of  conversion of the degrees.

 

Now,  let’s go through the general patterns of  the 3^rd type of conversion of degrees.

Type  3

Superlative degree

• ( 1^st Noun + be-forms + one of the + superlative degree of the adjective + 2^nd Noun (plural) + balance.)

       Eg:  Sachin Tendulkar is one of the most talented batsmen in World Cricket.

Comparative degree.

• ( 1^st Noun + be-forms + comparative degree of the adjective + than + many other/ most other + 2^nd Noun ( plural) + balance.

       Eg:  Sachin Tendulkar is more talented than most other batsmen in World Cricket.

Positive degree

• ( Very few + 2^nd Noun (plural) + balance + be-forms + so/as + positive degree of adjective + as + 1^st Noun)

Eg:  Very few batsmen in World Cricket  are   as  talented  as  Sachin Tendulkar.

 

Now,  let’s try to convert the degrees in the following sentences.

• Very few dancers in the World are as brilliant as Michael Jackson. ( positive degree)

Michael Jackson is one of the most brilliant dancers in the World.   ( superlative degree)

Michael Jackson is more brilliant than most other dancers in the World. ( comparative degree)

• Google is one of the best search engines in the World. ( superlative degree)

Google is better than many other search engines in the World. ( comparative degree)

Very few search engines are as good as Google in the World.  (  positive degree)