Degrees of Comparison: Group 2 General English Practice Questions PDF

Positive, comparative and superlative degrees, how to form them, irregular words, the double comparative trap, transformation between the three degrees, 2 real TNPSC PYQs with the official answers, and 20 practice MCQs with answers and short explanations.

Real questions: TNPSC previous year questions (2025), official answer key. Practice questions: ArivArk Academy.

The three degrees

Degree	Used when	Example
Positive	no comparison, or two things equal	Ravi is tall. Ravi is as tall as Kumar.
Comparative	two persons or things	Ravi is taller than Kumar.
Superlative	one is the top of a group (three or more)	Ravi is the tallest boy in the class.

How to form them

Rule	Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Short words: + er, est	tall	taller	tallest
Ends in e: + r, st	wise	wiser	wisest
Short vowel + one consonant: double it	big	bigger	biggest
Ends in consonant + y: y becomes i	happy	happier	happiest
Long words: more, most	beautiful	more beautiful	most beautiful
Irregular	good	better	best
Irregular	bad	worse	worst
Irregular	many / much	more	most
Irregular	little	less	least
Irregular	far	farther / further	farthest / furthest

Transformation: one meaning, three degrees

Pattern	Superlative	Comparative	Positive
No other	Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world.	Mount Everest is higher than any other peak in the world.	No other peak in the world is as high as Mount Everest.
One of the	Chennai is one of the biggest cities.	Chennai is bigger than most other cities.	Very few cities are as big as Chennai.

Quick tips

Never double it: "more smarter", "more easier", "less more crowded" are wrong. Use smarter, easier, less crowded.

"than any other" + singular noun: higher than any other peak (not peaks).

Positive degree structures: as ... as (Ravi is as tall as Kumar), not so ... as (Ravi is not so tall as Kumar), No other ... as ... as.

Latin comparatives take "to", not "than": senior, junior, superior, inferior, prior, prefer. He is senior to me. I prefer tea to coffee.

"the" before a superlative: She is the best singer. For two persons use the comparative: Rani is the taller of the two sisters.

TNPSC PYQs (official key)

1. The three structures of the positive degree are

(A) As...as, So-as, No other...as...as(B) As...so, and-so, but...so(C) So...so, So-but, So...and(D) None of the above

Answer: (A) As...as, So-as, No other...as...as. The positive degree uses as ... as, (not) so ... as, and No other ... as ... as: "Ravi is as tall as Kumar", "Ravi is not so tall as Kumar", "No other boy is as tall as Ravi".

2. Choose the sentence with the correct use of the comparative degree:
(a) He is more smarter than any one in the class. (b) This bus is less more crowded than the other. (c) This sum is less complicated than the previous one. (d) The game is more easier than expected.

(A) (a)(B) (b)(C) (c)(D) (d)

Answer: (C) (c). (a), (b) and (d) are double comparatives (more smarter, less more crowded, more easier). Only (c) is correct.

Practice MCQs

1. Ravi is ______ than his brother.

(A) tallest(B) more taller(C) taller(D) tall

2. This is the ______ book I have ever read.

(A) best(B) good(C) most best(D) better

3. Gold is ______ than silver.

(A) costly(B) costlier(C) costliest(D) more costlier

4. She is the ______ student in the class.

(A) most brightest(B) brighter(C) brightest(D) more brighter

5. He is senior ______ me.

(A) to(B) than(C) from(D) with

6. This box is ______ than that one.

(A) more heavier(B) heavyer(C) heavier(D) heaviest

7. Change into the positive degree: "Mount Everest is higher than any other peak in the world."

(A) No other peak in the world is as high as Mount Everest.(B) Mount Everest is the higher peak in the world.(C) No other peak in the world is higher as Mount Everest.(D) Very few peaks are higher than Mount Everest.

8. Change into the superlative degree: "Chennai is bigger than any other city in Tamil Nadu."

(A) Chennai is most big city in Tamil Nadu.(B) Chennai is one of the biggest cities in Tamil Nadu.(C) Chennai is the bigger city in Tamil Nadu.(D) Chennai is the biggest city in Tamil Nadu.

9. Change into the comparative degree: "Very few cities are as old as Madurai."

(A) Madurai is older than most other cities.(B) Madurai is older than any other city.(C) Madurai is the oldest city.(D) Madurai is not older than most cities.

10. Iron is ______ useful than gold.

(A) much(B) many(C) more(D) most

11. Choose the correct sentence.

(A) She is better than any other singers in the group.(B) She is better than any other singer in the group.(C) She is best than any other singer in the group.(D) She is more better than any other singer in the group.

12. Of the two sisters, Rani is the ______.

(A) taller(B) tallest(C) tall(D) more tall

13. He has ______ money than me.

(A) little(B) less(C) fewer(D) least

14. This is the ______ news I have heard.

(A) worse(B) worst(C) bad(D) more bad

15. Rahul is not so ______ as Arun.

(A) taller(B) tall(C) more tall(D) tallest

16. I prefer tea ______ coffee.

(A) for(B) than(C) to(D) with

17. The comparative degree of "good" is

(A) more good(B) best(C) better(D) gooder

18. This exam is ______ than the last one.

(A) most easier(B) easier(C) easiest(D) more easier

19. Ravi is ______ tall ______ Kumar. (equal height)

(A) as, as(B) more, as(C) so, than(D) as, than

20. Which sentence is in the superlative degree?

(A) Very few leaders were as great as Kamaraj.(B) Kamaraj was a great leader.(C) Kamaraj was greater than most other leaders.(D) Kamaraj was one of the greatest leaders of India.

Answer key: 1 C, 2 A, 3 B, 4 C, 5 A, 6 C, 7 A, 8 D, 9 A, 10 C, 11 B, 12 A, 13 B, 14 B, 15 B, 16 C, 17 C, 18 B, 19 A, 20 D

Why? Short explanations

1 (C) Two persons: comparative "taller". Never "more taller".

2 (A) Top of all books: superlative of good = best.

3 (B) Two things: comparative; y becomes i: costlier.

4 (C) "the" + the whole class: superlative brightest.

5 (A) senior, junior, superior, inferior, prior take "to".

6 (C) heavy: y becomes i, + er = heavier.

7 (A) "than any other" becomes "No other ... as ... as".

8 (D) "than any other" means it is the top: the biggest.

9 (A) "Very few ... as ... as" goes with "one of the"; its comparative is "than most other".

10 (C) Long word "useful": comparative with more.

11 (B) "than any other" + singular noun; better, not more better.

12 (A) Only two persons: comparative, even with "the".

13 (B) Money is uncountable: less (comparative of little).

14 (B) "the" + all news: superlative of bad = worst.

15 (B) Positive degree structure: not so + positive + as.

16 (C) prefer takes "to".

17 (C) good, better, best (irregular).

18 (B) Two exams: comparative easier; never "more easier".

19 (A) Equal: positive degree as ... as.

20 (D) "one of the greatest" is the superlative form.

Degrees of Comparison: Practice Questions with Answers (Group 2 General English)