Grammar Essentials (Handbook)
🔒 Log in to trackDegrees of comparison and question tags
🔒 Log in to trackAdjectives and adverbs have three degrees: positive, comparative and superlative. A question tag is the short question added to a statement, like isn't it?. Both follow strict patterns, so learn the pattern and check it.
The three degrees
| Degree | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | equal or plain | as tall as, so tall as |
| Comparative | two things | taller than, more careful than |
| Superlative | three or more | the tallest, the most careful |
- Short words add -er and -est: tall, taller, tallest.
- Long words (three or more syllables) use more and most.
- Two-syllable words: -y words add -er (happier); most others use more.
- Never use both: more better, most cleverest are wrong.
- Irregular forms: good/well - better - best; bad/ill - worse - worst; far - farther/further - farthest/furthest; little - less - least; much/many - more - most; old - older/elder - oldest/eldest.
Rules for comparatives
- The comparative takes than, not then or from. She is taller than I am.
- Compare like with like: The climate of Shimla is cooler than that of Delhi. Not than Delhi.
- Add other or else when a thing is compared with its own group: Ravi is taller than any other boy in the class.
- Do not add other to a superlative: He is the best of all boys.
- Latin comparatives take to: senior, junior, superior, inferior, prior, preferable to.
- Elder / eldest are used for family members only. Older works for anyone.
- Later / latest speak of time. Latter / last speak of order.
- Farther is distance. Further is more or additional: further details.
- Double comparative: The more you practise, the better you get.
- Superlative sense in other forms: No other city is as big as Mumbai. Mumbai is bigger than any other city.
Special cases
| Statement | Tag |
|---|---|
| I am | aren't I? |
| Let's | shall we? |
| Let us (asking permission) | will you? |
| Imperative (command) | will you? |
| Do (request) | won't you? |
| There is / are | isn't there? / aren't there? |
| Nobody, none, no one, neither, nothing | positive tag with they (it for nothing): Nobody called, did they? |
| Everybody, someone, anyone | they: Everyone came, didn't they? |
| Hardly, seldom, never, rarely, barely, few, little | positive tag: He seldom lies, does he? |
| Must (necessity) | needn't: You must go, needn't you? |
| Used to | didn't (or usedn't) |
| Had better | hadn't |
| Ought to | shouldn't |
| Would rather | wouldn't |
| I have (main verb, possession) | haven't or don't |
Tip: A word with a negative meaning such as hardly or seldom makes the statement negative. So the tag is positive.
Comparison of like parts
The two sides of than or as must be the same kind: a person with a person, a noun with a noun.
- Wrong: Her handwriting is better than Sita. Right: than that of Sita or than Sita's.
Question types you will see
Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.
Double comparative or superlative
A sentence has more or most beside an -er or -est word, or beside an irregular comparative.
Spot more or most.
Check the next word.
If it already has -er or -est, or is irregular, delete more or most.
One degree marker is enough.
She is more cleverer than her brother. Which words are wrong?
Show solutionHide solution
'Cleverer' is already a comparative.
'More' repeats it.
more
Than, to, and like with like
A comparison uses than, to, or compares something with a place or a person's belongings.
Latin comparative (senior, junior, superior, prefer): use to.
Other comparatives: use than.
Check that both sides of than are alike; use that of or those of.
Two things compared must be the same type.
The population of India is larger than ___ of the USA. (that / those / it / the)
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Population is compared with population.
'Population' is singular, so use 'that'.
that
Any other and superlative sense
A comparative sentence has 'any', or a superlative sentence has 'other'.
Is the thing part of the group it is compared with?
If yes, use 'any other' with the comparative.
Do not put 'other' in a superlative.
A thing cannot be compared with itself.
Mount Everest is higher than ___ mountain in the world. (any other / any / other)
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Everest is itself a mountain.
So the comparison needs 'any other'.
any other
Question tag polarity
A statement ends in a comma and a short blank like ___?
Is the statement positive or negative?
Use the opposite in the tag.
Copy the helper verb, or do/does/did, plus a pronoun.
The tag asks the listener to confirm the statement.
You have finished the work, ___? (haven't you / have you / don't you / do you)
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The statement is positive.
The tag is negative with helper 'have': 'haven't you'.
haven't you
Special tag cases
The statement is a command, Let's, I am, there is, nobody or hardly/never/seldom.
Command: will you. Let's: shall we. I am: aren't I.
There: isn't there.
Nobody, no one, hardly, seldom: positive tag.
These forms have fixed tags that do not follow the plain pattern.
Let's go for a walk, ___? (shall we / will we / don't we / won't we)
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The statement begins with 'Let's'.
'Let's' takes 'shall we'.
shall we
Elder / older, later / latter, farther / further
The blank sits between two similar-looking comparatives.
Family members: elder. Anyone: older.
Time: later. Order: latter.
Distance: farther. Extra or more: further.
Each pair has a narrow, fixed use.
My ___ brother is an engineer. (elder / older / oldest)
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'Brother' is a family member.
'Elder' is used for family members.
elder
Positive, comparative, superlative conversion
A sentence is to be changed from one degree to another with the same meaning.
Superlative: no other X is as ... as Y.
Comparative: Y is ... than any other X.
Positive: not so ... as.
The same fact can be said in all three degrees.
Change to comparative: Delhi is the biggest city in north India.
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The superlative means the city is bigger than all others.
Use 'any other' with the comparative.
Delhi is bigger than any other city in north India.
Shortcuts that save time
Read the statement. Note whether it is positive or negative. Then use the helper verb with the opposite sign and a pronoun. Command? Use will you. Let's? Use shall we.
She has never lied to you, ___? (has she / hasn't she / does she / didn't she)
Show solutionHide solution
'Never' makes the statement negative.
The tag must be positive.
The helper is 'has': 'has she'.
has she
When a comparison feels odd, check two things. First: are two like things compared (use that of or those of)? Second: does the comparison come from the same group (add other)?
Mistakes to avoid
Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.
She is more cleverer than her sister.
She is cleverer than her sister.
This is the most best book.
This is the best book.
He is taller than any boy in the class.
He is taller than any other boy in the class.
The climate of Goa is better than Delhi.
The climate of Goa is better than that of Delhi.
He is senior than me.
He is senior to me.
Nobody came, didn't they?
Nobody came, did they?
I am late, amn't I?
I am late, aren't I?
Quick revision
Read this the night before the exam.
Never use more or most with an -er or -est word.
Comparative takes than; Latin comparatives (senior, junior, superior, inferior, prior) take to.
Add other when comparing with the rest of the same group.
Compare like with like: that of, those of.
Question tag: opposite polarity, helper verb, pronoun.
I am - aren't I; Let's - shall we; command - will you; there is - isn't there.
Nobody, hardly, seldom, never: statement is negative, tag is positive.
Practice: 13 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 13 questions
Suggested time 6 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.