Comparison

Types of Comparisons in English Grammar

There are two types of comparison in English grammar: the comparative and the superlative.

Here is an example of a comparative comparison.

On the other hand...

Here is an example of a superlative comparison.

In these examples, follow the adjective (large). This is where you can find the type of comparison being made!

That said, you can also see this kind of comparison in adverbs.

Adverbs of Comparison

Also called comparative adverbs, adverbs of comparison occur in the same two familiar forms: comparative and superlative.

Take the adverb, “hardily.” Here is it used in a comparative comparison.

Take a different adverb, “lively.” Here it is used in a superlative comparison.

Importance of Using Comparison in Your Essay

Now that the various kinds of grammatical comparisons are understood, it’s time to use them in your essay. Because comparisons highlight similarities and proportions in things, they are great for making a point. Here’s an example.

Now imagine this as a thesis and a body paragraph. The thesis would be that Bunting Beach has a rat problem that needs to be fixed. This statistic would be the featured piece of evidence of a body paragraph. It would support the claim that Bunting Beach has a rat problem.

The comparison in this example helps to show scale and scope. Words like more, less, most, and least provide a point of reference. It tells you not only how many rats Bunting Beach has, but also how many more it has than other cities.

Fig. 1 - Comparatively, Hunting Beach has a rat problem.

Think of it this way. Which of these two examples has a greater persuasive impact?

If your audience is not an expert in your topic, comparisons can provide common examples and easy-to-comprehend ratios. A comparison is an important tool for any essay writer because it allows the writer to frame their argument relative to the world.

Comparison Example (Essay)

Here is how you might use comparison in an English essay.

These comparisons are equally humorous and illuminating. The essayist compares the amount of money that Robin Hood and Sir Guy spend and concludes that despite Robin Hood being the villain of the book, he is more charitable than Sir Guy, the protagonist.

Fig. 2 - Use more and less to draw a startling comparison.

Your comparisons don’t have to deal with hard numbers like this, but numerical comparisons do make for persuasive writing.

Tips for Using Comparison in Your Essay

However you write your comparisons, here are some tips to keep in mind.

Use a comparison to keep your reader in the loop. Think back to the lead example. Comparing the lead levels to the national average gave the reader needed context.

Use a comparison to show the scale and scope of your thesis. You can show how big and important something is by comparing it to something smaller. You can also show how small or insignificant something is by comparing it to something bigger.

When writing a comparison, stay relevant. Don’t compare your evidence to loosely related concepts and ideas. This could result in a rhetorical fallacy (logical fallacy).

When writing a comparison, be accurate. Keep your numbers and ideas straight. Again, when a comparison goes awry, you could end up writing something false.