Question

Identify the degree of comparison in the following sentence:
She is the fastest girl in her class.
a. Positive
b. Comparative
c. Superlative
d. None

Answer 1

Hint: Degree of comparison is used when we compare one person or thing with another. The word fastest expressed the highest degree of quality.

Complete answer:
Positive degree is used when we are referring to one person or thing. For e.g., You are tall. Here, tall is a positive degree. Since in the given sentence more than one person is being referred to, therefore, option a is not valid. Comparative degree is used when two persons or things are compared with each other, which is not true in context to the given sentence in the question. Thus, option b, too is invalid. Superlative degree is that which expresses the highest or the lowest degree of something. It is formed by adding suffix -est or adding most before an adjective or adverb. It compares more than two things or people. In the given sentence, a comparison is being made with the class (which has several students). Therefore, option c, Superlative degree is the correct answer. Option d, none of the above is invalid as we have already found the correct answer in the options.

Note: Superlative degree describes the upper or lower limit of a quality. Fast (positive), faster (comparative), fastest (superlative).