Comparison of absolutes

A comparison of absolutes is the opposite of what it seems because the object of the sentence is not being compared. Although there are times when a comparison is needed, there are also times when a description is more practical. This is known as a comparison of absolutes because there is no comparison. The adjective or adverb remains in its base form in what is known as the positive degree.

Consider the following sentences:

The old iPod is big.

Mary speaks highly of the iTouch.

The words big and highly, are an adjective and an adverb formed in the positive degree. There is no illustration of comparison.

Along these same lines, there are some adjectives and adverbs that can not be compared. For example, something can not be “more complete”; it is either complete, or it is not. In most cases, the words “nearly” or “almost” can be used instead. These words suggest a near absolute state, as in “My homework was almost complete when the phone rang.”.