Adjectives: Degree Complements

Forms and Types of Degree Complements

When we make a comparison we need to know what we are comparing. Often this is easy:

• Some languagessubject seem hardercomparative adjective than otherspronoun (head of the prepositional phrase). (Sorace 2023)
  In one short sentence we know that the comparison is between "some languages" and "others" (other languages) in terms of how hard they are to learn or understand. The comparison is made explicit by the use of the preposition "than". But in writing, especially academic writing, the comparison may not be so clear, especially if the sentence is taken out of context.
  For example, what is being compared here?
  

• It was warmercomparative adjective, more acidiccomparative adjective and rich in iron. (Jordan 2019)
  The problem is we don't know what "It" refers to. And even if we did we might not know what "it" is being compared with. In fact, it is the ocean today compared with an ocean 4.5 billion years ago. Nevertheless, it is often important to make comparisons explicit. One way is to use a comparative phrase or clause following the comparative adjective, as in the first example above, which is a comparative phrase (a prepositional phrase).
  

Further examples of comparative phrases and clauses

• They’re a lot cheapercomparative adjective than a decent telescopecomparative phrase (prepositional phrase), too. (Laycock 2019)
  "They" refers to binoculars. The comparative phrase is a prepositional phrase ("than a decent telescope").
  
• The Great Red Spot is a stormnoun biggercomparative adjective (object predicative) than earthcomparative phrase (prepositional phrase). (Kedziora-Chudczer 2022)
  The comparative phrase is a prepositional phrase ("than earth").
  
• But gills and lungs are moredegree adverb similarpredicative adjective than you might thinkcomparative clause. (Brown 2021)
  The comparative is a clause "than you might think".
  
• In the same way, a teenager’s brain is lessdegree adverb maturepredicative adjective than an adult braincomparative phrase (prepositional phrase). (Wilson 2019)
  The comparative phrase is a prepositional phrase ("than an adult brain").
  

Other Degree Complements

Other degree complements use comparison to indicate other meanings such as adequacy (enough), excess (too), equivalence (as .. as), and result (so ... that).

adjective + enough + to-clause

• Early humans were smartadjective enoughdegree adverb to learn to-clause.(Longrich 2020)
• [A planet] also must be large adjective enough degree adverb to have a round, or spherical, physical shapeto-clause complementation. (Peroomian 2022)

too + adjective + to-clause

"too" denotes excess.

• toodegree adverb rubberyadjective to support the weight of a personto-clause complementation. (Heithaus 2022)
• Atoms and molecules are toodegree adverb smalladjective to see without very powerful microscopesto-clause complementation. (Bosi 2021)

as + adjective + as + phrase/clause

This structure denotes equivalence (to the same degree), or lack of equivalence.

• They’re asdegree adverb distinctadjective asdegree adverb human fingerprintsnoun phrase. (Cushing 2020)
  "They" refers to tigers' stripes. The comparison is with "human fingerprints", a noun phrase.
• [Secondary sources] aren’t asdegree adverb strongadjective asdegree adverb primary sourcesnoun phrase but are still useful. (Britten 2022)
  Here there is a lack of equivalence: not as ... as.
• Well, wood isn’t quite asdegree adverb, solidadjective asdegree adverb it looksclause. (Nolan 2019)
  Here there is a lack of equivalence: not as ... as. The sentence is completed with a clause, not a phrase.

so + adjective + that-clause

• Eventually, [raindrops] get sodegree adverb heavyadjective that they fall to the Earth as rainthat clause. (Halverson 2020)
• Once conditions become so degree adverb tough adjective that they can’t find enough to eat that-clause, geese migrate. (Langen 2020)