The comparative form of adjectives in English grammar is used to compare what?

Introduction / Context:
This grammar question asks about the function of the comparative form of adjectives in English. Many students confuse the comparative and superlative forms, so exam questions often test whether you can distinguish when to use each. Knowing that comparative adjectives are for two items and superlatives for three or more is a key rule for accurate usage.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is on comparative adjectives, such as taller, smaller, more intelligent.
• Option A says more than two things or people, which describes the superlative context.
• Option B compares the past to the present, which is not a standard grammatical definition.
• Option C says two things or people, which fits the usual rule for comparatives.
• Option D mentions at least a dozen different times, which is unrelated to adjective comparison.

Concept / Approach:
A comparative adjective expresses a difference between two people, places, or things. For example, Riya is taller than Neha directly compares two individuals. When we want to talk about one item being the most or least in a group of three or more, we use the superlative form, such as tallest or most intelligent. Therefore, the correct answer is that the comparative form compares two things or people. Thinking about the use of than in comparative sentences can also help you remember this rule.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that comparative adjectives often end in er or are formed with more before the adjective.Step 2: Note that such forms usually appear in sentences with than, as in This road is wider than that one, which involves a comparison between two roads.Step 3: Remember that when we need to show that one item is at the top or bottom of a group of three or more, we use the superlative form like widest or most crowded, not the comparative.Step 4: Evaluate option C two things or people and see that it matches the rule for comparative usage.Step 5: Reject option A because more than two is where superlatives are normally used, and reject options B and D because they are not standard grammar descriptions.

Verification / Alternative check:
Consider simple examples. If you say My car is faster than your car, you are comparing exactly two cars, which calls for the comparative faster. If you have many cars and you say This is the fastest car in the garage, you are choosing one out of several, which requires the superlative fastest. This clear difference between comparative for two and superlative for three or more is reinforced in most grammar textbooks, confirming that option C is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A describes the usual domain of superlative adjectives, not comparative ones. Option B mentions past and present, which relate to verb tenses, not to comparative forms of adjectives. Option D introduces a random number and does not correspond to any grammatical rule. These options do not match the standard definition of the comparative form, so they are incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes overgeneralise and use comparative forms even when comparing more than two items, or they use superlatives for two items. Many teachers emphasise the rule that comparative equals two and superlative equals three or more, but in everyday speech you may hear exceptions. For exam purposes, however, you should follow the textbook rule carefully to avoid mistakes.

Final Answer:
The comparative form of adjectives is used to compare Two things or people, so option C is correct.