What is it?
Comparative adjectives are used to compare two people, things, places, or situations.
They show that one person or thing has more or less of a quality than another.
Common comparative forms include:
| Adjective | Comparative |
|---|---|
| tall | taller |
| small | smaller |
| fast | faster |
| happy | happier |
| interesting | more interesting |
| expensive | more expensive |
| good | better |
| bad | worse |
The word than is often used after a comparative adjective.
Tom is taller than Ben.
When to use
Use comparative adjectives when comparing two people or things.
- This car is faster than that car.
- My room is smaller than yours.
Use them when comparing two places.
- Calgary is colder than Vancouver.
Use them when comparing two situations.
- Today is busier than yesterday.
Use more + adjective with many longer adjectives.
- This book is more interesting than that one.
Use less + adjective to show a lower degree of a quality.
- This restaurant is less expensive than the other one.
Structure
For many short adjectives, add -er.
Subject + be + adjective-er + than + noun/pronoun
- tall → taller
- fast → faster
- old → older
Example:
Anna is taller than Maria.
If an adjective ends in -e, add only -r.
- nice → nicer
- large → larger
If a short adjective ends in one vowel + one consonant, the final consonant is often doubled.
- big → bigger
- hot → hotter
If an adjective ends in consonant + -y, change y to i and add -er.
- happy → happier
- easy → easier
For many longer adjectives, use more.
Subject + be + more + adjective + than + noun/pronoun
- more beautiful
- more comfortable
- more important
Example:
This chair is more comfortable than that one.
To show a lower degree, use less.
Subject + be + less + adjective + than + noun/pronoun
Example:
This task is less difficult than the last one.
Some common adjectives have irregular comparative forms.
| Adjective | Comparative |
|---|---|
| good | better |
| bad | worse |
| far | farther / further |
Examples
- My brother is taller than me.
- This bag is cheaper than that one.
- Today is hotter than yesterday.
- Her new apartment is bigger than her old one.
- This exercise is easier than the previous one.
- The blue jacket is more expensive than the black one.
- This movie is more interesting than the first one.
- My English is better than last year.
- The traffic is worse this morning.
- This route is less dangerous than the other route.
Exceptions
Some adjectives have irregular comparative forms and do not use the normal -er or more pattern.
- good → better
- bad → worse
- far → farther / further
Do not normally use both more and -er together.
Use:
taller
not:
more taller
Some two-syllable adjectives can use either form depending on the adjective and usage.
For example:
- cleverer / more clever
- quieter / more quiet
Common mistakes
-
Incorrect: She is more taller than me. Correct: She is taller than me. Explanation: Do not use both more and -er with the same adjective.
-
Incorrect: This book is interestinger than that one. Correct: This book is more interesting than that one. Explanation: Longer adjectives usually use more instead of -er.
-
Incorrect: My car is fast than yours. Correct: My car is faster than yours. Explanation: Use the comparative form when comparing two things.
-
Incorrect: He is more good at tennis than me. Correct: He is better at tennis than me. Explanation: The comparative form of good is better.
-
Incorrect: Today is badder than yesterday. Correct: Today is worse than yesterday. Explanation: The comparative form of bad is worse.
-
Incorrect: This box is biger than that one. Correct: This box is bigger than that one. Explanation: Double the final consonant in big before adding -er.
-
Incorrect: This test is easyer than the last one. Correct: This test is easier than the last one. Explanation: With adjectives ending in consonant + y, change y to i before adding -er.