Comparative Adjectives
We use comparative adjectives to compare two people, places, or things — showing which has more or less of a quality. The key word to remember is than.
How to form comparative adjectives
The way you form a comparative depends on the length and spelling of the adjective. There are three main patterns.
Rule 1 — Short adjectives (one syllable): add -er
For most one-syllable adjectives, simply add -er to the end.
| Adjective | Comparative | Example |
|---|---|---|
| tall | taller | She is taller than her brother. |
| fast | faster | A cheetah is faster than a horse. |
| cold | colder | January is colder than March. |
| old | older | This building is older than the church. |
Rule 2 — Short adjectives ending in consonant-vowel-consonant: double the final consonant + -er
| Adjective | Comparative | Example |
|---|---|---|
| big | bigger | London is bigger than Edinburgh. |
| hot | hotter | Today is hotter than yesterday. |
| thin | thinner | This slice is thinner than that one. |
| sad | sadder | The ending was sadder than I expected. |
Rule 3 — Adjectives ending in -y: change y → ier
| Adjective | Comparative | Example |
|---|---|---|
| happy | happier | She looks happier than before. |
| easy | easier | This test is easier than the last one. |
| heavy | heavier | This bag is heavier than yours. |
| early | earlier | The train arrived earlier than expected. |
Rule 4 — Long adjectives (two or more syllables): use more + adjective
For adjectives of two or more syllables (that don't end in -y), place more before the adjective. Never add -er to these words.
| Adjective | Comparative | Example |
|---|---|---|
| interesting | more interesting | This book is more interesting than that one. |
| expensive | more expensive | Gold is more expensive than silver. |
| beautiful | more beautiful | The second painting is more beautiful. |
| difficult | more difficult | Level 3 is more difficult than level 2. |
Irregular comparatives
Some very common adjectives have irregular comparative forms that must be memorised.
| Adjective | Comparative | Example |
|---|---|---|
| good | better | Your English is better than mine. |
| bad | worse | The traffic is worse on Fridays. |
| far | farther / further | The station is farther than I thought. |
| little | less | I have less time than you. |
| much / many | more | She has more experience than him. |
Using comparatives in sentences
The standard structure is: subject + verb + comparative adjective + than + second thing being compared.
Paris is more expensive than Madrid.
My new phone is faster than my old one.
She speaks English better than I do.
The exam was harder than we expected.
Expressing equality and inequality
- as … as — equal degree: She is as tall as her sister.
- not as … as — less than: This film is not as good as the first one.
- much / far / a lot + comparative — emphasise a big difference: This is much easier than I thought.
- a bit / slightly + comparative — emphasise a small difference: Today is a bit warmer than yesterday.
Rome is much hotter than London in July. (big difference)
Today is slightly colder than yesterday. (small difference)
My bag is just as heavy as yours. (equal)
Common mistake: Never use both -er and more together. More taller and more bigger are incorrect. Choose one or the other based on the length of the adjective.
Tip: Always use than (not then) when introducing the second element of the comparison: She is taller than me, not taller then me. Than is a conjunction used for comparisons; then refers to time.