Comparative Adjectives
Learn Comparative Adjectives in English and compare people, places, and things with clear, natural sentences.
Comparative adjectives show difference between two people, places, or things. They often talk about size, age, speed, or quality. A comparative adjective usually comes before a noun or after a verb such as be.
Many short adjectives make the comparative with -er. This pattern is common with one-syllable adjectives and some two-syllable adjectives. The comparative form shows that one thing has more of a quality than another thing.
| Rule |
|---|
| Add -er to many short adjectives 📝. |
| Drop final -e before -er in adjectives like nice 📝. |
| Double the final consonant before -er after one vowel and one consonant in adjectives like big 📝. |
Many longer adjectives make the comparative with more. This pattern is common with adjectives of two or more syllables. Some two-syllable adjectives can vary, but more is often a safe choice.
| Rule |
|---|
| Use more with many adjectives of two or more syllables 📝. |
| Use more when an -er form sounds uncommon or difficult 📝. |
| Some two-syllable adjectives can take -er or more, so usage may vary 📝. |
Than links the two parts of a comparison. It comes after the comparative adjective. The comparison can be between nouns, pronouns, or longer noun groups.
| Rule |
|---|
| Use than after a comparative adjective 🔗. |
| Than can compare two nouns, as in two people or two places 🔗. |
| Than can also compare pronouns or longer noun groups 🔗. |
Some common adjectives do not make the comparative with -er or more. These forms must be learned as special words. A few forms also show real variation in meaning or preference.
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| good | The comparative form is better ✨. |
| bad | The comparative form is worse ⚠️. |
| far | The comparative form can be farther or further 📏. |
Farther and further both work as comparative forms of far. Many speakers use farther for physical distance and further for added distance or a more general idea. In real English, many speakers also use further for physical distance, so this is a preference, not a fixed rule.
| Region | Word or Phrase | Regional Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸US |  farther | Many speakers prefer this form for physical distance. |
| 🇺🇸US |  further | Many speakers use this form for general extension, and some also use it for physical distance. |
| 🇬🇧UK | further | Many speakers use this form for both physical distance and general extension. |
Comparative forms often keep the same main stress as the base adjective. The ending -er is usually a weak sound in speech. Spelling changes such as nicer and bigger help show the correct spoken form.
| Word | Notation | Description |
|---|---|---|
 small | small er | The main stress stays on small. |
| nice | nice to nicer | The final e drops before -er. |
| big | big to bigger | The final consonant doubles before -er. |
You can now compare two people, places, or things with common comparative adjectives. You can choose between -er forms and more forms, use than, and recognize common irregular forms. You can also understand that some comparative choices, especially farther and further, may vary by speaker or region.