Comparative adjectives
Comparing two things (-er / more).
We use comparative adjectives to compare two people, animals, or things. For short adjectives (one syllable), we add -er: tall → taller, fast → faster. Watch the spelling rules: if the adjective ends in a single vowel + single consonant, double the consonant before -er (big → bigger, hot → hotter). If it ends in -y, change y to i and add -er (happy → happier, heavy → heavier). For longer adjectives (two or more syllables, not ending in -y), we use more before the adjective: beautiful → more beautiful, expensive → more expensive. Two important irregular forms must be memorised: good → better and bad → worse. We always use than after the comparative when we mention the second thing being compared. For example: 'My schoolbag is heavier than yours, but your phone is more expensive than mine.'
Rules
- 1Short adjectives (1 syllable): add -er → tall → taller, fast → faster (use 'than' to introduce the second item).
- 2Spelling: double the final consonant when the pattern is vowel + consonant → big → bigger, hot → hotter.
- 3Adjectives ending in -y: change y to i, then add -er → happy → happier, heavy → heavier.
- 4Long adjectives (2+ syllables, not -y): use 'more' before the adjective → more expensive, more beautiful.
- 5Irregular forms must be memorised: good → better, bad → worse (never 'more good' or 'more bad').
Practice
10 easy · 10 medium · 10 hard
10 random questions per test