Comparative adjectives help us compare two things—whether it’s deciding which pizza is bigger, which movie is better, or which route is faster. Without them, we’d be stuck saying things in a flat, lifeless way.
But here’s the tricky part: why we say “faster” instead of “more fast”? Or why “better” is correct but “gooder” is not? The rules aren’t always as simple as adding “-er” to the end of a word. In this guide, we’ll break it all down—no confusing grammar jargon, just clear and useful tips to help you get it right every time. Let’s get started!
What Are Comparative Adjectives?
Comparative adjectives are words used to compare two things, indicating that one has more or less of a certain quality than the other.
For example:
- “This car is faster than that one.”
- “She is more intelligent than her brother.”
Notice how “faster” and “more intelligent” show a difference between two things? That’s the core function of comparative adjectives. They help provide clarity and add depth to our descriptions.
Rules for Forming Comparative Adjectives
The formation of comparative adjectives depends on the number of syllables in the adjective. Let’s break it down step by step.
1. Comparative Form for Short Adjectives (One Syllable)
For most one-syllable adjectives, add “-er” at the end.
| Base Adjective | Comparative Form | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Tall | Taller | John is taller than Mike. |
| Fast | Faster | This car is faster than mine. |
| Cold | Colder | Today is colder than yesterday. |
| Small | Smaller | My house is smaller than hers. |
Exception: If a one-syllable adjective ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, double the last consonant before adding “-er”.
| Base Adjective | Comparative Form | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Big | Bigger | This house is bigger than that one. |
| Hot | Hotter | It’s hotter in July than in May. |
| Thin | Thinner | She looks thinner than before. |
2. Comparative Form for Adjectives Ending in “-y”
If an adjective ends in “-y”, change “-y” to “-ier”.
| Base Adjective | Comparative Form | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Happy | Happier | She looks happier today. |
| Busy | Busier | He is busier than last year. |
| Early | Earlier | We arrived earlier than expected. |
3. Comparative Form for Long Adjectives (Two or More Syllables)
Use “more” or “less” before the adjective instead of adding “-er”.
| Base Adjective | Comparative Form | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Beautiful | More beautiful | This park is more beautiful than the last one. |
| Intelligent | More intelligent | She is more intelligent than her brother. |
| Comfortable | More comfortable | This chair is more comfortable than that one. |
Exception: Some two-syllable adjectives can take either “-er” or “more”, depending on preference.
| Base Adjective | Comparative Form (Both Correct) |
|---|---|
| Simple | Simpler / More simple |
| Quiet | Quieter / More quiet |
| Clever | Cleverer / More clever |
4. Irregular Comparative Adjectives
Some adjectives do not follow regular patterns and change completely in their comparative form.
| Base Adjective | Comparative Form | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Good | Better | This phone is better than my old one. |
| Bad | Worse | The weather is worse today. |
| Far | Farther / Further | My house is farther from school. |
| Little | Less | I have less money than you. |
| Many / Much | More | She has more experience than him. |
“Farther” vs. “Further”:
- Farther → Physical distance (e.g., “New York is farther than Boston.”)
- Further → Abstract distance (e.g., “We need to discuss this further.”)
5. Using “Less” for Comparisons
Instead of “more,” we use “less” to show a lower degree of quality.
- This chair is less comfortable than that one.
- She is less interested in sports than her sister.
- The test was less difficult than expected.
6. Avoiding Double Comparatives
Incorrect: This book is more better than that one.
Correct: This book is better than that one.
Never use “more” with “-er” adjectives or “most” with “-est” adjectives.
7. Forming Negative Comparisons
To form a negative comparison, use “not as…as” instead of the comparative form.
- This hotel is not as expensive as the other one.
- He is not as tall as his brother.
- This movie is not as interesting as the last one.
Summary of Comparative Adjective Rules
| Type of Adjective | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| One syllable | Add “-er” | Fast → Faster |
| One syllable (CVC pattern) | Double last consonant + “-er” | Big → Bigger |
| Ends in “-y” | Change “-y” to “-ier” | Happy → Happier |
| Two or more syllables | Use “more” or “less” | Beautiful → More beautiful |
| Irregular adjectives | Change the form completely | Good → Better |
| Negative comparison | Use “not as…as” | Not as expensive as |
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
1. Using Double Comparatives (❌ “More faster” or “most happiest”)
- Incorrect: “This car is more faster than that one.”
- Correct: “This car is faster than that one.”
2. Incorrect Forms of Irregular Adjectives
- Incorrect: “She is gooder than him.”
- Correct: “She is better than him.”
3. Using “-er” with Long Adjectives
- Incorrect: “This book is interestinger than that one.”
- Correct: “This book is more interesting than that one.”
Comparative vs. Superlative Adjectives
| Feature | Comparative Adjectives | Superlative Adjectives |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | Comparing two things | Comparing three or more things |
| Form | “-er” (short adjectives) or “more/less” (long adjectives) | “-est” (short adjectives) or “most/least” (long adjectives) |
| Example (Short Adjective) | The mountain is higher than the hill. | Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. |
| Example (Long Adjective) | This movie is more interesting than the last one. | That was the most interesting movie I’ve seen. |
| Irregular Forms | good → better, bad → worse | good → best, bad → worst |
| Negative Comparison | “Not as…as” (e.g., This book is not as interesting as that one.) | “Least” (e.g., This is the least interesting book.) |
Examples of Comparative Adjectives in Sentences
Here are 30 examples of comparative adjectives used in sentences:
- This road is narrower than the highway.
- She is taller than her best friend.
- The test was easier than I expected.
- His handwriting is messier than mine.
- The ocean is deeper here than near the shore.
- Today is hotter than yesterday.
- This book is more interesting than the last one.
- My bag is heavier than yours.
- The movie was more exciting than I thought.
- This jacket is warmer than my sweater.
- His explanation was clearer than the textbook’s.
- The car is more powerful than the previous model.
- This hotel is cheaper than the one downtown.
- My coffee is stronger than yours.
- This cake is sweeter than last time.
- The new phone is more expensive than the old one.
- His jokes are funnier than mine.
- The music is louder than I like.
- This shirt is cleaner than that one.
- The problem is more complicated than it seems.
- This movie is less entertaining than the first one.
- His response was less detailed than I expected.
- The old version is less efficient than the new one.
- This dish is less spicy than I thought.
- The second option is less expensive than the first.
- His speech was less inspiring than the previous one.
- The weather today is less humid than yesterday.
- The joke was less funny than I expected.
- The instructions were less confusing than before.
- My new schedule is less stressful than last year’s.”
List of Comparative Adjectives
Here’s a list of 200+ comparative adjectives to help you understand how adjectives change when comparing two things.
- big → bigger
- small → smaller
- tall → taller
- short → shorter
- fast → faster
- slow → slower
- old → older
- young → younger
- strong → stronger
- weak → weaker
- hot → hotter
- cold → colder
- deep → deeper
- shallow → shallower
- long → longer
- high → higher
- low → lower
- thick → thicker
- thin → thinner
- rich → richer
- poor → poorer
- dark → darker
- light → lighter
- hard → harder
- soft → softer
- beautiful → more beautiful
- careful → more careful
- difficult → more difficult
- expensive → more expensive
- famous → more famous
- interesting → more interesting
- popular → more popular
- dangerous → more dangerous
- generous → more generous
- comfortable → more comfortable
- intelligent → more intelligent
- delicious → more delicious
- creative → more creative
- active → more active
- effective → more effective
- sensitive → more sensitive
- powerful → more powerful
- reliable → more reliable
- respectful → more respectful
- skillful → more skillful
- good → better
- bad → worse
- far → farther
- little → less
- many → more
- narrow → narrower
- wide → wider
- round → rounder
- square → squarer
- flat → flatter
- curved → more curved
- pointy → pointier
- sharp → sharper
- blunt → blunter
- massive → more massive
- happy → happier
- sad → sadder
- angry → angrier
- calm → calmer
- friendly → friendlier
- lonely → lonelier
- anxious → more anxious
- confident → more confident
- proud → prouder
- jealous → more jealous
- excited → more excited
- bored → more bored
- brave → braver
- polite → politer
- shy → shyer
- quick → quicker
- lazy → lazier
- tired → more tired
- busy → busier
- loud → louder
- quiet → quieter
- noisy → noisier
- energetic → more energetic
- slow → slower
- swift → swifter
- new → newer
- old → older
- modern → more modern
- ancient → more ancient
- recent → more recent
- late → later
- early → earlier
- frequent → more frequent
- rare → rarer
- common → more common
- wise → wiser
- smart → smarter
- dumb → dumber
- simple → simpler
- complex → more complex
- logical → more logical
- clever → cleverer
- foolish → more foolish
- thoughtful → more thoughtful
- creative → more creative
- handsome → more handsome
- cute → cuter
- attractive → more attractive
- ugly → uglier
- neat → neater
- messy → messier
- charming → more charming
- graceful → more graceful
- stylish → more stylish
- elegant → more elegant
- cheap → cheaper
- expensive → more expensive
- valuable → more valuable
- worthless → more worthless
- efficient → more efficient
- useful → more useful
- reliable → more reliable
- durable → more durable
- fragile → more fragile
- wasteful → more wasteful
- tasty → tastier
- bitter → more bitter
- sweet → sweeter
- sour → more sour
- salty → saltier
- spicy → spicier
- delicious → more delicious
- bland → blander
- greasy → greasier
- crunchy → crunchier
- sunny → sunnier
- rainy → rainier
- windy → windier
- cloudy → cloudier
- stormy → stormier
- foggy → foggier
- snowy → snowier
- icy → icier
- humid → more humid
- dry → drier
- kind → kinder
- cruel → crueler
- honest → more honest
- loyal → more loyal
- selfish → more selfish
- rude → ruder
- lazy → lazier
- cheerful → more cheerful
- grumpy → grumpier
- serious → more serious
- fat → fatter
- thin → thinner
- skinny → skinnier
- chubby → chubbier
- muscular → more muscular
- hairy → hairier
- bald → balder
- pale → paler
- tanned → more tanned
- freckled → more freckled
- tough → tougher
- resilient → more resilient
- flexible → more flexible
- enduring → more enduring
- sturdy → sturdier
- fragrant → more fragrant
- smelly → smellier
- odorous → more odorous
- fresh → fresher
- stale → staler
- healthy → healthier
- sick → sicker
- fit → fitter
- lively → livelier
- energetic → more energetic
- echoey → more echoey
- harmonic → more harmonic
- melodic → more melodic
- shrill → shriller
- resonant → more resonant
- wet → wetter
- soaked → more soaked
- damp → damper
- moist → moister
- crowded → more crowded
- spacious → more spacious
- compact → more compact
- vast → vaster
- glowing → more glowing
- dim → dimmer
- vivid → more vivid
- radiant → more radiant
- dazzling → more dazzling
Comparative adjectives are essential in everyday communication. By following these rules and avoiding common mistakes, you’ll sound more natural and precise in your writing and speech. Try using comparative adjectives in your daily conversations to reinforce your learning!