Learn Comparatives in English
Compare two people or things: bigger, more interesting, better.
Grammar Focus
Comparative adjectives are used to compare two people, things, places, or ideas. They show that one thing has more or less of a quality than another. Comparatives are one of the most practical grammar structures in English — you use them every time you say something is bigger, cheaper, more interesting, or better than something else.
- For short adjectives (one syllable), add -er and then the word *than*: *tall → taller than*, *fast → faster than*
- For long adjectives (two or more syllables), use more before the adjective and *than* after: *more expensive than*, *more beautiful than*
- Some adjectives have irregular comparative forms that you must memorise: *good → better*, *bad → worse*, *far → farther/further*
- Always use than to introduce the second item in the comparison: *She is taller than her sister.*
Form & Structure
Short Adjectives
Long Adjectives
Irregular Comparatives
Common Mistakes
Using 'more' with short adjectives
Tip: One-syllable adjectives take **-er**, not *more*. Use *bigger*, *taller*, *faster* — not *more big*, *more tall*, *more fast*.
Forgetting 'than' after the comparative
Tip: Always follow the comparative adjective with **than** when you are naming the second item being compared. Without *than*, the sentence is incomplete.
Using double comparatives
Tip: Never use *more* together with an **-er** ending. Choose one or the other depending on the length of the adjective. *More faster* is a double comparative and is always wrong.
Why This Grammar Matters
Shopping — comparing prices, quality, or size
Travel — comparing cities, routes, or transport options
Work and study — comparing jobs, courses, or candidates
Everyday decisions — choosing between options
Continue Learning
Superlatives
Same category (Adjectives) and level
Too / Enough + Adjective or Noun
Same category (Adjectives) and level
Possessive Adjectives
More adjectives lessons
Future with Present Continuous
intermediate companion topic
Past Perfect
intermediate companion topic
Modals of Advice (should, ought to, have to, had better)
intermediate companion topic
This lesson content was created with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.
Quick Summary
| Use | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Short Adjectives | adjective + **-er** + than | This bag is **cheaper than** that one. |
| Long Adjectives | **more** + adjective + than | This film is **more interesting than** the last one. |
| Irregular Comparatives | good→**better**, bad→**worse**, far→**farther/further** | His English is **better than** it was last year. |
Comparatives are among the first grammar structures that English learners encounter, and for very good reason — they appear constantly in everyday conversation, shopping, travel, work, and study. Every time you say that something is bigger, cheaper, more interesting, or better than something else, you are using a comparative adjective. This is practical, high-frequency grammar that you can begin using immediately. Despite being introduced early in most English courses, comparative adjectives trip up learners at every level. Should you say "more tall" or "taller"? Is it "more good" or "better"? What happens when you forget the word "than"? These are exactly the kinds of questions that this lesson guide will answer with clear explanations and real examples. In this guide, you will learn the three main patterns for forming comparative adjectives in English: the -er ending for short adjectives, the more + adjective pattern for long adjectives, and the irregular forms that do not follow either rule. You will also see how native speakers use comparatives in real situations — shopping, travelling, talking about work, and making everyday choices. By the end, you will be able to compare two people, things, or ideas confidently and accurately in spoken and written English. Whether you are an intermediate learner looking to sharpen your accuracy, or a more advanced student reviewing a fundamental area of grammar, this guide gives you everything you need to master English comparative adjectives. Let's get started.
What Are Comparatives in English?
Comparative adjectives are a specific grammatical form used to compare two things — two people, two objects, two places, two ideas, or any two entities that share a quality that can be measured or described. When you use a comparative adjective, you are saying that one of the two things has more or less of that quality than the other. For example, if you say "My flat is bigger than my friend's flat," you are comparing two flats on the quality of size, and you are stating that your flat has more size — that is, it is larger. The word *bigger* is the comparative form of the adjective *big*. Comparatives always refer to a comparison between exactly two things. When you compare three or more things and want to identify which one has the most of a quality, you use the superlative form instead — for example, "the biggest," "the most interesting," or "the best." But that is a different grammar point. For now, the focus is on comparatives, which always work in pairs. In English, the word *than* plays a crucial role in comparative sentences. After the comparative adjective, you use *than* to introduce the second item in the comparison. For example: "This road is longer **than** that one." The word *than* signals that a comparison is being made and connects the two parts of the sentence. Without *than*, the sentence is grammatically incomplete when both items are named.
Read the full grammar guide
Forming Comparatives with Short Adjectives
For adjectives with one syllable — and some common two-syllable adjectives ending in -y — English forms the comparative by adding the suffix **-er** to the end of the adjective, followed by the word *than*. This is the most basic and common pattern, and once you know the spelling rules, it is very straightforward to apply. Here is the basic rule: take the adjective, add **-er**, and then use *than* before naming the second item. For example: *tall → taller*, *fast → faster*, *cold → colder*, *young → younger*, *cheap → cheaper*. There are a few spelling rules to watch for. When a one-syllable adjective ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel — such as *big*, *hot*, *sad*, *fat*, or *thin* — you must double the final consonant before adding -er: *big → bigger*, *hot → hotter*, *sad → sadder*, *thin → thinner*. When the adjective ends in the letter -e, you simply add -r rather than -er: *nice → nicer*, *safe → safer*, *wide → wider*, *close → closer*. When the adjective ends in -y preceded by a consonant, change the -y to -i and then add -er: *happy → happier*, *easy → easier*, *early → earlier*, *heavy → heavier*. Examples in full sentences: "My sister is **taller than** me." "This exercise is **easier than** the last one." "The weather today is **hotter than** yesterday." "He arrived **earlier than** expected."
Forming Comparatives with Long Adjectives
For adjectives with two or more syllables — with the exception of the common two-syllable adjectives ending in -y, which follow the -er rule — English forms the comparative by placing the word **more** before the adjective, followed by *than*. The adjective itself does not change. This pattern applies to the vast majority of longer adjectives in English. The structure is: **more** + adjective + **than**. For example: *interesting → more interesting than*, *expensive → more expensive than*, *comfortable → more comfortable than*, *difficult → more difficult than*, *beautiful → more beautiful than*, *important → more important than*. Full sentence examples: "This museum is **more interesting than** the one we visited yesterday." "Business class is **more comfortable than** economy." "Learning grammar is **more difficult than** learning vocabulary for many students." "Her second novel was **more successful than** her first." A common error that learners make is trying to use *more* with short adjectives — saying *more big* instead of *bigger*, or *more fast* instead of *faster*. This is incorrect in standard English. Similarly, adding -er to long adjectives — saying *interestinger* or *expensiver* — is not used in standard English. Stick to the rule: short adjectives take -er, long adjectives take more.
Irregular Comparative Adjectives
A small but very important group of adjectives in English have comparative forms that do not follow either the -er rule or the more + adjective rule. These are called **irregular comparatives**, and they must simply be memorised because there is no pattern to predict them. The three most important irregular comparatives are: **good → better**, **bad → worse**, and **far → farther or further**. These forms are extremely common in everyday English, so knowing them is essential. Good becomes **better** in the comparative: "Her English is **better than** his." "This coffee is **better than** the one I had yesterday." "He is **better at** maths than his sister." Bad becomes **worse** in the comparative: "The traffic today is **worse than** yesterday." "His cold is **worse than** last week." "My handwriting is **worse than** yours." Far becomes **farther** or **further** in the comparative. Both forms are commonly used. *Farther* is traditionally preferred for physical distance ("The station is **farther than** I thought"), while *further* is used for both physical and figurative distance ("We need to discuss this **further**"). In everyday speech, most native speakers use *further* for both meanings. There are a few other irregular comparatives worth noting: *old → older / elder* (elder is used specifically for family members), and *little → less* (for uncountable nouns: "She earns **less** money than he does").
Common Mistakes with Comparatives
Even learners who understand the basic rules of comparative adjectives regularly make certain predictable mistakes. Understanding these errors — and why they happen — will help you avoid them in your own English. The most frequent mistake is using *more* with short adjectives. Because the *more + adjective* pattern is used for long adjectives, learners sometimes apply it universally and say things like "more big," "more fast," or "more tall." These are incorrect. Short, one-syllable adjectives always take the -er ending: *bigger*, *faster*, *taller*. If you are ever unsure, count the syllables: one syllable means -er, two or more means *more*. A second very common mistake is forgetting the word *than* when naming both items in the comparison. Learners sometimes say "She is smarter her brother" or "My phone is more expensive his." In English, *than* is mandatory when the second item is expressed. The correct forms are "She is smarter **than** her brother" and "My phone is more expensive **than** his." A third error is using double comparatives — combining both *more* and *-er* on the same adjective. Sentences like "more faster," "more bigger," or "more easier" are always grammatically wrong. You must use one or the other, never both. Fourth, many learners use the regular comparative pattern with irregular adjectives, saying "more good" instead of *better*, or "more bad" instead of *worse*. These must be memorised as fixed forms. Finally, some learners confuse comparatives and superlatives, using the superlative when comparing only two things. In careful, formal English, when comparing exactly two items, use the comparative: "Of the two options, this one is **better**" (not "the best").
Practice In This Page
1. This bag is _____ that one.
Show answer
cheaper than
2. This film is _____ the last one.
Show answer
more interesting than
3. This box is more big than that one.
Show answer
This box is **bigger** than that one.
4. She is smarter her brother.
Show answer
She is smarter **than** her brother.
5. This car is more faster than mine.
Show answer
This car is **faster** than mine.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a comparative adjective in English?
- A comparative adjective is used to compare two people or things, showing that one has more or less of a particular quality than the other. For example, *taller*, *cheaper*, *more interesting*, and *better* are all comparative adjectives. Comparatives are always followed by *than* when the second item in the comparison is named.
- When do I use -er and when do I use 'more'?
- Use the -er ending for short adjectives with one syllable (tall → taller, fast → faster) and for common two-syllable adjectives ending in -y (happy → happier, easy → easier). Use *more* before adjectives with two or more syllables that do not end in -y (more interesting, more expensive, more comfortable). Never combine both — do not say *more bigger* or *more faster*.
- What are the most important irregular comparatives?
- The three most important irregular comparative adjectives are: good → better, bad → worse, and far → farther/further. These do not follow the -er or more + adjective rules and must be memorised. They appear very frequently in everyday English, so learning them early is essential.
- Do I always need 'than' in a comparative sentence?
- You need *than* when you are naming the second item in the comparison within the same sentence — for example, "This film is more interesting **than** that one." However, you can use a comparative adjective without *than* if the comparison is clear from context or if the second item is not mentioned directly — for example, "I've been feeling better lately" (better than before, implied).
- What happens to adjectives ending in -y when forming the comparative?
- Adjectives ending in -y preceded by a consonant change the -y to -i before adding -er. For example: happy → happier, easy → easier, heavy → heavier, early → earlier, busy → busier. This is a spelling rule that affects a large number of very common two-syllable adjectives.
- What is the difference between a comparative and a superlative?
- A comparative adjective compares exactly two things and uses -er or more: "This bag is cheaper than that one." A superlative adjective compares three or more things and identifies the one with the highest or lowest degree of a quality — it uses -est or most and is preceded by *the*: "This is the cheapest bag in the shop." Use the comparative for pairs, and the superlative for groups of three or more.