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Comparative adjectives

17th September 2018 by Andrew

Use of comparative adjectives

Use 1

We use comparative adjectives to compare 2 or more things, people or places.
We use “than” after the comparative adjective to say what we are comparing something with.

Example:
The cat is smaller than the dog.

Cat with dog

Use 2

We also use comparative adjectives to compare 1 thing, person or place at different times.
We use “than” after the comparative adjective to say what time period we are comparing something with.

Example:
Jane is more active than last year.


Form of comparative adjectives

The form of comparative adjectives depends on the number of syllables of the adjective itself. See the grammar rules below with example sentences.

One-syllable adjectives

For most one-syllable adjectives:

We add -er

AdjectiveComparative adjective
hardharder
talltaller
shortshorter
smallsmaller

When we use a personal pronoun after a comparative, we use an object personal pronoun. (me, you, her, him, it, us, them)

Example:

by photostock & stockimages | FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Mr Jones is taller than me.

For one-syllable adjectives ending in “e”:

We add -r

AdjectiveComparative adjective
finefiner
nicenicer
rarerarer

Example:

Gold is rarer than silver.

For one-syllable adjectives ending in a consonant, vowel and consonant:

We double the last consonant and add -er

AdjectiveComparative adjective
bigbigger
fatfatter
hothotter
thinthinner

Example:

The weather in Spain is hotter than in England.

We usually omit the second preposition “in” before “England” to avoid repetition:

The weather in Spain is hotter than England.

Two-syllable adjectives

For most two-syllable adjectives:

We use “more” + adjective

AdjectiveComparative adjective
carefulmore careful
famousmore famous
peacefulmore peaceful
pleasantmore pleasant
usefulmore useful

Example:
I lost my keys yesterday. I need to be more careful.

Two-syllable adjectives ending in “y”:

We change the “y” to “i” and add -er

AdjectiveComparative adjective
busybusier
easyeasier
funnyfunnier
happyhappier

Example:
Jane is feeling happier than yesterday.

Two-syllable adjectives ending in “er”, “le” or “ow”:

We usually add -er

AdjectiveComparative adjective
clevercleverer
gentlegentler
narrownarrower

Example:
Mark is cleverer than the other students.

Longer adjectives

Adjectives with three or more syllables:

We always use “more” + adjective

AdjectiveComparative adjective
complicatedmore complicated
enjoyablemore enjoyable
interestingmore interesting

Example:
Jane thinks that skiing is more enjoyable than studying.

Irregular comparative adjectives

Some comparative adjectives are irregular:

AdjectiveComparative adjective
badworse
farfurther or farther
goodbetter
oldolder or elder

Examples:
I think that Messi is a better football player than Ronaldo.
He had lots of energy. He ran further than Mark.
My sister is older than me.
Louise is my elder sister.

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