📊 Comparative Adjectives – Rules & Examples
1️⃣ One-Syllable Adjectives: Add -er
Formation: adjective + -er
Examples: old → older, fast → faster, cold → colder
2️⃣ One-Syllable C–V–C: Double Consonant + -er
Formation: double final consonant, then add -er
Examples: big → bigger, hot → hotter, sad → sadder
3️⃣ Two-Syllable Adjectives Ending in -y: Change y to i + -er
Formation: adjective ending in -y → change y to i, then add -er
Examples: happy → happier, easy → easier, busy → busier
4️⃣ Two or More Syllables: Use more + adjective
Formation: more + adjective
Examples: careful → more careful, interesting → more interesting
5️⃣ Irregular Adjectives
Several adjectives have irregular comparative forms:
- good → better
- bad → worse
- far → farther / further
💡 Tip: Use -er forms only with short adjectives and more with longer ones for natural English!
🔁 Comparing Two Things & Variations
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Two things | adjective-er + thanor more + adjective + than |
My bag is heavier than your bag. This book is more interesting than that book. |
| Less … than | less + adjective + than | This test is less difficult than the last test. |
| Than + pronoun | use object pronoun | My brother is older than me. Anna is more careful than him. |
| Much / a bit + comparative | much / a bit + (more or -er form) | This chair is a bit bigger than that chair. Winter is much colder than summer. |
| Common mistakes | No “more taller” or “taller that” | My friend is taller than me. (✅) Not more taller / not taller that me. (❌) |
Exercises:
Comparative Adjectives – Rules & Examples
Write the opposite of these adjectives. Use the comparative form of adjectives in the box below.
Use the comparative form of these opposite adjectives:
smallshortcold
quietfat/thicktidy / neat / clean
uglyunhealthy / less healthy
lowhard / difficult
1
bigger ⇒
2
longer ⇒
3
hotter ⇒
4
noisier ⇒
5
thinner ⇒
6
messier ⇒
7
prettier ⇒
8
healthier ⇒
9
higher ⇒
10
easier ⇒
Comparative Adjectives – Rules & Examples
Choose the correct comparative adjectives to complete these sentences.
1
This puzzle is _____ the last one.
A.
B.
C.
2
Her house is _____ ours.
A.
B.
C.
3
He is _____ in the class.
A.
B.
C.
4
A whale is _____ an elephant.
A.
B.
C.
5
This task is _____ yesterday’s.
A.
B.
C.
6
My phone is _____ his phone.
A.
B.
C.
7
Today’s weather is _____ yesterday’s.
A.
B.
C.
8
She is _____ her sister.
A.
B.
C.
9
This road is _____ the other route.
A.
B.
C.
10
My new shoes are _____ my old ones.
A.
B.
C.
Comparative Adjectives – Rules & Examples
Write comparative adjectives using the adjectives in brackets. Include than when necessary
1
This sofa is (comfortable) the one in the living room.
2
The city centre is (noisy) our neighbourhood.
3
For many jobs, English is (important) any other language.
4
I’m (young) my brother.
5
This laptop was (expensive) the desktop I had before.
6
Her essay was (detailed) mine.
7
The new supermarket is (big) the old corner shop.
8
Today’s weather is (good) it was yesterday.
9
That film was (bad) I expected.
10
Children usually fall asleep (easy) adults.