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.'
Key terms
| Adjective type | Rule | Base form | Comparative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short (1 syllable) | add -er | tall | taller |
| Short (1 syllable) | add -er | fast | faster |
| Short, ends in -e | add -r only | wide | wider |
| Short, CVC (vowel + consonant) | double consonant + -er | big | bigger |
| Short, CVC (vowel + consonant) | double consonant + -er | hot | hotter |
| Short, CVC (vowel + consonant) | double consonant + -er | thin | thinner |
| Ends in -y | change y → i, add -er | happy | happier |
| Ends in -y | change y → i, add -er | heavy | heavier |
| Ends in -y | change y → i, add -er | easy | easier |
| Long (2+ syllables, not -y) | more + adjective | expensive | more expensive |
| Long (2+ syllables, not -y) | more + adjective | beautiful | more beautiful |
| Long (2+ syllables, not -y) | more + adjective | comfortable | more comfortable |
| Irregular | memorise | good | better |
| Irregular | memorise | bad | worse |
Always add 'than' after the comparative when you name the second item: My bag is heavier than yours.
| Base adjective | Comparative | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| good | better | This pizza is better than that sandwich. |
| bad | worse | Today's homework is worse than yesterday's. |
Do NOT say 'more good', 'gooder', 'more bad', 'badder', or 'worser'. These forms do not exist.
| Word | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| than | after a comparative adjective | Baku is bigger than Ganja. |
| then | to talk about time or sequence | We had lunch, then we went home. |
Never write 'bigger then' or 'longer then' — always use 'than' after a comparative.
- 1Step 1: check the ending: hot → ends in one vowel (o) + one consonant (t) — this is the CVC pattern.
- 2Step 2: double the final consonant: hot → hott-
- 3Step 3: add -er: hott- + er → hotter
- 4Step 4: add 'than' in a sentence: Summer is hotter than winter in Azerbaijan.
- 1Step 1: spot the -y ending: heavy → ends in consonant (v) + y.
- 2Step 2: change y to i: heavy → heavi-
- 3Step 3: add -er: heavi- + er → heavier
- 4Step 4: use in a sentence: My schoolbag is heavier than yours.
Never use 'more' and -er together. Forms like 'more taller', 'more bigger', 'more heavier', and 'more tireder' are always wrong. Choose one: either -er (taller) or more (more comfortable).
Students often write 'more good' or 'more bad' — but these are incorrect. 'Good' and 'bad' are irregular: good → better, bad → worse. Also, 'worser', 'gooder', and 'badder' do not exist.
Watch the spelling when the adjective ends in a single vowel + single consonant (CVC): you must double the final consonant — 'hoter' and 'thiner' are spelling mistakes; the correct forms are 'hotter' and 'thinner'.
For adjectives ending in -y (happy, heavy, easy, healthy), always change y to i before adding -er. Writing 'happyer', 'heavyer', or 'easyer' is incorrect; the correct forms are 'happier', 'heavier', and 'easier'.
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
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