Comparative Adjectives

Comparative Adjectives are comparing a noun to another noun. They compare objects, people, or places.

There are different means to indicate comparison:

1. Use suffixes "-er" and "-est"

big bigger biggest
close closer closest, huge huger hugest, large larger largest, strange stranger strangest, wise wiser wisest
great greater greatest, quick quicker quickest, short shorter shortest

Irregular Adjectives:
"good", "better", "best"
"bad", "worse", "worst"
"old", "elder", "eldest"
"far", "farther/further", "farthest/furthest"
"many", "more", "most" (usually regarded as an adverb or determiner)
"little", "less", "least"

Example: Bob is less friendly than Susan.

2. Compare All others by means of the words "more" and "most"

perfect - more perfect
nervous - more nervous
anxious - more anxious

Examples:
Peter is more anxious than Paul.
The boss gets more nervous after a few hours.

Rough Guidelines

One syllable

- add the ending -er and "-est" to the end to create the comparative form. For example, "big" becomes "bigger", "biggest"

If ending is y and has two syllables

- replace the y with -ier and "-iest". For example, "happy" becomes "happier", "happiest" and "angry" becomes "angrier", "angriest"

Does not end in y and has two syllables

- add the word "more" and "most" before the adjective. For example, "complete" becomes "more complete", "most complete."

But there are exceptions: "able", "abler", "ablest" or "simple", "simpler", "simplest" and "gentle", "gentler", "gentlest"

three syllables

- use the word "more" and "most" before the adjective. For example, "colorful" becomes "more colorful", "most colorful", "delicious" becomes "more delicious" "most delicious".

When you use comparative adjectives use the word "than" in your sentence.

EXAMPLE: Peter is bigger than Joe.

Comparative Adjectives

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