comparatives

A comparative compares two people or things. Short adjectives add -er, and longer ones take more. Than comes before the second thing.

Short adjectives: -er

• Most one-syllable adjectives add -er: old – older, cheap – cheaper, fast – faster.
• Ending in -e, add -r: nice – nicer, large – larger.
• Ending in one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant: big – bigger, hot – hotter, thin – thinner.
• Two syllables ending in -y: -ier: easy – easier, happy – happier, busy – busier.

Long adjectives: more

Most adjectives with two or more syllables take more: more expensive, more careful, more interesting.

Irregular forms

good – better, bad – worse, far – further (or farther).

After than

In everyday English, use me, him, her, us or them after than. You can also say than I am, than she is.

How big the difference is

Put much, a lot or a bit before the comparative.

Less is the opposite of more: less expensive, less busy.

Common mistakes

• × more big → bigger
• × more better → better
• × gooder → better
• × expensiver → more expensive
• × biger → bigger
• × She's taller that me. → She's taller than me.