What are Comparatives?
Comparatives are adjectives or adverbs that we use to compare two people, things, or situations. When you want to say that one thing is different from another—bigger, smaller, faster, slower, better, worse—you use a comparative form. For example, 'This car is faster than that one' uses the comparative 'faster' to show the difference between two cars.
How to Form Comparatives
There are two main rules for forming comparatives. For short adjectives (usually one or two syllables), add -er to the end: tall → taller, fast → faster, happy → happier. For longer adjectives (three or more syllables), use 'more' before the adjective: beautiful → more beautiful, expensive → more expensive. After the comparative, you usually add 'than' to introduce the second thing you are comparing.
Special Cases and Irregular Forms
Some adjectives have irregular comparative forms that you need to memorize. The most common are: good → better, bad → worse, far → farther/further, little → less. Also, when a short adjective ends in a single consonant with a vowel before it, double the consonant: big → bigger, hot → hotter, sad → sadder. These exceptions are important to remember for accurate English.
The Comparative Scale
| Category | ⬅ Base Form (Positive) |
⚖ Comparative Form (Midpoint) |
➡ Superlative Form (Extreme) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | Adjective used on its own with no modification | Adjective + -er (short words) or more + adjective (long words) | Adjective + -est (short words) or most + adjective (long words) |
| When to use | To describe a quality without any comparison | To compare two people, things, or groups with each other | To identify the highest or lowest degree within a group of three or more |
| Temperature scale | cold | colder | coldest |
| Size scale | tall | taller | tallest |
| Speed scale | fast | faster | fastest |
| Complexity scale | difficult | more difficult | most difficult |
| Beauty scale | beautiful | more beautiful | most beautiful |
| Irregular scale | good / bad / far | better / worse / farther | best / worst / farthest |
| Positive example | "Today is cold." | "Today is colder than yesterday." | "This is the coldest day of the year." |
| Negative example | "The room is not cold." | "This room is not colder than that one." | "This is not the coldest place I've been." |
| Question example | "Is it cold outside?" | "Is it colder today than yesterday?" | "Which month is the coldest?" |
| Key signal words | very, quite, extremely, rather, so | than, much, a little, far, even, slightly | the (always used before), ever, by far, in the class / world / group |
| 🔑 Key Difference: Adjectives exist on a graduated scale. The base (positive) form simply describes a quality with no comparison ("It is cold"). The comparative form acts as the midpoint on the scale, comparing exactly two things and always paired with the word than ("It is colder than before"). The superlative form marks the extreme end of the scale, identifying the highest or lowest degree among three or more items and always preceded by the ("It is the coldest day"). Short adjectives (one syllable) typically add -er / -est, while longer adjectives (two or more syllables) use more / most. Irregular adjectives (good → better → best) must simply be memorised. | |||
Formula
✔ Positive
Subject
+
verb
+
comparative adjective
+
than
+
comparison
Sarah is taller than her brother.
Examples
My house is bigger than yours.
Short adjective (one syllable) · Comparison of size
The weather today is warmer than yesterday.
Short adjective with vowel + consonant · Temperature comparison
This restaurant is more expensive than that one.
Long adjective (three syllables) · Formal comparison
She speaks English better than I do.
Irregular form · Ability comparison
The journey by car is faster than by train.
Short adjective · Speed comparison
This mobile phone is less reliable than the previous model.
Negative comparison · Product quality
When to use it
Shopping & Prices
Compare products to help make decisions about which to buy. Use comparatives to explain why one option is better for your needs.
"This coffee is more expensive than that one, but the quality is better."
Describing People
Compare physical characteristics or abilities of different people naturally in conversation.
"My sister is younger than me and she's more outgoing."
Comparing Places
Describe differences between cities, countries, or locations when traveling or discussing geography.
"Paris is more crowded than our small village."
Work & Study
Make comparisons in reports, presentations, or discussions about performance and results.
"The new system is faster than the old one and more efficient."
Signal words
than
compared to
not as...as
much
a little
slightly
far
even
rather
Common Mistakes
✕
Wrong
This shirt is more cheaper than that one.
✓
Correct
This shirt is cheaper than that one.
Don't use 'more' with short adjectives. Add -er or use 'more', but not both.
✕
Wrong
He is more tall than his father.
✓
Correct
He is taller than his father.
'Tall' is a short adjective. Use the -er form instead of 'more'.
✕
Wrong
The red car is faster the blue car.
✓
Correct
The red car is faster than the blue car.
Always use 'than' after comparative adjectives, not other prepositions.
✕
Wrong
She is more good at mathematics.
✓
Correct
She is better at mathematics.
'Good' is irregular. Use 'better', not 'more good'.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
What to Remember
- Comparatives compare two people, things, or situations using special adjective or adverb forms.
- For short adjectives (one or two syllables), add -er: tall becomes taller.
- For long adjectives (three or more syllables), use more before the adjective.
- Always use than after the comparative form to introduce the second item.
- Some adjectives are irregular and don't follow standard rules: good becomes better, bad becomes worse.