Comparative

Short Adjectives

Long Adjectives

Irregular Adjectives

1. Short Adjectives

fast ➔ faster than
💡 Why: "Fast" is a short adjective, so we add "-er" to form the comparative.

tall ➔ taller than
💡 Why: "Tall" follows the same rule as "fast," adding "-er" for comparison.

Spelling Rules

big ➔ bigger than
💡 Why: The final consonant "g" is doubled before adding "-er" because the vowel before it is short.

hot ➔ hotter than
💡 Why: Similar to "big," the consonant "t" is doubled to maintain the short vowel sound.

happy ➔ happier than
💡 Why: The "y" changes to "i" before adding "-er" to form the comparative.

funny ➔ funnier than
💡 Why: Like "happy," the "y" becomes "i" before "-er" is added.

2. Long Adjectives

expensive ➔ more expensive than
💡 Why: "Expensive" is a long adjective, so "more" is used for comparison.

beautiful ➔ more beautiful than
💡 Why: The adjective "beautiful" requires "more" for its comparative form due to its length.

3. Irregular Adjectives

good ➔ better than
💡 Why: "Good" is an irregular adjective, changing to "better" in the comparative form.

bad ➔ worse than
💡 Why: "Bad" becomes "worse" in its comparative form, following irregular rules.

far ➔ further/farther than
💡 Why: "Far" has two correct comparative forms: "further" and "farther," both accepted.

1. Dialogue in a Clothing Store

Customer: I think this shirt is more expensive than the one I saw online.

Salesperson: Yes, but it is also better quality.

2. Email Comparison

Email: Our new software is faster than the previous version and more reliable.

1. Incorrect Use of "More" with Short Adjectives

❌ more fast than
✅ faster than
💡 Why: "Fast" is a short adjective and should use "-er" not "more".

❌ more tall than
✅ taller than
💡 Why: "Tall" follows the same rule as "fast," requiring "-er".

2. Incorrect Doubling of Consonants

❌ biger than
✅ bigger than
💡 Why: The consonant "g" should be doubled to maintain the short vowel sound.

❌ hoter than
✅ hotter than
💡 Why: The consonant "t" should be doubled for the same reason.

3. Incorrect Use of "More" with Irregular Adjectives

❌ more good than
✅ better than
💡 Why: "Good" is irregular and changes to "better" in the comparative form.

❌ more bad than
✅ worse than
💡 Why: "Bad" becomes "worse," not "more bad."

1. Can "more" be used with short adjectives?

No, short adjectives use "-er" for their comparative forms.

2. What is the rule for adjectives ending in "-y"?

Change "y" to "i" and add "-er" for the comparative form.

3. How do I know if an adjective is irregular?

Irregular adjectives do not follow standard rules and must be memorized, such as "good" to "better."

4. Are "further" and "farther" interchangeable?

Yes, both are accepted as the comparative form of "far."