Comparatives and Superlatives
Add -er + than for short adjectives (bigger than) or put more before long adjectives (more expensive than) to compare two things; add -est or most, with "the", to say something is the extreme in a group (the biggest, the most expensive).
Formula
Examples
Usage
- •Comparing two people, things, or groups
- •Showing superiority among all in a group
- •Using more/less with longer adjectives
When do you use -er/-est and when do you use more/most?
Short adjectives (one syllable, or two syllables ending in -y) add -er for comparatives and -est for superlatives: fast → faster → the fastest, happy → happier → the happiest.
Long adjectives (three or more syllables, and most two-syllable ones) use more/most instead of changing the word: beautiful → more beautiful → the most beautiful, expensive → more expensive → the most expensive.
How do you compare two things that are equal?
Use as + adjective + as to say two things are the same: She's as tall as her brother. Use not as + adjective + as for inequality: This car is not as fast as my old one. Neither form changes the adjective — no -er, no more.
"As...as" is a native-speaker default for equality that many learners underuse, reaching instead for awkward workarounds with "more" or "less".
Comparison Table
| Form | Comparative (2 things) | Superlative (group) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short adjective (1 syllable) | + er + than | the + est | fast → faster than → the fastest |
| Short adjective ending in -y | y → ier + than | the + y → iest | happy → happier than → the happiest |
| Long adjective (3+ syllables) | more + adj + than | the most + adj | expensive → more expensive than → the most expensive |
| Irregular | good → better than | the best | bad → worse than → the worst |
| Equality | as + adj + as | not as + adj + as | as tall as / not as fast as |
Save this comparison chart
More Examples
My bag is heavier than yours.
Comparing two objects (short adjective + er)
This is the most beautiful view I've ever seen.
Saying something is the most ...
She's as tall as her brother.
Saying two things are the same amount
It's less expensive than I thought.
Saying something has less of a quality
Common Mistakes
- ✗❌ "more big" → ✓ "bigger" (short adjectives use -er, not "more")
- ✗❌ "the most fast" → ✓ "the fastest" (short adjectives use -est)
- ✗❌ "She is more taller" → ✓ "She is taller" (never "more" + -er together)
- ✗❌ Irregular: "more good" → ✓ "better"; "more bad" → ✓ "worse"
Tips
- ✓Short adjectives (one syllable, or two syllables ending in -y): add -er/-est (fast→faster→fastest, happy→happier).
- ✓Longer adjectives (most two-syllable ones, and all with 3+ syllables): use more/most (careful→more careful, beautiful→most beautiful).
Forms Reference
65 adjectives — Short · Double · -y → -ier · Long · Irregular
Short adjectives (+ er / est)
fast
Comparative
faster
Superlative
fastest
tall
Comparative
taller
Superlative
tallest
old
Comparative
older
Superlative
oldest
young
Comparative
younger
Superlative
youngest
small
Comparative
smaller
Superlative
smallest
cheap
Comparative
cheaper
Superlative
cheapest
cold
Comparative
colder
Superlative
coldest
clean
Comparative
cleaner
Superlative
cleanest
short
Comparative
shorter
Superlative
shortest
long
Comparative
longer
Superlative
longest
new
Comparative
newer
Superlative
newest
bright
Comparative
brighter
Superlative
brightest
dark
Comparative
darker
Superlative
darkest
hard
Comparative
harder
Superlative
hardest
light
Comparative
lighter
Superlative
lightest
quick
Comparative
quicker
Superlative
quickest
rich
Comparative
richer
Superlative
richest
smart
Comparative
smarter
Superlative
smartest
soft
Comparative
softer
Superlative
softest
sweet
Comparative
sweeter
Superlative
sweetest
weak
Comparative
weaker
Superlative
weakest
strong
Comparative
stronger
Superlative
strongest
Short adjectives ending CVC — double the consonant
big
Comparative
bigger
Superlative
biggest
hot
Comparative
hotter
Superlative
hottest
thin
Comparative
thinner
Superlative
thinnest
fat
Comparative
fatter
Superlative
fattest
sad
Comparative
sadder
Superlative
saddest
fit
Comparative
fitter
Superlative
fittest
wet
Comparative
wetter
Superlative
wettest
slim
Comparative
slimmer
Superlative
slimmest
flat
Comparative
flatter
Superlative
flattest
Adjectives ending in -y (y → ier / iest)
happy
Comparative
happier
Superlative
happiest
easy
Comparative
easier
Superlative
easiest
funny
Comparative
funnier
Superlative
funniest
heavy
Comparative
heavier
Superlative
heaviest
lucky
Comparative
luckier
Superlative
luckiest
busy
Comparative
busier
Superlative
busiest
dirty
Comparative
dirtier
Superlative
dirtiest
early
Comparative
earlier
Superlative
earliest
lazy
Comparative
lazier
Superlative
laziest
friendly
Comparative
friendlier
Superlative
friendliest
angry
Comparative
angrier
Superlative
angriest
noisy
Comparative
noisier
Superlative
noisiest
pretty
Comparative
prettier
Superlative
prettiest
Long adjectives (3+ syllables — more / most)
beautiful
Comparative
more beautiful
Superlative
most beautiful
expensive
Comparative
more expensive
Superlative
most expensive
interesting
Comparative
more interesting
Superlative
most interesting
comfortable
Comparative
more comfortable
Superlative
most comfortable
important
Comparative
more important
Superlative
most important
dangerous
Comparative
more dangerous
Superlative
most dangerous
difficult
Comparative
more difficult
Superlative
most difficult
modern
Comparative
more modern
Superlative
most modern
popular
Comparative
more popular
Superlative
most popular
serious
Comparative
more serious
Superlative
most serious
careful
Comparative
more careful
Superlative
most careful
powerful
Comparative
more powerful
Superlative
most powerful
wonderful
Comparative
more wonderful
Superlative
most wonderful
Irregular forms
good
Comparative
better
Superlative
best
bad
Comparative
worse
Superlative
worst
far
Comparative
farther / further
Superlative
farthest / furthest
little
Comparative
less
Superlative
least
many / much
Comparative
more
Superlative
most
old (family)
Comparative
elder
Superlative
eldest
| Base form | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| Short adjectives (+ er / est) | ||
| fast | faster | fastest |
| tall | taller | tallest |
| old | older | oldest |
| young | younger | youngest |
| small | smaller | smallest |
| cheap | cheaper | cheapest |
| cold | colder | coldest |
| clean | cleaner | cleanest |
| short | shorter | shortest |
| long | longer | longest |
| new | newer | newest |
| bright | brighter | brightest |
| dark | darker | darkest |
| hard | harder | hardest |
| light | lighter | lightest |
| quick | quicker | quickest |
| rich | richer | richest |
| smart | smarter | smartest |
| soft | softer | softest |
| sweet | sweeter | sweetest |
| weak | weaker | weakest |
| strong | stronger | strongest |
| Short adjectives ending CVC — double the consonant | ||
| big | bigger | biggest |
| hot | hotter | hottest |
| thin | thinner | thinnest |
| fat | fatter | fattest |
| sad | sadder | saddest |
| fit | fitter | fittest |
| wet | wetter | wettest |
| slim | slimmer | slimmest |
| flat | flatter | flattest |
| Adjectives ending in -y (y → ier / iest) | ||
| happy | happier | happiest |
| easy | easier | easiest |
| funny | funnier | funniest |
| heavy | heavier | heaviest |
| lucky | luckier | luckiest |
| busy | busier | busiest |
| dirty | dirtier | dirtiest |
| early | earlier | earliest |
| lazy | lazier | laziest |
| friendly | friendlier | friendliest |
| angry | angrier | angriest |
| noisy | noisier | noisiest |
| pretty | prettier | prettiest |
| Long adjectives (3+ syllables — more / most) | ||
| beautiful | more beautiful | most beautiful |
| expensive | more expensive | most expensive |
| interesting | more interesting | most interesting |
| comfortable | more comfortable | most comfortable |
| important | more important | most important |
| dangerous | more dangerous | most dangerous |
| difficult | more difficult | most difficult |
| modern | more modern | most modern |
| popular | more popular | most popular |
| serious | more serious | most serious |
| careful | more careful | most careful |
| powerful | more powerful | most powerful |
| wonderful | more wonderful | most wonderful |
| Irregular forms | ||
| good | better | best |
| bad | worse | worst |
| far | farther / further | farthest / furthest |
| little | less | least |
| many / much | more | most |
| old (family) | elder | eldest |
63 adjectives shown
Advanced Notes
Spelling rules trip up learners with comparatives: double the final consonant for short CVC adjectives (big→bigger, hot→hotter), and drop the -e before -er/-est (large→larger). Irregular forms must be memorised: good→better→best, bad→worse→worst, far→farther/further→farthest/furthest. "As...as" for equality and "not as...as" for inequality are native speaker defaults that learners underuse in favour of "more/less". Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y, -er, -ow, -le take -er (happy→happier, clever→cleverer). Not every adjective can be compared: extreme adjectives like freezing or exhausted need a different intensifier — see gradable and non-gradable adjectives. If you study both varieties, see British and American English.
FAQ
Why is "more big" wrong?
Big is a short adjective (one syllable), and short adjectives take -er instead of more: bigger, not more big. More/most is for longer adjectives — most two-syllable ones and everything with three or more syllables — like more careful, more expensive, or more beautiful.
Why is "the most fast" wrong?
Fast is a short adjective, so the superlative adds -est: the fastest. "The most fast" wrongly applies the long-adjective rule (most) to a short adjective.
Why can't you say "more taller"?
-er and more do the same job — they can never combine. Use one or the other: "taller" or, for a long adjective, "more expensive" — never both together in the same comparison.
What are the irregular comparatives and superlatives?
The most common irregular forms don't follow -er/-est or more/most: good → better → best, bad → worse → worst, far → farther/further → farthest/furthest. These have to be memorized individually.
What is the difference between a comparative and a superlative?
A comparative (adjective + -er, or more + adjective) compares two things: "This book is more interesting than that one." A superlative (the + adjective + -est, or the most + adjective) picks out the extreme within a group of three or more: "This is the most interesting book I've read."
Practice
Word bank — tap a word to fill blank 1
- 1.This bag is than mine.
- 2.That was film I've ever seen.
- 3.She is her brother — they're both 1.80m.
- 4.This phone is than that one — I paid less.
- 5.My English is bad, but his is even .
Compare With
Other A2 Topics
Present Continuous
Used for actions happening now or temporary situations
Past Continuous
Used for interrupted past actions or background description
Future with Going to
Used for decided plans and evidence-based predictions
Prepositions of Time and Place
Used for time and location relationships using in, on, at
Can / Could
Expresses ability, possibility, or polite requests
Adverbs of Frequency
Used for stating how often something happens
Possessive 's
Used for showing ownership or association using apostrophe + s
Quantifiers: Some, Any, Much, Many, A Lot Of
Used for unspecified quantities in positive, negative, and question contexts
Basic Linkers: And, But, Or, Because, So
Used for connecting ideas within or between sentences
Object Pronouns: Me, You, Him, Her, It, Us, Them
Used for replacing nouns as the object of a verb or preposition
Countable and Uncountable Nouns
Countable nouns can be counted (a book, two books); uncountable nouns cannot (water, money).
Too and Enough
Say when something is more than needed (too) or exactly enough (enough).
Adverbs of Manner
Adverbs of manner describe how an action happens.