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Comparatives and Superlatives

1 min
A2
CEFR A2·other

Formula

Comparative: adj + er
than
(bigger, faster, longer)
Superlative: the + adj + est
(the biggest, the fastest)
more + adj + than
(more expensive, more beautiful)

Examples

Positive
This book is more interesting than that one.
Negative
This car is not as fast as my old one.
Question
Is Paris bigger than Madrid? What is the longest river?

Usage

  • •Comparing two people, things, or groups
  • •Showing superiority among all in a group
  • •Using more/less with longer adjectives

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 (1-2 syllables): add -er/-est (fast→faster→fastest).
  • ✓Long adjectives (3+ syllables): use more/most (beautiful→more beautiful→most beautiful).

Forms Reference

65 adjectives — Short · Double · -y → -ier · Long · Irregular

Base formComparativeSuperlative
Short adjectives (+ er / est)
fastfasterfastest
talltallertallest
oldolderoldest
youngyoungeryoungest
smallsmallersmallest
cheapcheapercheapest
coldcoldercoldest
cleancleanercleanest
shortshortershortest
longlongerlongest
newnewernewest
brightbrighterbrightest
darkdarkerdarkest
hardharderhardest
lightlighterlightest
quickquickerquickest
richricherrichest
smartsmartersmartest
softsoftersoftest
sweetsweetersweetest
weakweakerweakest
strongstrongerstrongest
Short adjectives ending CVC — double the consonant
bigbiggerbiggest
hothotterhottest
thinthinnerthinnest
fatfatterfattest
sadsaddersaddest
fitfitterfittest
wetwetterwettest
slimslimmerslimmest
flatflatterflattest
Adjectives ending in -y (y → ier / iest)
happyhappierhappiest
easyeasiereasiest
funnyfunnierfunniest
heavyheavierheaviest
luckyluckierluckiest
busybusierbusiest
dirtydirtierdirtiest
earlyearlierearliest
lazylazierlaziest
friendlyfriendlierfriendliest
angryangrierangriest
noisynoisiernoisiest
prettyprettierprettiest
Long adjectives (3+ syllables — more / most)
beautifulmore beautifulmost beautiful
expensivemore expensivemost expensive
interestingmore interestingmost interesting
comfortablemore comfortablemost comfortable
importantmore importantmost important
dangerousmore dangerousmost dangerous
difficultmore difficultmost difficult
modernmore modernmost modern
popularmore popularmost popular
seriousmore seriousmost serious
carefulmore carefulmost careful
powerfulmore powerfulmost powerful
wonderfulmore wonderfulmost wonderful
Irregular forms
goodbetterbest
badworseworst
farfarther / furtherfarthest / furthest
littlelessleast
many / muchmoremost
old (family)eldereldest

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).

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Compare With

Adverbs of Frequency(A2)Quantifiers: Some, Any, Much, Many, A Lot Of(A2)