By Vahid Alaghehband
To compare two things, short adjectives add -er and long ones use more, followed by than: Quito is colder than Guayaquil, This course is more expensive than that one. To say something is the top of a group, use the + -est or the most: the tallest building, the most interesting book.
This guide is part of English grammar by level. Comparatives and superlatives are A2 grammar on the CEFR (A2.1 in the Vozi Grammar catalog). The form depends on how long the adjective is.
How to form comparatives and superlatives
| Type of adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| One syllable (cheap, tall) | cheaper, taller + than | the cheapest, the tallest |
| One syllable ending in -e (nice, large) | nicer, larger | the nicest, the largest |
| One syllable ending in vowel + consonant (big, hot); w, x and y are not doubled | bigger, hotter; new → newer | the biggest, the hottest; the newest |
| Two syllables ending in -y (easy, happy) | easier, happier | the easiest, the happiest |
| Two or more syllables (modern, expensive) | more modern, more expensive | the most modern, the most expensive |
| Irregular | good → better; bad → worse; far → farther / further | the best; the worst; the farthest / furthest |
| Form | Example |
|---|---|
| Affirmative | Lima is bigger than Quito. |
| Negative | This test isn't as hard as the last one. |
| Question | Which is older, the church or the park? |
| Short answer | The church is. |
Some two-syllable adjectives accept both forms (quieter / more quiet, simpler / more simple). To say two things are equal, use as … as: My phone is as fast as yours.
When to use comparatives and superlatives
Comparing two things
Comparative adjective + than.
- My new job is better than my old one.
- Buses are cheaper than taxis.
- This exercise is more difficult than I expected.
The top of a group
The + superlative, then in (a place or group) or of (a period or number).
- Chimborazo is the highest mountain in Ecuador.
- It was the best day of my life.
- She's the most organized person in the office.
Equality and degree of difference
As … as for equality; much, a lot, a bit to show how big the difference is.
- My brother is as tall as my dad.
- The blue shirt is a bit cheaper.
- Online classes are much more flexible.
Key words
These words almost always appear with comparatives and superlatives:
- than
- as … as
- not as … as
- much / a lot / a bit + comparative
- the … in
- the … of
- one of the + superlative
- ever (the best I've ever seen)
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Correction | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ✗ This phone is more cheaper. | ✔ This phone is cheaper. | Don't combine more and -er. |
| ✗ It's the most easiest exercise. | ✔ It's the easiest exercise. | Don't combine most and -est. |
| ✗ She is taller that me. | ✔ She is taller than me. | Comparisons use than, not that. |
| ✗ Guayaquil is the city more hot of Ecuador. | ✔ Guayaquil is the hottest city in Ecuador. | The superlative goes before the noun, and places take in. |
| ✗ This coffee is more good. | ✔ This coffee is better. | Good, bad and far are irregular. |
Comparative vs superlative
| Comparative | Superlative | |
|---|---|---|
| How many things | Two | Three or more, or a whole group |
| Key word | than | the … in / of |
| Short adjective | older than | the oldest |
| Long adjective | more popular than | the most popular |
| Example | Ana is younger than Luis. | Ana is the youngest in the family. |
Short conversation
A customer asks for advice on choosing a phone.
A: I need a new phone. Which one is better, the black one or the white one?
B: The white one is cheaper, but the black one has a better camera.
A: Is the black one much more expensive?
B: Not much. About forty dollars more.
A: And the battery?
B: The white one's battery is bigger. It's the biggest in the store.
A: Hmm. I think the white one is the most practical option for me.
B: Good choice. It's also lighter than the black one.
10 exercises with answers
Complete with the comparative or the superlative. In the last one, fix the mistake.
- My car is ___ (old) than yours.
- This is ___ (expensive) restaurant in town.
- Today is ___ (hot) than yesterday.
- English is ___ (easy) than Chinese for me.
- She's ___ (good) player on the team.
- The movie was ___ (bad) than the book.
- Math is ___ (difficult) subject for me.
- My room isn't ___ big ___ yours.
- This road is ___ (dangerous) than the highway.
- Fix the mistake: Lima is more big than Quito.
Show answers
- older
- the most expensive
- hotter
- easier
- the best
- worse
- the most difficult
- as … as
- more dangerous
- Lima is bigger than Quito.
Next step: if you don't know your level, take the English level test (about 15 minutes, with instant results). To keep working on this topic, see Vozi Grammar's English grammar exercises by level.
Frequently asked questions
How do you form comparatives in English?
One-syllable adjectives and two-syllable adjectives ending in -y add -er (cheaper, easier); the rest use more (more expensive). Then use than: cheaper than, more expensive than.
When do you use more and when do you use -er?
Use -er with short adjectives (one syllable, or two ending in -y) and more with adjectives of two or more syllables (more modern, more interesting). Some two-syllable adjectives accept both forms (quieter / more quiet). Never use both together: more quieter is wrong.
What are the irregular comparatives in English?
The most common are good → better → the best, bad → worse → the worst and far → farther/further → the farthest/furthest.
How do you say two things are equal?
Use as + adjective + as: She's as tall as her mom. In the negative: It isn't as cold as yesterday.