Comparative: A Comparative Is The Form of Adjective or Adverb Used To Compare Two Things. A Comparative Is Known As The

COMPARATIVE
A comparative is the form of adjective or adverb used to

compare two things. A comparative is known as the second or
middle degree of comparison (for adjectives
and adverbs).
A superlative is known as the third or highest

degree of comparison (for adjectives and
adverbs).
Examples of Comparatives
Here are some examples of comparatives
(comparatives are shaded):
 Mark is taller.
(taller = comparative of the adjective tall)
 Mark listens more attentively these days.

(more attentively = comparative of the adverb attentively)
 When you hire people who are smarter than you are, you prove you
are smarter than they are. (R H Grant)
(smarter = comparative of the adjective smart)
 Nothing is impossible. Some things are just less likely than others. (Jonathan
Winters)
(less likely = comparative of the adverb likely)
Comparative Superlative
Word (or second degree of (or third degree of
comparison) comparison)
When an adjective or an adverb ends with a single consonant,
add er or est:
big
bigger biggest
(adjective)
soon
sooner soonest
(adverb)
When an adjective or an adverb ends with y, drop the y and add ier (for
the comparative) and iest (for the superlative):
dry
drier driest
(adjective)
silly
sillier silliest
(adjective)
early
earlier earliest
(adverb)
When an adjective or an adverb ends with e, drop the e and add er (for
the comparative) and est (for the superlative):
pale
paler palest
(adjective)
free
freer freest
(adverb)
When an adjective or an adverb has more than one syllable (but beware
of exceptions like silly and early), place more in front (for the
comparative) and most in front (for the superlative):
attractive
more attractive most attractive
(adjective)
slowly
more slowly most slowly
(adverb)
There are a few irregular ones too. You just have to learn these. It's worth it.
Most of them are very common words:
good
better best
(adjective)
bad
worse worst
(adjective)
well
better best
(adverb)
badly
worse worst
(adverb)
little
(adverb and less least
adjective)
much
(adverb and more most
adjective)
Forming Comparatives
The comparative form of an adjective or adverb can be formed by
adding the suffix -er or by placing more (or less) before.
Here are some examples:
Example Word Type Formation Comparative
small adjective add -er smaller
precede
quickly adverb more quickly
with more
precede
quickly adverb less quickly
with less
However, it is a little more complicated than just adding -er or using more.
The section on the right offers more details on how to form comparatives.
Do Not Form Double Comparative
Be careful not to form a so-called double comparative (e.g.
adding -er and using more). This is a grammatical howler (it is more
common in speech than in writing). For example:

 David is more taller. He can run more faster.
 She was more prettier.
A comparative can also be formed by adding the word less, this

mistake can be made with less too. For example:

 David was less smarter than John.
Don't Put Apostrophe in Absolute Possessive


 These are her's. (X)
 These are hers. (√)
 Your's are bigger than our's. (X)
 Yours are bigger than ours. (√)
Uses of Comparatives
Martin
James
Martin is taller than James but James is more intelligent than Martin.
More examples:
The dictionary is thicker than the textbook.

Good health is more important than money.
After a comparative, we often use than to introduce the second

element in the comparison.
A. We can use comparative + and + comparative (colder and colder,

more and more expensive, …) to say that something increases or
decreases progressively.
The weather is getting colder and colder.
Things are becoming more and more
expensive from time to time.
B. We can use the + comparative clause…, the + comparative clause

to say that two things can change together or one thing depends
on another thing.
The smaller a car is, the easier it is to park.
The colder the weather is, the higher my heating bills are.
C. Before a comparative, we can use (very) much, a lot, a little, a
(little) bit, rather or far (very much).
Very much taller than / a lot more important than / a little

cheaper than / a bit more expensive / rather cooler / far
more interesting
heavy
heaviest
heavier
Uses of Superlatives
More examples:
The Nile is the longest river in the world.
What’s the most interesting book you’ve ever read?
We normally use the with superlatives: the tallest, the most important, the
best.
 Before a superlative, we often use by far or easily: by far the tallest,

easily the most interesting.

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COMPARATIVE

A comparative is the form of adjective or adverb used to

A superlative is known as the third or highest

 Mark listens more attentively these days.

Example Word Type Formation Comparative

small adjective add -er smaller

A comparative can also be formed by adding the word less, this

Don't Put Apostrophe in Absolute Possessive

The dictionary is thicker than the textbook.

After a comparative, we often use than to introduce the second

A. We can use comparative + and + comparative (colder and colder,

B. We can use the + comparative clause…, the + comparative clause

Very much taller than / a lot more important than / a little

 Before a superlative, we often use by far or easily: by far the tallest,

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