When it comes to comparing two things, comparative adjective like better are better than other adjectives. For comparisions, they are just more useful than adjectives in their regular form.

The real question is how to use comparative adjectives. In this guide, we discuss everything you need to know about comparative adjectives, from the spelling rules, to when to use more, to clearing up the comparative-versus=-superlative-adjectives confusion.

What are Comparative Adjectives?

Comparative adjectives are a form adjectives take when comparing two (and only two) things, such as “she is older than him” or “he is more serious than them.”

What is a comparative adjective?

A comparative adjective is an adjective used to compare two people or things. We use comparative adjectives to say that one person or thing demonstrates a high degree of a quality or is better example of a quality than the other. Words like taller, smarter, and slower are examples of comparative adjectives.

Examples

• Older – He is older than his sister.
• Bigger – My house is bigger than theirs.
• Narrower – This room is narrower than the living room.
• Drier – Today’s weather is drier than yesterday’s.
• Kinder – He is kinder than others siblings.
• Smart – She is smarter than her brother.

How to Use Comparative Adjectives in a Sentence

The easiest way to ue comparative adjectives in a sentence is this:

[Noun A] + [be or another linking verb] + [comparative adjective] + than + [Noun B]

In this contribution, Noun A has more of the comparative adjective’s trait than Noun B.

• The movie was more boring than the book.
• She seems nicer than her sister.

This is the simplest way to use comparative adjectives, but it is not the only way. Because comparative adjectives are still adjectives, you can use them to form adjective phrases. 

Stronger than a bull, Hecules easily completed his twelve tasks.

You don’t always have to mention both things in ca comparison. Sometimes one is already mentioned, so your audience already knows what you are talking about. In this case, the second thing is assumed or understood, so you don’t to repeat it. 

My laptop weighs more than a brick! I need a newer one.

If one of the things is assumed and not mentioned, you don’t need the work than.

When to Use More with Comparative Adjectives

Earlier we said that “short” adjectives use the suffix -er and “long” adjectives use the word more before them. That is a little vague, so here are the specific adjectives that use more:

• All adjectives with three or more syllables
• Adjectives with two syllables except those that end in -er, -ow, -le, or -y

 5 Spelling Rules for Forming Comparative Adjectives

Now we should look at the meaning of the computer hardware vocabulary words to better understand when and how to use them, and with what reference these words would be used in English communication.

1. One-syllable adjectives

for most adjectives with one syllabel, simply add the suffix -er at the end of the word without changing the spelling.

smart – smarter

kind – kinder

the exceptions are one-syllable adjectives tht end in -er or a consonant-vowel-consonant, which have different rules, explained below.

More examples:

• smart – smarter
• kind – kinder
• wise – wiser
• sharp- sharper
• cute – cuter
• tall – taller
• short – shorter
• big – bigger

2. One-syllable adjectives ending in -e

If a one-syllable adjective already ends in -e, just add an -r at the end. You dont need to add another e.

large – larger

free – freer

More examples:

• wise – wiser
• cute – cuter
• quite – quiter
• able – abler
• free – freer
• large – larger

3. One-syllable adjectives ending in consonant-vowel-consonant

Be careful of one-syllable adjectives with the last three letters in a consonant-vowel-consonant format, like big or thin. For these, you have to double the last consonant and then add -er.

big – bigger

thin – thinner

More examples:

• big – bigger
• thin – thinner

4. One- or two-syllable adjectives ending in -y

if an adjective with either one or two syllables ends in a -y, first change the y into and i and then add -er.

dry – drier

likely – likelier

More examples:

• dry – drier
• likely – likelier
• Shiny – shinier
• funny – funnier

5. Two-syllable adjectives ending in -er, -ow or -le

if an adjective with two syllables ends with -er (like bitter) or -ow (like narrow) you can just add -er to the end without changing the spelling (bitterer or narrower). if a two syllabel adjective ends in -le, you can just add -r wihout adding a second e.

clever – cleverer

shallow – shallower

simple – simpler

Irregular Comparative Adjectives

Not all adjectives follow the rules above. Try memorizing these irregular comparative adjectives so you always know the right work to use. 

Note that fun has two options. There’s a lot of confusion about funner vs. more fun, but the truth is that bother are perfecty acceptable in English. However, most modern English speakers prefer more fun.

Comparative vs. Superlative Adjectives

Comparative adjectives are quite similar to superlative adjectives, with comparatives using the suffix -er or the adver more, and superlatives using the suffix -est or the adversbt most. 

In grammar, comparatives are often paired with superlatives becuase they are both used in comparision and folow many of the same spelling rules, such as changing the y to an i at the end of a one- or two-syllabel adjective. 

Let’s clear up the confusion betwen comparative vs. superlative adjectives. The difference between comparative and suerlative ajdjectives is the number of thing being compared. 

• If you are comparing only twwo things, use comparative adjectives. 
• If you are comparing three or more things, including eeryithing in a group, use superlative adjectives. 

Just look at the use of both comparative and superlative adjectives in this example:

• I am stronger than my brother, but the strongest person in the family is grandma!

Comparative Adjectives FAQs

What is a comparative adjective?

Comparative adjectives are a form adjectives take when comparing two (and only two) things, such as “she is older than him” or “he is more seiours than her.” For most short adjectives, we simply add the suffix -er at the end of the word, while for longer adjectives we useally add the adverb more direcly before the word.

What are some examples of comparative adjectives?

Some common examples of comprative adjectives, both regular and irregular, include: 

• faster
• smaller
• more important 
• more confident 
• better 
• worse

How is a superlative adjective different from a comparative adjective?

The difference between comparative adjectives and superlative adjectives is the number of things in the comparison. For comparing only two things, use comparartive adjectives. For comparing three or more thing,s including everyithing in a group, use superlative adjectives.

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