COMPARATIVES

By: Mrs. Lipe

 COMPARATIVES
• We use comparatives to compare two people , things places etc

Michael is stronger than me. The tortoise is slower than the rabbit.
This chair is more comfortable than the others. The pink hat is more expensive than sky blue hat.
 1. One syllable adjectives generally form the
comparative by adding –er.
• Note that if a one-syllable adjective ends in a single vowel letter followed by
Adjective Comparative
a single consonant letter, the consonant letter is doubled, e.g.
• thin – thinner big – bigger soft softer
• If an adjective ends in -e, this is removed when adding –er e.g.
cheap cheaper
wide - wider
• If an adjective ends in a consonant followed by -y, -y is replaced sweet sweeter
by –I when adding –er.
thin thinner
• dry - drier. lucky luckier pretty prettier
• tidy tidier
2. Two-syllable adjectives ending in -ed, -ing, -ful, or -
less always form the comparative with more .
Adjective Comparative

worried more worried

boring more boring

careful more careful

useless more useless

 3. Adjectives which have three or more syllables always
form the comparative with more.
Adjective Comparative

dangerous more dangerous

difficult more difficult

exciting more exciting

ridiculous more ridiculous

4. The only exceptions are some three-syllable adjectives which
have been formed by adding the prefix un- to another adjective,
especially those formed from an adjective ending in-y. These
adjectives can form comparatives by using more or adding -er.

Adjective Comparative
unhappy unhappier

unfriendly unfriendlier
5. The following adjectives have irregular comparative
and superlative forms:

Adjective Comparative

good better

bad worse

far farther/further