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Comparative Adjectives in English: How to Compare Two Things
Short adjectives add -er, longer ones use more, and both are followed by than.
Written by Bryan López, Profesor de inglés · Updated
Comparatives are used to compare two things: "She is taller than her brother." One-syllable adjectives add -er, adjectives with two or more syllables use more before the adjective.
Rules for forming comparatives
Irregular comparatives
Using 'than'
When you mention the second thing in the comparison, it's always preceded by than: "She is taller than her brother." If you don't mention the second thing, you don't use than: "This one is better."
Common mistakes with comparatives
Using "more" with short adjectives that already take -er, like saying "more tall" instead of "taller." In many languages, one word for "more" is used no matter the adjective's length, which leads to applying the same logic to English by mistake.
Practice comparative adjectives with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.
Equal comparisons with as...as
To say two things are equal, English uses as + adjective + as instead of a comparative: "She is as tall as her brother" (not "more tall" or "taller"). To say they are NOT equal, you add not before the first as: "This book is not as interesting as the other one." This structure works with any adjective, short or long, no -er or more needed.
More examples of comparatives
- This road is longer than that one.
- My phone is more expensive than yours.
- She types faster than her coworkers.
- Today's weather is worse than yesterday's.
A common mistake with comparatives
Incorrect
This is more tall than that one.
Correct
This is taller than that one.
Making comparatives stronger or softer
You can adjust how strong a comparison sounds by adding a word before the comparative: much, a lot, and far make it stronger ("much taller," "a lot more expensive"), while a little, a bit, and slightly make it softer ("a little taller," "slightly more expensive"). This is a natural way to be more precise instead of just saying something is bigger or smaller with no sense of degree. Even, even more, and by far can also intensify a comparison in more formal or emphatic contexts: "This year's results are even better than last year's."
Comparatives in a real conversation
A: "Which laptop should I buy, this one or that one?" B: "This one is cheaper, but that one is faster and more reliable." A: "Is it much more expensive though?" B: "Not really, it's only a little more expensive than the cheaper one."
Frequently asked questions
How do you form comparatives in English?
One-syllable adjectives add -er (tall becomes taller), adjectives with two or more syllables use more before the adjective (expensive becomes more expensive).
When do you use -er and when do you use more?
-er is used with short adjectives (one syllable, or two ending in -y, -er, -ow, -le). More is used with adjectives of two or more syllables.
What are the irregular comparatives in English?
Good becomes better, bad becomes worse, far becomes farther/further. They don't follow any rule, you have to memorize them.
Do you need to use 'than'?
Only when you mention the second thing in the comparison: "She is taller than him." If you don't mention it, you don't use than.
What are some examples of comparatives?
"This book is more interesting than that one." "He is stronger than his brother." "Today is colder than yesterday."
Why do learners say "more tall" instead of "taller"?
Because in many languages one word for "more" is used regardless of the adjective's length, so it's common to copy that logic into English, where short adjectives should use -er, not more.
How do you compare two things that are equal?
With as + adjective + as: "She is as tall as her brother." Add not before the first as to say they're not equal: "not as tall as."
Is 'more good' correct?
No. Good is irregular, its comparative is better: "This one is better," never "more good."
Can you use both -er and more on the same adjective?
No, you choose one or the other based on the adjective's length: "taller" or "more expensive," never "more taller" or "more expensiver."
How do you make a comparison stronger or softer?
Add much, a lot, or far before the comparative to make it stronger ("much taller"), or a little, a bit, or slightly to make it softer ("a little taller").
How do you compare three or more things?
With a superlative instead of a comparative: "the tallest," "the most expensive." Comparatives are only for two things, superlatives are for three or more.
Can you use two comparatives together to show a change?
Yes, repeating the comparative shows a gradual change: "It's getting colder and colder," "Things are becoming more and more difficult."
Do you repeat the noun after than?
Not usually. You can just use a pronoun or drop it if it's clear from context: "Her car is faster than mine," not "faster than my car is."
Practice comparative adjectives with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.
Keep learning
- Comparatives vs. Superlatives in English: Which One to Use and WhenComparative compares 2 things (taller than), superlative compares 3 or more and points out the number one (the tallest).
- Superlative Adjectives in English: How to Compare 3 or More ThingsSuperlatives compare 3 or more things and always take "the": the tallest, the most expensive.
- Order of Adjectives in English: The Correct Order When Using SeveralWhen you use two or more adjectives before a noun in English, they have to go in a specific order, not just any order.