Suffix · forms comparative adjectives
Forms the comparative of short adjectives: big becomes bigger.
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
The suffix -er forms the comparative of short adjectives (one or two syllables). It is equivalent to "más + adjective" in Spanish. From "big" comes "bigger"; from "fast" comes "faster"; from "old" comes "older". The comparative is always followed by "than" to introduce what is being compared: "She is taller than me."
This is the most important comparative rule in English: Short adjectives (1-2 syllables): add -er. tall → taller, fast → faster, big → bigger, happy → happier. Long adjectives (3 or more syllables): use "more". beautiful → more beautiful, expensive → more expensive, interesting → more interesting. Famous exceptions: good → better (not "gooder"), bad → worse (not "badder"), far → farther/further.
Three situations that change the spelling: 1. Consonant-vowel-consonant with stressed final syllable: double the final consonant. big → bigger, hot → hotter, thin → thinner. 2. Adjective ends in silent -e: just add -r. large → larger, nice → nicer, late → later. 3. Adjective ends in -y after a consonant: change -y to -i and add -er. happy → happier, easy → easier, funny → funnier.
Short adjective (1-2 syllables) + er. Spelling rules apply depending on the ending.
Adjectives of 3 or more syllables do NOT use -er: they use "more". Never say "importanter" — say "more important". The most common irregular comparatives: good = better, bad = worse, far = farther.
-er (comparative)/ər/ · unstressed 'er'
Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Never use "more" with short adjectives that already take -er. "more bigger" is a double error.
Adjectives of 3 or more syllables use "more", not -er. important → more important.
good → better, bad → worse. These are the two most important irregular comparatives in English.
A trick to remember it
Quick rule: short adjective (1-2 syllables) = add -er (taller, faster, bigger). Long adjective (3+ syllables) = add "more" (more beautiful, more important). And remember: good = better, bad = worse.
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
What is the correct comparative of "good"?
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
When do you use "more" instead of -er?
The suffix -er (comparative) forms the comparative of short adjectives: big becomes bigger. In Spanish it usually maps to más ... que.
The ending -er (comparative) is pronounced /ər/ · unstressed 'er'. For example, "taller".
"tall" becomes "taller". It is a typical example of the -er (comparative) suffix.
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