Comparative Adjectives

We use comparatives when we compare two things.

   

                               Elephants are bigger than rabbits.

   

                               A toddler is younger than a teenager.

   

                                 Planes are faster than cars.

   

                               Canada is bigger than Poland.

   

                              Diamond is more valuable than coal.

   

                         Tokyo is more crowded than Strasbourg.

 

Comparative adjectives with one syllable: adjective + -er

short deep dark slow cheap cold

shorter deeper darker slower cheaper colder

 

Comparative adjectives with two or more syllables: more + adjective

beautiful expensive popular interesting handsome delicious

more beautiful more expensive more popular more interesting more handsome more delicious

 

Comparative adjectives ending in –ly

friendly lovely shiny sunny

friendlier lovelier shinier sunnier

 

Beware of these adjectives

big hot sad

bigger hotter sadder

 

Some adjectives are irregular, they change completely

good bad little much/many far

better worse less more farther/further

 

Don’t forget to use than when you compare two things:

• Sheila is 17 years old. Keith is 15 years old.      >>              Sheila is older than Keith.
• Liam is 183 cm tall. Bob is 176 cm tall.             >>              Liam is taller than Bob.