When you are comparing two different adjectives, you need to know the correct form to use.
For example:
Dogs are smaller than horses.
Learning grammar is more difficult than vocabulary.
I have to get up earlier than my classmates because I live far from school.
To understand the rules for using comparative adjectives, you will need to know the meaning of a syllable.
A syllable is a single sound. For example, ‘goodbye’ has two syllables – ‘good’ and ‘bye’.
Here are some more examples:
| 1 syllable words: | hot, cold, dry |
| 2 syllable words: | happy, tired |
| 3 syllable words: | excited, exhausted |
When making comparative adjectives, there are 6 rules you need to remember:
Rule 1 of 6:
With adjectives with one syllable, simply add +er than
For example:
tall > taller than
fast > faster than
high > higher than
Rule 2 of 6:
If the adjective ends in +y, remove the -y and add +ier than
For example:
happy > happier than
angry > angrier than
busy > busier than
Rule 3 of 6:
Adjectives that already end in +e only have +r than added.
For example:
nice > nicer than
safe > safer than
late > later than
Rule 4 of 6:
We add more…than to words with 3 syllables or more.
For example:
intelligent > more intelligent than
beautiful > more beautiful than
interesting > more interesting than
Rule 5 of 6
Some 2 syllable adjectives have +er than and some have more…than. Some 2 syllable adjectives can also be used both ways. NOTE: 2 syllable adjectives that end in -y, -le, and -er often form the comparative by adding +er.
For example:
honest > more honest than
clever > more clever than OR cleverer than
modern > more modern than
Rule 6 of 6:
Adjectives that end with a consonant, then a vowel, then a consonant need the consonant doubled.
For example:
big > bigger than (not biger than)
hot > hotter than (not hoter than)
fat > fatter than (not fater than)