1. Comparative adjectives and adverbs
By AJ Brown
Comparative adjectives and adverbs
fast, faster, the fastest…
terrible, more terrible, the most terrible…
big, bigger, the biggest…
quickly, more quickly, the quickest…

2. What do they look like? My sister is more educated than I am.
AJ speaks faster when she is excited.
Blueberries are as delicious as raspberries.
San Francisco is farther away than Seattle.
She is prettier when she smiles.
AJ is older than her sister.
He moves as slowly as a turtle.
Level E is less difficult than level 2.

3. Why do we use them?
We use comparative adjectives and adverbs to compare two nouns or two verbs.
Sergio’s calculator is bigger than Kim’s pen.
A flu is more dangerous than a cold.
Antonio reads faster than I do.
Her voice is as sweet as honey.
He walks as slowly as a turtle (does).
Language is less confusing than math to me.

4. How to make comparative (for differences)
(difference) One-syllable adjectives and adverbs
(use …–er than)
neat neater than
slow slower than
late later than
sweet sweeter than
young younger than
dark darker than
1 syllable = …er than

5. How to make a comparative (for differences)
Pay attention to one-syllable words:
If it ends in C+V+C, double the final C
fat fatter than
wet wetter than
dim dimmer than
big bigger than
thin thinner than
red redder than

6. How to make a comparative (for differences)
2) (for difference) Three-syllable adjectives and adverbs (use more/less…than) dangerous more dangerous than beautiful more beautiful than exciting less exciting than important more important than fascinating more fascinating than
3 syllables = more…than

7. How to make a comparative (for differences)
3) (for difference) Most two-syllable adjectives and adverbs (use more/less…than) famous more famous than cunning more cunning than pleasant more pleasant than careful less careful than shallow more shallow than
most 2 syllables = more…than

8. How to make a comparative (for differences)
3a) (for difference) Two-syllable adjectives that end in –y (use …ier than) pretty prettier than busy busier than lazy lazier than happy happier than friendly friendlier than
adj. + -y =
-er…than

9. How to make a comparative (for differences)
3b) (for difference) Two-syllable adverbs that end in –ly*
(use more/less…than)
slowly more slowly than
quickly more quickly than
carefully less carefully than
pleasantly more pleasantly than
reliably less reliably than
* early is both an adjective and an adverb. Form = earlier
adv. + -ly = more…than

10. How to make a comparative (for differences)
3c) (for difference) Some two-syllable adjectives use either form
(use more/less…than or …er than*)
clever more clever than
cleverer than
gentle more gentle than
gentler than
friendly more friendly than
friendlier than
common more common than
commoner than
* The idea of less is not possible when using the …er form
You just have to memorize these!

11. How to make a comparative (for differences)
4) (for difference) There are some irregular forms
(adj.) good better than
(adj.) bad worse than
(adv.) well better than
(adv.) badly worse than
(adv.) far farther* than
further* than
* Both farther and further compare distance, but only further (not farther) can also mean “additional”. (I require further help.)
You just have to memorize these!

12. How to make a comparative (for differences)
Modify adjectives and adverbs with much or a little hungry much hungrier than quiet a little quieter than Intriguing much more intriguing than extensive much less extensive than easy a little easier than

13. How to make a comparative (equal or same)
5) (for same) all adjectives and adverbs (use as … as) strong as strong as quietly as quietly as beautiful as beautiful as difficult as difficult as big nearly as big as confusing just as confusing as happy almost as happy as
Common modifiers = just or nearly/almost

14. How to make a comparative (equal or same)
5a) (for same) all negative adjectives and adverbs (use not as … as) strong not as strong as quietly not as quietly as beautiful not as beautiful as difficult not as difficult as big not nearly as big as low not quite as low as
Common modifiers = not quite or not nearly

15. How to make a comparative (equal or same)
5b) the opposite of –er/more is expressed by less or not as … as More than one syllable quietly not as quietly as less quietly than difficult not as difficult as less difficult than expensive not as expensive as less expensive than

16. How to make a comparative (equal or same)
5b) the opposite of –er/more is expressed by less or not as … as Only one syllable old not as old as Less old than big not as big as Less big than young not as young as less young than
Remember that one-syllable words don’t have a less…than
form
Wrong!
Wrong!
Wrong!

17. Completing a comparative
In formal academic English, a subject pronoun (he) follows than
She is taller than he.
In informal English, an object pronoun (him) is often used after than
She is taller than him.
Writing for your classes
NEVER use this form in your writing

18. Completing a comparative
In formal academic English, a comparative can be followed by three different constructions
Stephanie is taller than I am.
Stephanie is taller than I.
Stephanie is taller than am I.
This last construction (v+s) is often on the TOEFL exam

19. (repeat subject or object?) Two subject/verb pairs
Unclear comparisons…
Unclear
(repeat subject or object?)
Clear
Two subject/verb pairs
I like my dog better than my husband.
I’ve known Jamal longer than Frieda.
I like my dog better than my husband likes it.
I like my dog better than I like my husband.
I’ve known Jamal longer than I’ve known Frieda.
I’ve known Jamal longer than Frieda has (known him).

20. Both parts begin with the + comparative Shows a progressive increase
Other comparisons…
Repeating a comparative
Double comparatives
Because he was afraid, he walked faster and faster.
Life in the modern world is becoming more and more complex.
The harder you study, the more you will learn.
The warmer the weather is, the happier I am.
The sooner, the better.
Both parts begin with the + comparative
Shows a progressive increase

21. Using superlatives… The …est The most/least … The funniest The saddest
The wettest
The largest
The most generous
The most beautiful
The least expensive
The most developed
Superlatives compare one part of a group to all the other members of the group

22. Common completions of superlatives
+ (prepositional phrase)
+ (adjective clause)
Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world.
This one is the best of all!
He is the laziest student in the class.
She walks the most slowly of all the children.
It is the highest mountain on the island.
She is the kindest person (that) I have ever met.
That was the longest hike (that) I have ever taken.
English is the craziest language (that) I’ve ever heard.
She writes the most carefully (that) I’ve ever seen.