Comparatives

Use the comparative to show that something has a greater quality of some trait compared to another subject.

One Syllable → add -er

• small – smaller
  • This book is smaller than that book.
• cold – colder
  • Alaska is colder than Hawaii.
• young – younger
  • You are younger than your parents.

One Syllable ending in /e/ → add -r

• safe – safer
  • Japan is safer than most countries.
• nice – nicer
  • The weather is nicer in summer.
• close – closer
  • His house is closer to the airport than mine.

Consonant + Vowel + Consonant → double consonant and add -er

• hot – hotter
  • It is usually hotter at noon than at midnight.
• big – bigger
  • My town is bigger than before.
• fat – fatter
  • I am always a little fatter after the holidays.

Two Syllables ending in /y/ → change to -ier

• happy – happier
  • I am happier now than before.
• angry – angrier
  • The boss is angrier in the morning.
• pretty – prettier
  • That shirt looked prettier on you.

Two or More Syllables → use more + adjective

• dangerous – more dangerous
  • The city is more dangerous now.
• expensive – more expensive
  • Everything is more expensive these days.
• difficult – more difficult
  • This test is more difficult than the last one.

Irregular Comparatives

• good – better
  • Life was better before.
• bad – worse
  • I am still sick. I feel worse than yesterday.