We use comparative adjectives and adverbs to talk about the differences or similarities between two people, things or actions.
We use as + adjective / adverb + as to talk about two people, things or actions that are or aren't the same.
Comparative adjectivesComparative adverbs
Nikki is
as nice as Ben.
Ben reads as quickly as Mike does.
Ben is not
as fast as Moby.
Ben doesn't speak as loudly as Moby.
Is Ben
as tall as Ed?
Does Ben work as carefully as Ed?
Additional adverbs can help describe how much two people, things or actions are / aren’t the same.
For example: My brother swims
almost as fast as I do.
She's exactly as nice as her sister.
There are two ways to say that one person, thing or action is more than the other.
- Add -er + than
For most short adjectives and adverbs (one syllable) : add –(e)r
For example: old – old
er:
Your brother is older than you.
nice -- nicer than: The blue shirt is nicer than the white one.
fast – faster: A train goes faster than a bike.
late -later than: School started later today than yesterday.
a. For most one-syllable adjectives that end in 1 vowel + 1 consonant: double the consonant and add
–er.
For example: big – bigger: Your house is bigger than mine.
b. For two-syllable adjectives that end in
y: change the
y to
i and add
-er.
For example: easy – easier: English class is easier than the History class.
- For most long adjectives and adverbs (two or more syllables): use more + adjective / adverb + than.
For example:
more famous: The scientist is
more famous than the
actor.
more beautiful: The first picture is more beautiful than the second one.
more slowly: The cat ran more slowly than the dog.
more beautifully: She sang more beautifully today than she did last week.
Less is the opposite of more. We sometimes make comparisons with less + adjective / adverb + than.
For example: English class is
less difficult than History class.
You measured this piece less exactly than you measured that one.
Some adjectives and adverbs have irregular comparative forms.
| good
|
well
|
better
|
Adj.: She's a better singer than Ben.
Adv.: She sings better than Ben.
|
| bad
|
badly
|
worse
|
Adj.: He's a worse singer than Ben.
Adv.: He sings worse than Ben.
|
| far
|
far
|
farther
|
Adj.: My house is farther than yours.
Adv.: I have to walk farther to my house than to yours.
|
| far
|
far
|
further
|
Adj.: Wait. I have something further to say.
Adv.: I don't understand. Can you explain further?
|
Note: Farther usually refers to distance. Further usually means additional, or more.
For a hint, remember that farther has the word far in it.
- We often add the word than when we want to compare things, which is not the same as then, meaning later or after.
For example: His first test was better than mine, but then my second test was better than his.
- If the meaning is clear, then we don’t have to use than.
It’s hot today, but yesterday was hotter.
- We can repeat the comparatives to show that something is changing.
For example: She’s been practicing the piano, and she’s getting better and better.
The movie is becoming more and more interesting.
- Using the - the with comparatives means that one thing depends on the other.
For example:
The sooner the better.
The more he talks, the easier it is for me to fall asleep.
We sometimes add the suffix (or ending) -y to a noun or a verb to make an adjective. The adjective means that it is like the noun / verb.
For example: mess – messy
rain – rainy
luck - lucky
smell - smelly
taste - tasty
