Degrees of comparison of adjectives in English: the essentials

Adjectives in English help describe the characteristics of objects, people and phenomena. When comparing two or more objects, English uses degrees of comparison of adjectives.

Contents

1. What are the degrees of comparison of adjectives in English
2. One-syllable adjectives
3. Two-syllable adjectives
4. Multi-syllable adjectives
5. Exceptions to the rules of forming degrees of comparison of adjectives in English
6. Comparison using as...as / not as...as
7. Degrees of comparison in fixed expressions
8. Practice exercise
9. FAQs

What are the degrees of comparison of adjectives in English

All adjectives in English have three degrees of comparison:

• Positive degree — used when a quality is simply stated without comparison.
• Comparative degree — used when comparing two objects or phenomena.
• Superlative degree — indicates that an object has a quality to the highest degree among three or more objects.

How to correctly form degrees of comparison, why some adjectives double a consonant, and why some have two different forms — we will learn further.

One-syllable adjectives

If an adjective has one syllable, its comparative forms are formed using:

• The suffix -er for the comparative degree.
• The suffix -est for the superlative degree.

These adjectives have a standard form for forming degrees of comparison in English with -er for the comparative degree and -est for the superlative degree. But English wouldn’t be English without a few nuances.

1. If a word ends with a single vowel + a single consonant, the final consonant is doubled:

• big → bigger → the biggest
• hot → hotter → the hottest
• wet → wetter → the wettest
• thin → thinner → the thinnest
• sad → sadder → the saddest
• fat → fatter → the fattest
• flat → flatter → the flattest
• fit → fitter → the fittest
• dim → dimmer → the dimmest
• slim → slimmer → the slimmest

2. If a word ends in -y, it changes to -i before adding -er or -est:

• happy → happier → the happiest
• busy → busier → the busiest
• lucky → luckier → the luckiest
• funny → funnier → the funniest
• heavy → heavier → the heaviest
• pretty → prettier → the prettiest
• easy → easier → the easiest
• lazy → lazier → the laziest
• tidy → tidier → the tidiest

3. If a word ends in -e, simply add -r for the comparative degree and -st for the superlative degree:

• nice → nicer → the nicest
• wide → wider → the widest
• fine → finer → the finest
• large → larger → the largest
• strange → stranger → the strangest
• huge → huger → the hugest
• wise → wiser → the wisest
• close → closer → the closest
• brave → braver → the bravest
• cute → cuter → the cutest

Let’s look at the examples:

• The elephant is bigger than the horse.
• Today is hotter than yesterday.
• The finest materials were employed in the construction of the building.

Two-syllable adjectives

If an adjective has two syllables, there are two ways to form the comparative and superlative degrees:

1. The addition of the suffixes -er and -est (if the word ends in -er, -y, -ow, or -le) follows specific rules:

• clever → cleverer → the cleverest
• narrow → narrower → the narrowest
• tiny → tinier → the tiniest
• gentle → gentler → the gentlest

But you have probably encountered the form “more clever” and others. To put it briefly, “cleverer” is more commonly used in British English, while “more clever” is typical for American English.

2. The use of the words “more/the most”:

• famous → more famous → the most famous
• modern → more modern → the most modern
• careful → more careful → the most careful

Let’s look at the examples:

• The river is narrower at this point than further downstream.
• The Eiffel Tower is the most famous landmark in Paris.

Multi-syllable adjectives

If an adjective has three or more syllables, it forms the comparative degree with “more”, and the superlative degree with “the most”. These are usually adjectives that do not end in -ble, -er, -y, -some, or -ow.

• interesting → more interesting → the most interesting
• expensive → more expensive → the most expensive
• difficult → more difficult → the most difficult

For example:

• The movie “Babygirl” we watched yesterday was more interesting than I expected.
• Multiple choice questions is the most difficult task in the test.

Exceptions to the rules of forming degrees of comparison of adjectives in English

Some adjectives do not follow the general rules for forming degrees of comparison in English, meaning they are exceptions. You just need to memorize them.

Comparison using as...as / not as...as

To say that two objects are equal in a particular characteristic, the construction “as + adjective + as” is used:

• The cake is as delicious as the one we had yesterday.
• The blue sky is as beautiful as the sea.

However, when you need to say that one thing has a particular characteristic to a lesser degree than another, the construction “not as + adjective + as” is used:

• This book is not as interesting as that one.
• He doesn’t run as fast as his brother.

Degrees of comparison in fixed expressions

In fixed expressions, different degrees of comparison of adjectives and adverbs are often used, which adds expressiveness to speech.

1. Positive degree — it expresses a characteristic without comparison:

• as good as gold;
• as busy as a bee;
• too good to be true.

2. Comparative degree — it shows the advantage of one quality over another:

• the sooner, the better;
• better late than never;
• no sooner said than done.

3. Superlative degree — it indicates the highest level of a characteristic:

• the best of both worlds;
• the more, the merrier.

Practice exercise

Open the brackets using the correct form of the adjective. To check yourself, click on the corresponding sentence.

FAQs

1. When should we add -er/-est to adjectives, and when should we use “more/most”?

If the adjective is short (1-2 syllables), you add the suffixes -er/-est. If it's long (3 or more syllables), you use the words “more/the most”.

2. Are there any exceptions to the rules for forming degrees of comparison for adjectives in English?

Yes, English has its own exceptions, which you simply need to accept, embrace and remember. For example: good → better → the best, bad → worse → the worst.

3. What is the difference between “further” and “farther”?

“Farther” is typically used for physical distance, while “further” means “additional”. It's also important not to confuse “father” with “farther”, as both words are pronounced with a long “a” /ˈfɑː.ðər/.

4. Are there any fixed expressions with degrees of comparison of adjectives?

Yes, for example:

• as busy as a bee;
• the sooner, the better;
• better late than never.

Don't put off English for later; start practicing here and now.