Comparative and Superlative Adjectives: The Full System

Comparative adjectives compare two things (taller, more careful); superlative adjectives pick out one from a group of three or more (tallest, most careful). Short adjectives add -er and -est; long ones use more and most; a handful, such as good, better, best, are irregular.

The rule that decides between the endings and the words more/most is mostly syllable count, and it applies the same way to both degrees. If an adjective takes -er, it normally takes -est; if it takes more, it takes most.

Which form, by length

• One syllable – -er and -est: fast, faster, fastest; cheap, cheaper, cheapest
• Two syllables ending in -y – -ier and -iest: easy, easier, easiest
• Most other two-syllable adjectives – more and most: modern, more modern, most modern; careful, more careful. A group of common ones, especially those ending in -ow, -le, -er and a few others (narrow, simple, clever, quiet, gentle), can take either: quieter and more quiet are both correct.
• Three or more syllables – always more and most: difficult, more difficult, most difficult. Beautifuller and importanter are wrong. (Unhappier is fine, because it is built on happy.)

For the borderline two-syllable cases, see comparative adjectives: -er or more.

Spelling rules for -er and -est

Irregular comparatives and superlatives

Further is used for both distance and “additional” (further details); farther is mostly for physical distance, especially in American English. Elder and eldest are used for family members and come before the noun (my elder sister); in comparisons with than, use older. More examples and the exceptions are on the irregular comparatives page.

Comparatives need than; superlatives need a group

A comparative is incomplete without the thing being compared to, and the word that introduces it is than, never then.

• This route is shorter than the other.
• She is more experienced than anyone here.

A superlative instead needs a group to be the top of, usually marked by of, in or a relative clause, and it normally takes the: the cheapest of the three, the oldest building in town, the best decision we ever made.

When there are exactly two, careful writing uses the comparative even with the: the taller of the two brothers, not the tallest of the two. In conversation the superlative is common here, but the comparative is what exams expect.

Than me or than I?

She is taller than me is normal in everyday English. She is taller than I am is the safe choice in formal writing. She is taller than I, without the verb, is correct but sounds stiff to most speakers.

Other comparison patterns

• as + adjective + as (equal): My bag is as heavy as yours.
• not as / not so + adjective + as (less): The sequel isn’t as good as the first film.
• the + comparative, the + comparative (two things changing together): The longer you wait, the harder it gets.
• comparative + and + comparative (steady change): It’s getting colder and colder. With long adjectives: more and more expensive.
• one of the + superlative + plural noun: one of the best restaurants in town, not one of the best restaurant.

Going downwards

Both degrees have a negative twin that is often forgotten. Less and least work with any adjective regardless of length, which makes them useful when the -er form sounds wrong.

Note that less happy and unhappier mean slightly different things – the first says there is less of the quality, the second says there is more of the opposite.

Intensifying a comparison

Comparatives take a particular set of intensifiers, and the ordinary ones do not fit. You can say much taller, far taller, a lot taller, slightly taller, a bit taller or no taller – but not very taller. Very belongs with the positive degree: very tall. Superlatives take by far, easily or the very: by far the best, easily the hardest, the very last.

Common mistakes

Some adjectives describe an all-or-nothing quality and are not normally compared, such as unique, dead or perfect (though more perfect has a famous use in the preamble of the US Constitution). They are covered under gradable and non-gradable adjectives.

Example sentences

• Today is warmer than yesterday, but tomorrow will be the warmest day of the week.
• The second exam was more difficult than the first.
• This is the most comfortable chair in the house.
• My phone is older than yours, but it’s faster.
• Of the three options, the train is the cheapest and the plane is the quickest.
• Her new flat is smaller but much brighter.

Practice

A. Fill in the missing degree.

1. busy → busier → ___
2. modern → ___ → most modern
3. good → ___ → best
4. thin → ___ → thinnest
5. difficult → more difficult → ___
6. bad → worse → ___
7. large → ___ → largest

B. Correct the sentence.

8. This box is more heavier than that one.
9. He is the tallest of the two brothers.
10. It was the most hot day of the year.

Answers

For what adjectives are and the other jobs they do, start with what is an adjective.

Checked against Merriam-Webster, the Chicago Manual of Style and the AP Stylebook. Spotted an error? Tell us — see our editorial policy.