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Comparative and superlative adjectives | LearnEnglish

Comparative and superlative adjectives | LearnEnglish

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English Grammar

Adjectives

Comparative and superlative adjectives

Comparative and superlative adjectives

Level: beginner

Comparative adjectives

We use comparative adjectives to show change or make comparisons:

This car is certainly better, but it's much more expensive.

I'm feeling happier now.

We need a bigger garden.

We use than when we want to compare one thing with another:

She is two years older than me.

New York is much bigger than Boston.

He is a better player than Ronaldo.

France is a bigger country than Britain.

When we want to describe how something or someone changes we can use two comparatives with and:

The balloon got bigger and bigger.

Everything is getting more and more expensive.

Grandfather is looking older and older. 

We often use the with comparative adjectives to show that one thing depends on another:

The faster you drive, the more dangerous it is. 

(= When you drive faster, it is more dangerous.)

The higher they climbed, the colder it got. 

(= When they climbed higher, it got colder.)

Comparative adjectives 1

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Comparative adjectives 2

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Superlative adjectives

We use the with superlative adjectives:

It was the happiest day of my life.

Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

That’s the best film I have seen this year.

I have three sisters: Jan is the oldest and Angela is the youngest. 

Superlative adjectives 1

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Superlative adjectives 2

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How to form comparative and superlative adjectives

We usually add –er and –est to one-syllable words to make comparatives and superlatives:

old

older

oldest

long

longer

longest

If an adjective ends in –e, we add –r or –st:

nice

nicer

nicest

large

larger

largest

If an adjective ends in a vowel and a consonant, we double the consonant:

big

bigger

biggest

fat

fatter

fattest

If an adjective ends in a consonant and –y, we change –y to –i and add –er or –est:

happy

happier

happiest

silly

sillier

silliest

We use more and most to make comparatives and superlatives for most two syllable adjectives and for all adjectives with three or more syllables:

careful

more careful 

most careful

interesting

more interesting 

most interesting

However, with these common two-syllable adjectives, you can either add –er/–r and –est/–st or use more and most:

common

cruel

gentle

handsome

likely

narrow

pleasant

polite

simple

stupid

He is certainly handsomer than his brother.

His brother is handsome, but he is more handsome.

She is one of the politest people I have ever met.

She is the most polite person I have ever met.

The adjectives good, bad and far have irregular comparatives and superlatives:

good

better

best

bad

worse

worst

far

farther/further 

farthest/furthest

How to form comparative and superlative adjectives

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Submitted by Khangvo2812 on Thu, 25/01/2024 - 08:47

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Could you check this sentence for me please?

The maintenance cost of electric buses are lower than diesel buses.

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Submitted by Peter M. on Sat, 27/01/2024 - 06:02

In reply to Could you check this… by Khangvo2812

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Hello Khangvo2812,

You can say 'The maintenance cost... is' or 'The maintenance costs... are'. Other than that, the sentence is fine.

Please note that we generally don't just check sentences. The site focuses on explaining usage and rules rather than proof-reading.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by Paulinecwy on Thu, 16/11/2023 - 03:47

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Is 'more naughty than' correct?

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Submitted by Peter M. on Thu, 16/11/2023 - 07:12

In reply to Is 'more naughty than'… by Paulinecwy

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Hello  Paulinecwy,

Yes it is. Naughty is one of those adjectives where more than one form is possible: more naughty and naughtier.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by Khangvo2812 on Mon, 23/10/2023 - 16:35

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Hello,

Could you check this sentence for me pls?

Vietnamese national football team is the strongest team among Asean countries.

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Submitted by Jonathan R on Tue, 24/10/2023 - 03:31

In reply to Hello,

Could you check this… by Khangvo2812

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Hi Khangvo2812,

It's good but a correction is needed: either add "the" (The Vietnamese national football team ...) or change the first word: Vietnam's national football team ...

I hope that helps.

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

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Submitted by Karen130203 on Mon, 19/06/2023 - 16:30

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These exercises were helpful for me, I didn't find them so difficult

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Submitted by ArantzaSiles on Mon, 19/06/2023 - 07:06

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Hi sir, I'm grateful for this lesson, actually it was interesting and useful to me, thanks!

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Submitted by Emiliano425621 on Mon, 19/06/2023 - 01:27

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Dear Sir,

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to reach out to express my satisfaction with the exercises that were assigned. I am pleased to inform you that I have successfully completed them and found them to be incredibly comprehensive and beneficial. They have provided me with valuable opportunities to apply and reinforce the concepts explained in our sessions.

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Submitted by Kirk Moore on Mon, 19/06/2023 - 06:33

In reply to Dear Sir,

I hope this… by Emiliano425621

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Hello Emiliano,

We're very pleased to hear that you found the explanation and exercises useful!

Thanks for letting us know.

Best wishes,

Kirk

LearnEnglish team

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Submitted by juliNn on Mon, 19/06/2023 - 07:01

In reply to Dear Sir,

I hope this… by Emiliano425621

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I wanted to express my gratitude for the exercises you assigned. I have completed them and found them to be incredibly helpful in reinforcing the concepts we discussed. They provided me with a valuable learning experience and I feel more equipped as a result.

Thank you for offering such comprehensive exercises that allowed me to put theory into practice. The knowledge gained from these exercises will undoubtedly benefit me in the future.

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Submitted by Vale_12 on Sun, 18/06/2023 - 23:46

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Example: México is the best country of the world

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Submitted by Brandon Ramirez on Mon, 19/06/2023 - 14:22

In reply to Example: México is the best… by Vale_12

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For example: México is better than Venezuela

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Submitted by Karla Minor O on Sun, 18/06/2023 - 02:40

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Hello, Sir

I have already done the exercises and I find them very complete and very helpful to put into practice what is explained.

I take with me a great experience and a new learning experience.

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Submitted by thatha. on Fri, 14/04/2023 - 21:00

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If we learnt that adjectives ending in a CVC pattern must be doubled the last consonant and then added with -er, why isn't "slowwer" or "newwer" correct?

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Submitted by Jonathan R on Sat, 15/04/2023 - 00:16

In reply to If we learnt that adjectives… by thatha.

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Hi thatha.,

It's because although these adjectives end in "w" (a consonant), the "w" is actually part of the vowel sound ("ow" in "slow", and "ew" in "new"). 

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

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Submitted by Iris Yuste Pér… on Sun, 18/06/2023 - 05:36

In reply to If we learnt that adjectives… by thatha.

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Thaks yo this page, the subject became clearer to me, with the excercises what I new was reinforced.

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Submitted by m4400 on Sat, 01/04/2023 - 02:17

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Hello!

I am trying to figure out why, in an English sentence, if there are multiple adjectives used for one noun, and one of those adjectives is superlative, it seems that all of them must be superlative.

For example, my student wrote the following: I bought the three large freshest looking cabbages to make Korean Kimchi.

I couldn't explain why that was incorrect, I just knew that I would say 'three of the largest, freshest-looking cabbages...'.

Could one of you provide an explanation?

Thanks in advance!

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Submitted by Jonathan R on Sun, 02/04/2023 - 04:23

In reply to Hello!

I am trying to figure… by m4400

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Hi m4400,

I'm not sure if there's a grammatical explanation for this! It might be more about the conventional ideas that we tend to express. The student is saying that there were only three large cabbages in the shop, and they were also the freshest-looking ones, but this might be a bit unclear for listeners/readers to understand and your suggestion sounds clearer and more natural.

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

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Submitted by Iryna_hn on Wed, 22/03/2023 - 10:33

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Good day, dear experts!

Please, help me to understand why there is "elder" in the name of the game "The Elder Scrolls" when we know that the comparative of "old" is "older". Is there a mistake in this name?

Thank you in advance!

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Submitted by Kirk Moore on Thu, 23/03/2023 - 07:22

In reply to Good day, dear experts!… by Iryna_hn

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Hello Iryna_hn,

I don't know much about this game, but I suspect 'elder' refers to an important or respected person in a group rather than being a comparative form of 'old'. Have a look at the Longman entry for 'elder' and scroll down to line 2 of the second meaning and you'll see what I mean.

All the best,

Kirk

LearnEnglish team

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Submitted by leo15722 on Tue, 21/03/2023 - 22:04

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Hello! Can I ask you a question? So, I know that we can use the definite article with comparative adjectives for showing that one thing depends on another as it's written in this website too. But, what about this sentence "the farther side of the mountain"? What's the explanation for it since there are no things depending one another in that sentence? Maybe when we have an implied comparison we can use the definite article too?

Thank you in advance. :)

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Submitted by Peter M. on Wed, 22/03/2023 - 06:40

In reply to Hello! Can I ask you a… by leo15722

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Hello leo15722,

I don't think this is a question of two things being related in the way described above. I think this is simply an identified and specific item. Just as we would say 'the side of the mountain' (we know which side of which mountain we are talking about), so we say 'the farther side of the mountain'. You could use other articles if you conceive other contexts:

a farther side of the mountain > we know which mountain; it has several farther sides and we are talking about one of them but not saying which one. For example: "This side looks easy to climb. Now I don't know the mountain well, but I've heard that there's a farther side of the mountain which is harder to climb."

the farther side of a mountain > we are imagining that there are only two sides (rather like we say 'the dark side of the moon') and are talking about any mountain. For example: "The farther side of a mountain is always tempting to a mountaineer."

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by howtosay_ on Sat, 04/02/2023 - 22:14

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Hello!

Could you please clarify the following:

Should we always use "the" with superlatives forms? Is it a mistake to say "She is most beautiful woman in this city", "He is smartest boy in the class?" or "They bought most delicious cake"?

I'm very very grateful for the work you are doing, thank you for your important help, and thank you for answering this post beforehand!!!

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Submitted by Kirk Moore on Sun, 05/02/2023 - 15:40

In reply to Hello!

Could you please… by howtosay_

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Hello howtosay_

Yes, you should always use 'the' with superlative forms. It is definitely necessary when there is a phrase like 'in this city', 'in the class', 'in the world, etc.

Your sentence about cake isn't actually a superlative construction. Instead, 'most' means 'very'.

It's also possible to see a sentence like 'They bought the most delicious cake'. There might be some rare exceptions, but normally a sentence like this is superlative because of the context. For example, perhaps in the previous sentences they were talking about all the different cakes in a bakery. So even though the sentence doesn't explicitly mention the other cakes, it's clear from context that there are many cakes.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,

Kirk

LearnEnglish team

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Submitted by howtosay_ on Mon, 06/02/2023 - 02:15

In reply to Hello howtosay_

Yes, you… by Kirk Moore

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Hello, Kirk!

Yes, it does help. I haven't known before that "most" also means "very".

Thank you very much indeed for your precious help!!!

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Submitted by AydaChan2003 on Fri, 20/01/2023 - 09:30

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Hello. Good morning sir/ma'am. This question has been bugging me lately.. Which one is correct? 1.he's the cleverest of *all the other* students.

2.he's the cleverest of *the other students*

Or are they both correct??

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Submitted by Kirk Moore on Fri, 20/01/2023 - 15:27

In reply to Hello. Good morning sir/ma… by AydaChan2003

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Hello AydaChan2003,

They're both OK, though I think people would probably say 1 more often than 2.

All the best,

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by AydaChan2003 on Sat, 21/01/2023 - 05:13

In reply to Hello AydaChan2003,

They're… by Kirk Moore

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Hello, Kirk

Thanks a lot!! You're a life saver

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Submitted by Peter M. on Sat, 21/01/2023 - 09:36

In reply to Hello. Good morning sir/ma… by AydaChan2003

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Hello AydaChan2003,

Both are grammatically correct and any difference would depend on the context in which they are used.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by AydaChan2003 on Sat, 21/01/2023 - 20:30

In reply to Hello AydaChan2003,

Both are… by Peter M.

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Hello sir!

Could you please elaborate on what types of context? Also I have a vocabulary question.. I'm fairly new here and I don't know whether there's a separate page for asking vocabulary questions; is there really one? If there's not, then I might as well ask it here (sorry I know this isn't related to the subject but I got to know this) what's the difference between deadly, lethal, and fatal?

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Submitted by Peter M. on Sun, 22/01/2023 - 09:13

In reply to Hello sir!

Could you please… by AydaChan2003

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Hello AydaChan2003,

It's really a question of emphasis. 'All' adds rhetorical emphasis so if you want to make your statement stronger (e.g. when making a speech or trying to persuade someone of something) then it might be useful.

The main difference in the words is that fatal means someone died. Deadly and lethal can also describe potential - in other words they can also describe something is extremely dangerous. Thus, I could say 'It was a truly deadly situation and I was lucky to escape alive' but I could not use the word 'fatal' there.

There are some other differences in use, so you can talk about a deadly/lethal poison, for example, or use the words metaphorically to mean that someone is very good at performing a task: a footballer can be lethal in front of goal, or a lawyer can be deadly during cross-examination.

For differences like this, which are really about use rather than meaning, the best thing is to look each word up in an online dictionary, where you'll be able to compare the different entries.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by AydaChan2003 on Wed, 25/01/2023 - 10:31

In reply to Hello AydaChan2003,

It's… by Peter M.

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Hello sir! Oh my God that was the BEST explanation I've ever seen; thanks a lot!!! I had looked up their differences before but still couldn't distinguish each separately but now with your awesome explanation, I can! Once again, thanks a lot! May God bless you

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Submitted by cooler48 on Mon, 26/12/2022 - 11:55

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Hi Jonathan

Fewer and smaller are comparative (forms)of inferiority ,aren't they?

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Submitted by Jonathan R on Mon, 26/12/2022 - 14:05

In reply to Hi Jonathan

Fewer and… by cooler48

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Hi cooler48,

Yes, right!

Jonathan

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by paddyjosy on Thu, 24/11/2022 - 17:01

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Hello Team .

The sentences

He can run faster than me .

or He can run faster than I .

Which is the correct usage?

I can run faster than he or

I can run faster than him .

Which is the correct usage?

Kindly guide. Thanks.

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Submitted by Peter M. on Fri, 25/11/2022 - 07:51

In reply to Hello Team .

The sentences… by paddyjosy

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Hello paddyjosy,

The standard use is 'me' and 'him'. After 'than' we use an object pronoun not a subject pronoun.

You may find some instances where some users prefer 'I' as they interpret the sentence to be 'He can run faster than I can run', but this is very much a minority view.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by paddyjosy on Fri, 25/11/2022 - 08:31

In reply to Hello paddyjosy,

The… by Peter M.

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Thank you Peter .

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Submitted by snow_white2003 on Sun, 18/12/2022 - 12:53

In reply to Hello Team .

The sentences… by paddyjosy

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Hello paddyjosy,

(than) actually considered as a proposition in modern English. As a result, we use after than a pronoun in object form (for example: me, you, him, her, us, them, and whom)

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Submitted by paddyjosy on Sat, 19/11/2022 - 01:18

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Hi .

This is regarding the use of the adjective' late 'in the comparative and superlative degrees.

Some sources have mentioned it as later and latest (time)or latter and last (position).

Can u kindly explain it with example sentences.

Thanks.

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Submitted by Peter M. on Sat, 19/11/2022 - 08:16

In reply to Hi .

This is regarding the… by paddyjosy

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Hello paddyjosy,

'Later' refers to time. It is often used as an adverb: See you later!

When used as an adjective it is the opposite of 'earlier': Do you want to go to the earlier performance or the later one?

'Latest' means the most recent: Have you heard the latest news? / I just bought her latest novel. It's great!

 

As you say, 'latter' is most often used to refer to the second item when two are mentioned. Its opposite is 'former': Would you prefer tea or coffee? > The latter, please.

'Latter' can also refer to the something occurring nearer to the end of something than the beginning: The latter part of the century was more stable / In his latter years he suffered from heart disease.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by paddyjosy on Sun, 20/11/2022 - 02:01

In reply to Hello paddyjosy,

'Later'… by Peter M.

Permalink

Thanks a lot Peter.

It was helpful.

But is there a comparative and superlative degree for the adjective 'late'?

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Submitted by Peter M. on Sun, 20/11/2022 - 08:19

In reply to Thanks a lot Peter.

It was … by paddyjosy

Permalink

Hello again paddyjosy,

The comparative and superlative forms of 'late' are later and latest.

'Latter' does not have comparative or superlative forms. There is an adverb (latterly) which is a formal synonym for recently.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by paddyjosy on Sun, 20/11/2022 - 11:18

In reply to Hello again paddyjosy,

The… by Peter M.

Permalink

Thanks once again for the prompt reply Peter.

It's really confusing though that 'later' means afterwards and 'latest' means the most recent ,hence a change in meaning all together.

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Submitted by paddyjosy on Sun, 20/11/2022 - 11:26

In reply to Hello again paddyjosy,

The… by Peter M.

Permalink

Hello Peter

Is this usage correct ?

No other programme is as late as ours.

Our performance is later than all other programmes .

Other programmes are the latest.

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Submitted by Kirk Moore on Mon, 21/11/2022 - 06:41

In reply to Hello Peter

Is this usage… by paddyjosy

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Hello paddyjosy,

Yes, the use of the different forms of 'late' are all correct in these sentences. I might suggest 'The latest programmes are other ones' for the last sentence because 'latest' meaning 'most recent' is more common than the meaning that refers to time, but your sentence would be fine in context and in any case is grammatically correct.

All the best,

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by paddyjosy on Mon, 21/11/2022 - 16:08

In reply to Hello paddyjosy,

Yes, the… by Kirk Moore

Permalink

Thanks for the explanation.Indeed a wonderful resoirce for grammar . Keep up.the good work.

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Submitted by paddyjosy on Mon, 21/11/2022 - 16:08

In reply to Hello paddyjosy,

Yes, the… by Kirk Moore

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*resource

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Submitted by Roman... on Sun, 23/10/2022 - 17:06

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Hello. In this sentence

"Lisa is the........of the two sisters" the choices were "1.young 2.more young 3.as young as 4.younger" So I believe there's no correct answer of them because that's a superlative case not comparative as the "two sisters" is the whole group therefore "Lisa" isn't compared with the other sister but preferred over the whole group "the other sister" and the usage of "the" before the adjective and "of" after it means it's superlative and a colleague of mine think it's just comparative because they are only "two sisters" so my question is "Is it acceptable to use the preposition 'of' after the comparative form of adjective?". Thanks in advance.

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Submitted by Jonathan R on Mon, 24/10/2022 - 04:12

In reply to Hello. In this sentence

… by Roman...

Permalink

Hi Roman...

Yes, you could say "Lisa is the youngest of the two sisters". However, it may be considered non-standard and incorrect. A more standard answer would be to say "Lisa is the younger of the two sisters". As there are only two sisters and one is compared with the other, it is a comparative case. Yes, it is fine to use "the + comparative adj. + of" if there are exactly two things being compared.

I hope that helps.

Jonathan

The LearnEnglish Team

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COMPARATIVE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

COMPARATIVE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

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English

Meaning of comparative in English

comparativenoun [ C ]

  language

  specialized uk

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/kəmˈpær.ə.tɪv/ us

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/kəmˈper.ə.t̬ɪv/

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A2 the form of an adjective or adverb that expresses a difference in amount, number, degree, or quality: "Fatter" is the comparative of "fat". "More difficult" is the comparative of "difficult".

More examplesFewer examples'Older' is the comparative, not the superlative, of 'old'.Not all adjectives form the comparative by adding 'er' - some are irregular.For homework we have a list of comparatives and superlatives to learn.Yes, the comparative of 'quick' is 'quicker', but the comparative of the adverb 'quickly' is 'more quickly'.This dictionary shows comparatives and superlatives if they are irregular, like 'better' (the comparative of 'good').'Better' is the comparative of 'good'.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Linguistics: grammatical terms

ablative

apposition

appositive

appositively

attributively

collocate

concord

dative

declension

direct object

genitive

indirect object

nominal

plural

plurally

post-modifier

postposition

postpositional

postpositive

syntax

See more results »

Grammar

Any and comparativesWe use any with comparative adjectives and adverbs: …

Comparison: adjectives (bigger, biggest, more interesting)Comparative adjectives compare one person or thing with another and enable us to say whether a person or thing has more or less of a particular quality: …

Comparative and superlative adjectivesComparative adjectives compare one person or thing with another and enable us to say whether a person or thing has more or less of a particular quality: …

Comparative and superlative adjectives: formTo form the comparative, we use the -er suffix with adjectives of one syllable: …

Comparative adjectives: using much, a lot, far, etc.We can strengthen or emphasise a comparative adjective using words such as much, a lot, far, even or rather, or by using than ever after the adjective: …

Comparative adjectives: using thanWe use than when we mention the second person or thing in the comparison. If the second person mentioned takes the form of a personal pronoun, we normally use the object form of the pronoun (me, you, him, her, us, them): …

Comparative adjectives: -erand -er, more and moreTo talk about how a person or thing is changing and gaining more of a particular quality, we can use two -er form adjectives connected by and, or we can use more and more before an adjective. We don’t follow such comparisons with than: …

Comparative adjectives: the -er, the -er and the more …, the more …If a person or things gains more of a particular quality and this causes a parallel increase of another quality, we can repeat the + a comparative adjective: …

Reduced forms after comparativesAfter than, we often don’t repeat subject pronouns with impersonal subjects, or auxiliary verbs with passive voice verbs: …

Less and not as/not so with comparativesWe use less with longer adjectives (interesting, beautiful, complicated), but we don’t normally use less with short adjectives of one syllable (big, good, high, small). Instead we use not as … as …, or not so … as … Not as is more common than not so: …

Prepositions after superlative adjectivesWe don’t normally use of before a singular name of a place or group after a superlative adjective: …

The with superlative adjectivesWhen a superlative adjective is followed by a noun, we normally use the: …

Other determiners with superlative adjectivesBefore a superlative adjective, we can use a possessive determiner (my, his, their), or the + a number (two, three, first, second), or a possessive determiner + a number: …

Emphasising superlative adjectivesWe can make a superlative adjective stronger with by far, easily or of all: …

To-infinitives after superlative adjectivesWe can use a to-infinitive after a superlative adjective, with a meaning similar to a relative clause with who, which or that: …

Comparative adjectives: typical errorsA comparative adjective is followed by than, not that or as: …

Comparison: adverbs (worse, more easily)Adverbs do not normally change in form, but a few have comparative and superlative forms. These are usually short adverbs and so they normally have comparative and superlative forms with -er and -est. …

Adverbs: comparative and superlative formsAdverbs do not normally change in form, but a few have comparative and superlative forms. These are usually short adverbs and so they normally have comparative and superlative forms with -er and -est. …

Adverbs with more and mostAdverbs with two or more syllables form the comparative and superlative with more and most: …

Well and badlyThe adverb well has the same comparative and superlative forms as the adjective good (better, best). The adverb badly has the comparative and superlative forms worse, worst: …

Comparative adverbs: using thanWhen we mention the second person or thing in the comparison, we use than. We do not use that or as. If the second person mentioned takes the form of a personal pronoun, we normally use the object form of the pronoun (me, you, him, her, us, them): …

Comparison: clauses (bigger than we had imagined)The second part of a comparison (underlined) is often a clause: …

Comparison: comparisons of equality (as tall as his father) …

Comparative formsFarther and further are comparative adverbs or adjectives. They are the irregular comparative forms of far. We use them to talk about distance. There is no difference in meaning between them. Further is more common: …

Superlative formsFarthest and furthest are superlative adjectives or adverbs. They are the irregular superlative forms of far. We use them to talk about distance. There is no difference in meaning between them. Furthest is more common than farthest: …

comparativeadjective uk

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/kəmˈpær.ə.tɪv/ us

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/kəmˈper.ə.t̬ɪv/

comparative adjective

(EXAMINING DIFFERENCES)

C1 comparing different things: She's carrying out a comparative study of health in inner cities and rural areas.

 comparative comfort/freedom/silence, etc.

C2 a situation that is comfortable, free, silent, etc. when compared to another situation or what is normal: I enjoyed the comparative calm of his flat after the busy office.

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SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Comparing and contrasting

analogy

antithesis

apple

as against idiom

balance something against something

competitively

contradistinction

contrast

contrastive

contrastively

measure

mutatis mutandis

next

nonrelative

perspective

relative

relativity

shame

stack

work-life balance

See more results »

comparative adjective

(WORD FORM)

language

  specialized relating to the form of an adjective or adverb that expresses a difference in amount, number, degree, or quality: The comparative form of "slow" is "slower".

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Linguistics: grammatical terms

ablative

apposition

appositive

appositively

attributively

collocate

concord

dative

declension

direct object

genitive

indirect object

nominal

plural

plurally

post-modifier

postposition

postpositional

postpositive

syntax

See more results »

Grammar

Any and comparativesWe use any with comparative adjectives and adverbs: …

Comparison: adjectives (bigger, biggest, more interesting)Comparative adjectives compare one person or thing with another and enable us to say whether a person or thing has more or less of a particular quality: …

Comparative and superlative adjectivesComparative adjectives compare one person or thing with another and enable us to say whether a person or thing has more or less of a particular quality: …

Comparative and superlative adjectives: formTo form the comparative, we use the -er suffix with adjectives of one syllable: …

Comparative adjectives: using much, a lot, far, etc.We can strengthen or emphasise a comparative adjective using words such as much, a lot, far, even or rather, or by using than ever after the adjective: …

Comparative adjectives: using thanWe use than when we mention the second person or thing in the comparison. If the second person mentioned takes the form of a personal pronoun, we normally use the object form of the pronoun (me, you, him, her, us, them): …

Comparative adjectives: -erand -er, more and moreTo talk about how a person or thing is changing and gaining more of a particular quality, we can use two -er form adjectives connected by and, or we can use more and more before an adjective. We don’t follow such comparisons with than: …

Comparative adjectives: the -er, the -er and the more …, the more …If a person or things gains more of a particular quality and this causes a parallel increase of another quality, we can repeat the + a comparative adjective: …

Reduced forms after comparativesAfter than, we often don’t repeat subject pronouns with impersonal subjects, or auxiliary verbs with passive voice verbs: …

Less and not as/not so with comparativesWe use less with longer adjectives (interesting, beautiful, complicated), but we don’t normally use less with short adjectives of one syllable (big, good, high, small). Instead we use not as … as …, or not so … as … Not as is more common than not so: …

Prepositions after superlative adjectivesWe don’t normally use of before a singular name of a place or group after a superlative adjective: …

The with superlative adjectivesWhen a superlative adjective is followed by a noun, we normally use the: …

Other determiners with superlative adjectivesBefore a superlative adjective, we can use a possessive determiner (my, his, their), or the + a number (two, three, first, second), or a possessive determiner + a number: …

Emphasising superlative adjectivesWe can make a superlative adjective stronger with by far, easily or of all: …

To-infinitives after superlative adjectivesWe can use a to-infinitive after a superlative adjective, with a meaning similar to a relative clause with who, which or that: …

Comparative adjectives: typical errorsA comparative adjective is followed by than, not that or as: …

Comparison: adverbs (worse, more easily)Adverbs do not normally change in form, but a few have comparative and superlative forms. These are usually short adverbs and so they normally have comparative and superlative forms with -er and -est. …

Adverbs: comparative and superlative formsAdverbs do not normally change in form, but a few have comparative and superlative forms. These are usually short adverbs and so they normally have comparative and superlative forms with -er and -est. …

Adverbs with more and mostAdverbs with two or more syllables form the comparative and superlative with more and most: …

Well and badlyThe adverb well has the same comparative and superlative forms as the adjective good (better, best). The adverb badly has the comparative and superlative forms worse, worst: …

Comparative adverbs: using thanWhen we mention the second person or thing in the comparison, we use than. We do not use that or as. If the second person mentioned takes the form of a personal pronoun, we normally use the object form of the pronoun (me, you, him, her, us, them): …

Comparison: clauses (bigger than we had imagined)The second part of a comparison (underlined) is often a clause: …

Comparison: comparisons of equality (as tall as his father) …

Comparative formsFarther and further are comparative adverbs or adjectives. They are the irregular comparative forms of far. We use them to talk about distance. There is no difference in meaning between them. Further is more common: …

Superlative formsFarthest and furthest are superlative adjectives or adverbs. They are the irregular superlative forms of far. We use them to talk about distance. There is no difference in meaning between them. Furthest is more common than farthest: …

(Definition of comparative from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

comparative | American Dictionary

comparativenoun [ C ] us

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/kəmˈpær·ət̬·ɪv/

comparative noun [C]

(GRAMMAR)

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grammar the form of an adjective or adverb that shows the thing or action described has more of the quality than some others of the same type: “Faster” is the comparative of “fast.” “Better” is the comparative of “good.”

comparativeadjective [ not gradable ] us

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/kəmˈpær·ət̬·ɪv/

comparative adjective [not gradable]

(EXAMINING DIFFERENCES)

considering the differences between one thing and another: The research examined the comparative effectiveness of the two medical treatments.

comparatively adverb us

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/kəmˈpær·ət̬·ɪv·li/

The job was comparatively well paid, as factory jobs go.

(Definition of comparative from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of comparative

comparative

The analysis also confirmed the common wisdom that multisyllabic adjectives do not have synthetic comparatives.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Further research on the cognitive basis of comparatives is therefore needed in order to resolve the issue.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Through tower building there is a development of vocabulary from the original big and small to more selective comparatives.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The list of these environments includes coordinations, lists, markers of exception and inclusion, focus particles, comparatives, and a few others.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Birdies like birdseed the better than buns: a study of relational comparatives and their acquisition.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

They can have genitive subjects only if they can be analyzed either as free relatives clauses or as comparatives, in other words as operator-variable constructions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Percentages of synthetic comparatives produced by children identified as rule users and those identified as non-rule users for all of the children who completed the production task.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

They do not have comparatives or superlatives.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

There are three primary categories of methods for predicting protein structure from sequence: comparative modelling, fold recognition, and ab initio prediction.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Comparative studies also help us to identify model systems that are perhaps better suited than more common ones to answer difficult biological questions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Our strategy for microsynteny-based comparative mapping was straightforward and simple.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Our results indicate that comparative microsynteny-based mapping can facilitate positional cloning of a target gene when information on genomic location is limited.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

We are now in the process of modifying the pipeline to exploit comparative genome sequences more efficiently.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

I would prefer to reconsider the rejection of innate as a concept for ethology and comparative psychology.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Much of its power resides in the comparatives different and larger.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

See all examples of comparative

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

What is the pronunciation of comparative?

 

A2,C1,C2

Translations of comparative

in Chinese (Traditional)

(形容詞或副詞的)比較級, 查找差異, 比較的,對比的…

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in Chinese (Simplified)

(形容词或副词的)比较级, 查找差异, 比较的,对比的…

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in Spanish

comparativo, comparativo/va [masculine-feminine], relativo/va [masculine-feminine]…

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in Portuguese

grau comparativo, comparativo, comparativo/-va [masculine-feminine]…

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तुलनात्मक…

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(文法)比較級, 比較(ひかく)の, 比較的(ひかくてき)な…

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karşılaştırmalı, mukayeseli, (dilbilgisi) mukayese/karşılaştırma derecesi…

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comparatif/-ive, relatif/-ive, relatif…

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comparatiu…

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betrekkelijk, vergelijkend…

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வெவ்வேறு விஷயங்களை ஒப்பிடுதல்…

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अलग-अलग चीज़ों की तुलना, तुलनात्मक…

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તુલનાત્મક…

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relativ, nogenlunde, forholdsvis…

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relativ, komparativ…

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perbandingan…

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verhältnismäßig, steigernd…

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komparativ, sammenlignende, relativ…

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موازناتی…

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порівняльний, відносний, вищого ступеня порівняння…

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сравнительный, сопоставительный, сравнительная степень…

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వేర్వేరు విషయాలను పోల్చడం…

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مُقارَن…

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তুলনামূলক…

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poměrný, stupňovací…

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relatif, komparatif…

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ที่เปรียบเทียบกัน, ที่เปรียบเทียบคำคุณศัพท์หรือคำนาม…

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thuộc so sánh, tương đối…

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porównawczy, stopień wyższy, względny…

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비교급…

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comparativo, relativo…

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an answer or reaction

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Contents

English 

 Noun

Adjective 

comparative (EXAMINING DIFFERENCES)

comparative comfort/freedom/silence, etc.

comparative (WORD FORM)

American 

 

Noun 

comparative (GRAMMAR)

Adjective 

comparative (EXAMINING DIFFERENCES)

Adverb 

comparatively

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comparative

1 of 2

adjective

com·​par·​a·​tive

kəm-ˈper-ə-tiv 

-ˈpa-rə-

Synonyms of comparative

1

: of, relating to, or constituting the degree of comparison in a language that denotes increase in the quality, quantity, or relation expressed by an adjective or adverb

The comparative form of happy is happier. The comparative form of clearly is more clearly.

2

: considered as if in comparison to something else as a standard not quite attained : relative

a comparative stranger She's a comparative newcomer to the company.

3

: characterized by systematic comparison especially of likenesses and dissimilarities

comparative anatomy a comparative analysis of the roles of women in different cultures

comparatively

adverb

comparativeness

noun

comparative

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: one that compares with another especially on equal footing : rival

b

: one that makes witty or mocking comparisons

2

: the comparative degree or form in a language

The comparative of tall is taller.

Synonyms

Adjective

almost

approximate

near

relative

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of comparative in a Sentence

Adjective

She did a comparative study of classical and modern art.

I'm taking a class in comparative anatomy.

a comparative analysis of the roles of women in different cultures

The comparative form of “happy” is “happier”; the comparative form of “good” is “better”; the comparative form of “clearly” is “more clearly.”

Noun

“Taller” is the comparative of “tall.”

Recent Examples on the WebAdjective

At 72, Mellencamp is the comparative newcomer of the lineup and will be promoting his 2023 album Orpheus Descending.

—Spin Staff, SPIN, 27 Feb. 2024

One is principally an academic argument between comparative political scientists and historians about whether there is any merit to comparing the contemporary era of U.S. politics with the early-twentieth-century rise of fascism in Europe.

—Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024

The cultural historian and associate professor of critical and comparative studies at the University of Virginia, Karl Hagstrom Miller, puts forth in his work that country music was born from popular music of the South.

—Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024

Second, to point out that the Hollywood Red Scare only targeted about three hundred people, giving a sense of the comparative scale of cancel culture, which has seen more than one thousand attempts to cancel professors since 2014.

—David Cole, The New York Review of Books, 15 Feb. 2024

It will be moderated by TCU faculty members Stacie McCormick, associate professor of English, comparative race and ethnic studies and women and gender studies, and Brandon Manning, associate professor of Black literature and culture in the Department of English.

—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Feb. 2024

The candidates and schedule are as follows: Thursday: Stephanie Ricker Schulte, an associate dean for the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, a professor of communication and a faculty affiliate for the interdisciplinary comparative literature and cultural studies program.

—Danny Shameer, arkansasonline.com, 13 Feb. 2024

Here’s a comparative overview: No Certification (Neither CMA nor CPA)

Accounting professionals without either certification have a median base salary of $99,375.

—Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2024

This pricing structure means Klaviyo is cheaper than comparative services such as HubSpot Marketing and Mailchimp.

—Gabriel Zamora, PCMAG, 31 Jan. 2024

Noun

Alstom said Tuesday that first-quarter sales grew while orders fell against a strong prior-year comparative.

—Pierre Bertrand, WSJ, 25 July 2023

Also known as comparatives, web weaving is a genre of Tumblr post that juxtaposes excerpts and images around a central theme.

—Vivian Lam, WIRED, 24 Feb. 2023

Soon, the positive reviews of the performance that had yet to take place took a turn toward the comparative.

—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 26 May 2022

Why this matters: Reports from an independent testing organization like AV-Comparatives are important for the average PC user.

—Ian Paul, PCWorld, 1 Aug. 2017

Other poll comparatives from March fell like dominoes.

—David Paleologos, USA TODAY, 29 June 2017

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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'comparative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see compare entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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“Comparative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comparative. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.

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Kids Definition

comparative

1 of 2

adjective

com·​par·​a·​tive

kəm-ˈpar-ət-iv 

1

: of, relating to, or constituting the degree of grammatical comparison that denotes increase in the quality, quantity, or relation expressed by an adjective or adverb

2

: measured by comparison : relative

a comparative stranger

3

: involving the study of things that are alike by comparing them

comparative anatomy

comparatively

adverb

comparative

2 of 2

noun

: the comparative degree or a word form expressing it

"taller" is the comparative of "tall"

Medical Definition

comparative

adjective

com·​par·​a·​tive

kəm-ˈpar-ət-iv 

: characterized by the systematic comparison of phenomena and especially of likenesses and dissimilarities

comparative anatomy the study of blood types by comparative analysis

Legal Definition

comparative

adjective

com·​par·​a·​tive

kəm-ˈpar-ə-tiv 

: characterized by systematic comparison

comparative contribution, which apportions according to…respective fault—W. L. Prosser and W. P. Keeton

comparatively

adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on comparative

Nglish: Translation of comparative for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of comparative for Arabic Speakers

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What Are Comparative Adjectives? Definition and Examples | Grammarly

What Are Comparative Adjectives? Definition and Examples | Grammarly

Grammarly HomeProductLearnFeaturesProduct DemoTrust & SecurityDownloadDesktopMobileBrowserWorkBy Team SizeEnterpriseTeams & BusinessesIndividualsBy Team FunctionCustomer SupportMarketingITSalesHREducationStudentsInstitutionsPricingResourcesLearnBlogCustomer StoriesBusiness Events & ReportsEducation Events & ReportsSupport CenterToolsAI Writing ToolsGrammar CheckerPlagiarism CheckerParaphrasing ToolContact SalesLog inGet GrammarlyIt's freeGrammarly HomeProductLearnFeaturesProduct DemoTrust & SecurityDownloadDesktopMobileBrowserWorkBy Team SizeEnterpriseTeams & BusinessesIndividualsBy Team FunctionCustomer SupportMarketingITSalesHREducationStudentsInstitutionsPricingResourcesLearnBlogCustomer StoriesBusiness Events & ReportsEducation Events & ReportsSupport CenterToolsAI Writing ToolsGrammar CheckerPlagiarism CheckerParaphrasing ToolGet GrammarlyIt's freeContact SalesLog inGrammarly Blog HomeWritingWriting TipsGrammarStudentsProfessionalsLifestyleProductCompanyGrammarly HomeWritingWriting TipsGrammarStudentsProfessionalsLifestyleProductCompanyGet GrammarlyIt's freeContact SalesLog inWhat Are Comparative Adjectives? Definition and ExamplesMatt EllisUpdated on June 27, 2023GrammarWhen it comes to comparing two things, comparative adjectives like better are better than other adjectives. For comparisons, they’re just more useful than adjectives in their regular form.

The real question is how to use comparative adjectives. In this guide, we discuss everything you need to know about comparative adjectives, from the spelling rules, to when to use more, to clearing up the comparative-versus-superlative-adjectives confusion. But first let’s give a more detailed answer to the question, “What are comparative adjectives?”

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What are comparative adjectives?

Comparative adjectives are a form adjectives take when comparing two (and only two) things, such as “she is older than him” or “he is more serious than them.” For most short adjectives, we simply add the suffix -er at the end of the word, while for longer adjectives we usually add the adverb more directly before the word.

In theory, any adjective can become a comparative adjective, as long as you follow the rules. However, some words have meanings that can’t be compared, such as unique—something cannot be more or less unique than something else.

How to use comparative adjectives in a sentence

The easiest way to use comparative adjectives in a sentence is this:

[Noun A] + [be or another linking verb] + [comparative adjective] + than + [Noun B]

In this construction, Noun A has more of the comparative adjective’s trait than Noun B.

The movie was more boring than the book.

She seems nicer than her sister.

This is the simplest way to use comparative adjectives, but it’s not the only way. Because comparative adjectives are still adjectives, you can use them to form adjective phrases.

Stronger than a bull, Hercules easily completed his twelve tasks.

You don’t always have to mention both things in a comparison. Sometimes one is already mentioned, so your audience already knows what you’re talking about. In this case, the second thing is assumed or understood, so you don’t need to repeat it.

My laptop weighs more than a brick! I need a newer one.

If one of the things is assumed and not mentioned, you don’t need the word than.

When to use more with comparative adjectives

Earlier we said that “short” adjectives use the suffix –er and “long” adjectives use the word more before them. That is a little vague, so here are the specific adjectives that use more:

All adjectives with three or more syllables

Adjectives with two syllables except those that end in –er, –ow, –le, or –y

So if an adjective has two or more syllables, it will probably use more. The only exceptions are two-syllable adjectives with the endings –er, –ow, –le, and –y—those use special spelling rules with the suffix –er, explained below.

Also note that using more with comparative adjectives is similar to using less. You can add less before any adjective without having to change the spelling.

5 spelling rules for forming comparative adjectives

1

One-syllable adjectives

For most adjectives with one syllable, simply add the suffix –er at the end of the word without changing the spelling.

smart -> smarter

kind -> kinder

The exceptions are one-syllable adjectives that end in –e or a consonant-vowel-consonant, which have different rules, explained below.

2

One-syllable adjectives ending in –e

If a one-syllable adjective already ends in -e, just add an -r at the end. You don’t need to add another e.

large -> larger

free -> freer

3

One-syllable adjectives ending in consonant-vowel-consonant

Be careful of one-syllable adjectives with the last three letters in a consonant-vowel-consonant format, like big or thin. For these, you have to double the last consonant and then add –er.

big -> bigger

thin -> thinner

4

One- or two-syllable adjectives ending in –y

If an adjective with either one or two syllables ends in a -y, first change the y into an i and then add –er.

dry -> drier

likely -> likelier

5

Two-syllable adjectives ending in –er, –ow, or –le

If an adjective with two syllables ends with -er (like bitter) or –ow (like narrow), you can just add –er to the end without changing the spelling (bitterer or narrower). If a two-syllable adjective ends in –le, you can just add –r without adding a second e.

clever -> cleverer

shallow -> shallower

simple -> simpler

Irregular comparative adjectives

Not all adjectives follow the rules above. Try memorizing these irregular comparative adjectives so you always know the right word to use.

Standard form

Comparative form

good

better

bad

worse

far

farther or further

fun

funner or more fun

handsome

handsomer

many

more

polite

politer

quiet

quieter

stupid

stupider

 

Note that fun has two options. There’s a lot of confusion about funner vs. more fun, but the truth is that both are perfectly acceptable in English. However, most modern English speakers prefer more fun.

Comparative vs. superlative adjectives

Comparative adjectives are quite similar to superlative adjectives, with comparatives using the suffix –er or the adverb more, and superlatives using the suffix –est or the adverb most.

In grammar, comparatives are often paired with superlatives because they are both used in comparisons and follow many of the same spelling rules, such as changing the y to an i at the end of a one- or two-syllable adjective.

Let’s clear up the confusion between comparative vs. superlative adjectives. The difference between comparative and superlative adjectives is the number of things being compared.

If you’re comparing only two things, use comparative adjectives.

If you’re comparing three or more things, including everything in a group, use superlative adjectives.

Just look at the use of both comparative and superlative adjectives in this example:

I am stronger than my brother, but the strongest person in the family is grandma!

Comparative adjectives FAQs

What is a comparative adjective?

Comparative adjectives are a form adjectives take when comparing two (and only two) things, such as “she is older than him” or “he is more serious than her.” For most short adjectives, we simply add the suffix -er at the end of the word, while for longer adjectives we usually add the adverb more directly before the word.

What are some examples of comparative adjectives?

Some common examples of comparative adjectives, both regular and irregular, include:

faster

smaller

more important

more confident

better

worse

How is a superlative adjective different from a comparative adjective?

The difference between comparative adjectives and superlative adjectives is the number of things in the comparison. For comparing only two things, use comparative adjectives. For comparing three or more things, including everything in a group, use superlative adjectives.

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Comparatives

Comparatives

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What Are Comparatives?

Definition of "Comparative"

A comparative is the form of adjective or adverb used to compare two things. For example, "sweeter" is the comparative form of "sweet," and "quicker" is the comparative form of "quick."

Table of Contents

Examples of Comparatives

Degrees of Comparison

Forming Comparatives

Video Lesson

Forming Comparatives (and Superlatives)

Why Comparatives Are Important

Test Time!

Examples of Comparatives

Here are some examples of comparatives (comparatives shaded):

Mark is

taller.

(taller = comparative of the adjective tall)

Mark listens

more attentively these days.

(more attentively = comparative of the adverb attentively)

When you hire people who are smarter than you are, you prove you are smarter than they are. (R H Grant)

(smarter = comparative of the adjective smart)

Nothing is impossible. Some things are just less likely than others. (Jonathan Winters)

(less likely = comparative of the adverb likely)

Degrees of Comparison

This page is about comparatives (also called the "comparative degree" or the "second degree of comparison"), but every adjective or adverb can be written in one of three degrees:

The Positive Degree. The positive degree offers no comparison. It just tells us about the existence of a quality (e.g., nice, nicely).

The Comparative Degree. The comparative degree (or comparative) compares two things to show which has the lesser or greater degree of the quality (e.g., nicer, more nicely).

The Superlative Degree. The superlative degree (or superlative) compares more than two things to show which has the least or greatest degree of the quality (e.g., nicest, most nicely).

Read more about the 'degrees of comparison' in grammar.

Forming Comparatives

Often, the comparative form of an adjective or adverb can be formed by adding the suffix -er or by placing more (or less) before.Here are some examples:

ExampleWord TypeFormedComparative

smalladjectiveadd -ersmaller

quicklyadverbprecede with moremore quickly

quicklyadverbprecede with lessless quickly

However, it is a little more complicated than just adding -er or using more. There is more on this to come.

Read more about forming the comparatives and superlatives of adjectives.

Read more about forming the comparatives and superlatives of adverbs.

Video Lesson

Here is a short video summarizing the comparative degree.

video lesson

Are you a visual learner? Do you prefer video to text? Here is a list of all our grammar videos.

Forming Comparatives (and Superlatives)

It makes sense to learn about comparatives and superlatives at the same time because they are both about making comparisons.

A comparative is known as the second or the middle degree of comparison (for adjectives and adverbs).A superlative is known as the third or the highest degree of comparison (for adjectives and adverbs).

WordComparative(or second degree of comparison)Suplerlative(or third degree of comparison)

When an adjective or an adverb ends with a single consonant, add er or est:

big(adjective)biggerbiggest

soon(adverb)soonersoonest

When an adjective or an adverb ends y, drop the y and add ier (for the comparative) and iest (for the superlative):

dry(adjective)drierdriest

silly(adjective)silliersilliest

early(adverb)earlierearliest

When an adjective or an adverb ends e, drop the e and add er (for the comparative) and est (for the superlative):

pale(adjective)palerpalest

free(adverb)freerfreest

When an adjective or an adverb has more than one syllable (but beware exceptions like silly and early), place more in front (for the comparative) and most in front (for the superlative):

attractive(adjective)more attractivemost attractive

angrily(adverb)more angrilymost angrily

There are a few irregular ones too. You just have to learn these. It's worth it. Most of them are very common words:

good(adjective)betterbest

bad(adjective)worseworst

well(adverb)betterbest

badly(adverb)worseworst

little(adverb and adjective)lessleast

much(adverb and adjective)moremost

far(adverb and adjective)farther or furtherfarthest or furthest

Why Comparatives Are Important

Below are the three most problematic issues related to comparatives.

(Issue 1) Do not form double comparatives.

The rules for forming a comparative are above. Only apply one of the rules for each adjective or adverb. In other words, do not apply two of the rules. If you do (e.g., by using "more" and adding "-er"), you will form a so-called double comparative, which is a serious grammar error. For example:

David is more taller.

He can run more faster.

She was more prettier.

As a comparative can also be formed by adding the word "less," this mistake can be made with "less" too. For example:

David was less smarter than John.

Of note, forming double comparatives is far more common in speech than in writing.

Read more about double comparatives.

(Issue 2) Use the comparative degree not the superlative degree when comparing two things.

Use a comparative not a superlative when comparing just two things. For example:

Of the two, select the most appropriate hat.

("More suitable hat" would be correct.)

Often, the number of things being compared isn't known.

Janet is the most suitable candidate.

(Reading this, we'd assume there were more than two candidates. If there were just two, it should say "more suitable.")

Read more about the superlative degree.

(Issue 3) Be careful with adjectives that already express the highest degree.

Some argue that adjectives like dead and unique already express the quality to the highest degree and therefore should not have a comparative or a superlative form. So, if you write "deader" or "most unique," make sure you can justify it. The following four adjectives attract the most criticism:

Dead (Can something be deader or deadest?)

Single (Can something be more or most single?)

Unique (Can something be more or most unique?)

Instantaneous (Can something be more or most instantaneous?)

Key Points

Don't apply two rules for forming a comparative (e.g., more tastier, more better). That's a serious mistake.

Use the comparative degree (not the superlative) when comparing just two things.

Janet is the cleverer out of Janet and John.

("Cleverest" would be wrong.)

This page was written by Craig Shrives.

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Comparative and superlative adjectives - Cambridge Grammar

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Comparative and superlative adjectives

Grammar > Adjectives and adverbs > Adjectives > Comparative and superlative adjectives Comparative adjectives compare one person or thing with another and enable us to say whether a person or thing has more or less of a particular quality: This car is more expensive than my last one. Superlative adjectives describe one person or thing as having more of a quality than all other people or things in a group: Joe used to be the slowest runner in the class. Click on a topic to learn more about comparative and superlative adjectives. Comparison: adjectives (bigger, biggest, more interesting)Comparison: clauses (bigger than we had imagined)Comparison: comparisons of equality (as tall as his father)As … as

 

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Contents

 Adjectives and adverbs Adjectives Adjectives Adjectives: forms Adjectives: order Adjective phrases Adjective phrases: functions Adjective phrases: position Adjectives and adjective phrases: typical errors Comparative and superlative adjectives Comparison: adjectives (bigger, biggest, more interesting) Comparison: clauses (bigger than we had imagined) Comparison: comparisons of equality (as tall as his father) As … as Adverbs Adverbs Adverb phrases Adverbs and adverb phrases: position Adverbs and adverb phrases: typical errors Adverbs: forms Adverbs: functions Adverbs: types Comparison: adverbs (worse, more easily) Degree adverbs Fairly Intensifiers (very, at all) Largely Much, a lot, lots, a good deal: adverbs Pretty Quite Rather Really Scarcely Very Time adverbs About Ago Already Always Early Ever Hardly ever, rarely, scarcely, seldom Next No longer, not any longer No more, not any more Now Often Once Soon Still Then Usually Eventually Adverbs as discourse markers (anyway, finally) Adverbs as short responses (definitely, certainly) Using adjectives and adverbs Afraid Alike Hard Long Only Same, similar, identical Likely and unlikely As well (as) Even Hardly Hopefully Surely Too Ultimately Easily confused words Above or over? Across, over or through? Advice or advise? Affect or effect? All or every? All or whole? Allow, permit or let? Almost or nearly? Alone, lonely, or lonesome? Along or alongside? Already, still or yet? Also, as well or too? Alternate(ly), alternative(ly) Although or though? Altogether or all together? Amount of, number of or quantity of? Any more or anymore? Anyone, anybody or anything? Apart from or except for? Arise or rise? Around or round? Arouse or rouse? As or like? As, because or since? As, when or while? Been or gone? Begin or start? Beside or besides? Between or among? Born or borne? Bring, take and fetch Can, could or may? Classic or classical? Come or go? Consider or regard? Consist, comprise or compose? Content or contents? Different from, different to or different than? Do or make? Down, downwards or downward? During or for? Each or every? East or eastern; north or northern? Economic or economical? Efficient or effective? Elder, eldest or older, oldest? End or finish? Especially or specially? Except or except for? Expect, hope or wait? Experience or experiment? Fall or fall down? Far or a long way? Farther, farthest or further, furthest? Fast, quick or quickly? Fell or felt? Female or feminine; male or masculine? Finally, at last, lastly or in the end? First, firstly or at first? Fit or suit? Following or the following? For or since? Forget or leave? Full or filled? Fun or funny? Get or go? Grateful or thankful? Hear or listen (to)? High or tall? Historic or historical? House or home? How is …? or What is … like? If or when? If or whether? Ill or sick? Imply or infer? In the way or on the way? It’s or its? Late or lately? Lay or lie? Lend or borrow? Less or fewer? Look at, see or watch? Low or short? Man, mankind or people? Maybe or may be? Maybe or perhaps? Nearest or next? Never or not … ever? Nice or sympathetic? No doubt or without doubt? No or not? Nowadays, these days or today? Open or opened? Opportunity or possibility? Opposite or in front of? Other, others, the other or another? Out or out of? Permit or permission? Person, persons or people? Pick or pick up? Play or game? Politics, political, politician or policy? Price or prize? Principal or principle? Quiet or quite? Raise or rise? Remember or remind? Right or rightly? Rob or steal? Say or tell? So that or in order that? Sometimes or sometime? Sound or noise? Speak or talk? Such or so? There, their or they’re? Towards or toward? Wait or wait for? Wake, wake up or awaken? Worth or worthwhile? Nouns, pronouns and determiners Determiners A/an and the Determiners (the, my, some, this) Determiners and types of noun Determiners: position and order Determiners: typical errors Determiners used as pronouns Every Possession (John’s car, a friend of mine) Such This, that, these, those Whole Nouns Nouns Nouns: form Nouns and prepositions Nouns: compound nouns Nouns: countable and uncountable Nouns: forming nouns from other words Nouns: singular and plural Uncountable nouns Accommodation Equipment Furniture Information Luck and lucky News Progress Weather Noun phrases Noun phrases: dependent words Noun phrases: order Noun phrases: uses Noun phrases: noun phrases and verbs Noun phrases: two noun phrases together Pronouns Pronouns Each other, one another Everyone, everybody, everything, everywhere It Gender No one, nobody, nothing, nowhere One One and one’s Pronouns: personal (I, me, you, him, it, they, etc.) Pronouns: possessive (my, mine, your, yours, etc.) Pronouns: reflexive (myself, themselves, etc.) Pronouns: indefinite (-body, -one, -thing, -where) Pronouns: one, you, we, they Relative pronouns Questions: interrogative pronouns (what, who) Someone, somebody, something, somewhere That Quantifiers A bit All Any Both Either Enough Least, the least, at least Less Little, a little, few, a few Lots, a lot, plenty Many More Most, the most, mostly Much, many, a lot of, lots of: quantifiers No, none and none of Plenty Some Some and any Question words How What When Where Which Who, whom Whose Why Using nouns Piece words and group words Comparison: nouns (more money, the most points) Nouns and gender Reported speech: reporting nouns Age Half Holiday and holidays Mind Opinion Promise Reason Sort, type and kind Thing and stuff View Way Work (noun) Prepositions and particles Prepositions Prepositional phrases Above After, afterwards Against Among and amongst As At At, in and to (movement) At, on and in (place) At, on and in (time) Below Beneath Beyond By During For For + -ing From In front of In spite of and despite In, into Near and near to Of On, onto Over To Under Until With Within Without Using English Collocation Functions Commands and instructions Commentaries Invitations Offers Requests Greetings and farewells: hello, goodbye, Happy New Year Suggestions Telephoning Warnings Numbers Dates Measurements Number Time People and places Geographical places Names and titles: addressing people Nationalities, languages, countries and regions Place names Place and movement Abroad Away and away from Back Inside Nearby Outside Up Politeness Reported speech Reported speech Reported speech: direct speech Reported speech: indirect speech Sexist language Spoken English Pronunciation Intonation Politeness Interjections (ouch, hooray) Tags Chunks Ellipsis Headers and tails Hyperbole Vague expressions Downtoners Hedges (just) Substitution All right and alright Please and thank you Here and there Just Kind of and sort of Oh So and not with expect, hope, think, etc. So Yes Anyway Discourse markers (so, right, okay) In fact Okay, OK Well You know You see Types of English British and American English Dialect Double negatives and usage Formal and informal language Newspaper headlines Register Slang Standard and non-standard language Swearing and taboo expressions Useful phrases According to Actual and actually Approximations (around four o’clock) At all Else Hear that, see that However, whatever, whichever, whenever, wherever, whoever It’s time May as well and might as well More or less Of course Point of view Writing Apostrophe (’) Apposition Contractions Contrasts Detached impersonal style Internet discourse and text messages It, this and that in paragraphs Paragraphs Punctuation Speech into writing Spelling Such as Verbs Tenses and time Past Past simple (I worked) Past continuous (I was working) Past continuous or past simple? Past simple or present perfect? Used to Past perfect simple (I had worked) Past perfect continuous (I had been working) Past perfect simple or past perfect continuous? Past perfect simple or past simple? Past verb forms referring to the present Past: typical errors Present Present continuous (I am working) Present perfect continuous (I have been working) Present perfect simple (I have worked) Present perfect simple or present perfect continuous? Present perfect: typical errors Present simple (I work) Present simple or present continuous? Present: typical errors Present verb forms referring to the past Future Future: will and shall Future: be going to (I am going to work) Future: other expressions to talk about the future Future continuous (I will be working) Future in the past Future perfect continuous (I will have been working here ten years) Future perfect simple (I will have worked eight hours) Future: present continuous to talk about the future (I’m working tomorrow) Future: present simple to talk about the future (I work tomorrow) Future: typical errors Going to Verb forms Finite and non-finite verbs Imperative clauses (Be quiet!) Infinitives with and without to Infinitive: active or passive? Perfect infinitive with to (to have worked) Verbs: basic forms Verbs: formation Verb patterns Hate, like, love and prefer Hear, see, etc. + object + infinitive or -ing Help somebody (to) do Look forward to Stop + -ing form or to-infinitive Verb patterns: verb + infinitive or verb + -ing? Verb patterns: verb + that-clause Verb patterns: with and without objects Would like Would rather, would sooner Phrasal verbs and multi-word verbs Passive voice Get passive Have something done Passive: forms Passives with and without an agent Passive: uses Passive: other forms Passive: typical errors Modal verbs and modality Can Could Could, may and might Dare Had better May Might Modality: forms Modality: meanings and uses Modality: tense Modality: other verbs Modality: other modal words and expressions Must Need Ought to Shall Should Will Would Conditionals and wishes Conditionals Conditionals: if Conditionals: other expressions (unless, should, as long as) Conditionals: typical errors If only In case (of) Suppose, supposing and what if Wish Using verbs Verbs: types Verb phrases Verbs and verb phrases: typical errors Appear Ask and ask for Be Be expressions (be able to, be due to) Come Do Enable Enjoy Explain Get Go Happen Have Have got and have Hope Know Let, let’s Like Look Made from, made of, made out of, made with Make Marry and divorce Matter Mean Miss Prefer Put See Seem Suggest Take Think Want Table of irregular verbs Words, sentences and clauses Word classes and phrase classes Word formation Word formation Prefixes Suffixes Compounds Abbreviations, initials and acronyms -ish and -y Diminutives (-let, -y and mini-) Hyphens Word order and focus Word order and focus Word order: structures Cleft sentences (It was in June we got married.) Fronting Inversion No sooner Not only … but also Conjunctions and linking words And As if and as though As long as and so long as Because, because of and cos, cos of Before But Conjunctions Conjunctions: adding Conjunctions: causes, reasons, results and purpose Conjunctions: contrasting Conjunctions: time Either … or… If In order to Or Since Unless Whereas Whether While and whilst Yet Clauses and sentences Adjuncts Clauses Clauses: finite and non-finite Clause types Complements Dummy subjects Exclamations Heads Objects Sentences Subjects Subject complements Subject–verb agreement Relative clauses Relative clauses Relative clauses referring to a whole sentence Relative clauses: defining and non-defining Relative clauses: typical errors Negation Negation Neither, neither … nor and not … either Not Neither, neither … nor and not … either Not Forming negative statements, questions and imperatives Negation: two negatives Negative clauses with any, anybody, anyone, anything, anywhere Negation in non-finite clauses Negative prefixes and suffixes Negative adverbs: hardly, seldom, etc. Negation: emphasising Negation of think, believe, suppose, hope  Questions Questions: alternative questions (Is it black or grey?) Questions: statement questions (you’re over 18?) Questions: two-step questions Questions: typical errors Questions: wh-questions Questions: yes-no questions (Are you feeling cold?) Questions: follow-up questions Questions: echo and checking questions Questions: short forms

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Comparatives And Superlatives: What’s The Difference? | Merriam-Webster

Comparatives And Superlatives: What’s The Difference? | Merriam-Webster

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Est. 1828

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Comparatives and Superlatives: What’s the difference?

What to Know

Comparatives are adjectives used to say that something has more of a quality compared to something else. For example, the comparative of fluffy is fluffier (as in “her coat is fluffier than mine”) and the comparative of good is better (as in “I think this pretzel came out better than the others”). We use superlatives—such as fluffiest and best—when we want to say something has the highest degree of a quality compared to all others, as in “we adopted the fluffiest cat at the shelter” and “that was the best concert I’ve ever been to.”

Adjectives are words that describe something or someone. Happy, disgusting, small, and green are all adjectives.

If we want to describe someone or something as having “more” or “the most” of a quality, we turn to comparatives and superlatives—forms of adjectives that allow us to do just that. Happier and more disgusting are examples of comparatives (“more”), and smallest and greenest are superlatives (“most”).

As you can see from these examples, many adjectives are modified with -er to become comparatives, and -est to become superlatives. Here are some more:

Comparatives: sooner, lovelier, sweeter,

Superlatives: biggest, unlikeliest, narrowest

However, you can also see that, as with disgusting, some adjectives do not work this way (especially if they have more than two syllables). Instead, they must be modified with more or most:

Comparatives: more careful, more rested, more practical

Superlatives: most intelligent, most bizarre, most beautiful

And some adjectives are not modified either way, such as good (which uses better and best for its comparative and superlative forms) and bad (which uses worse and worst).

Finally, there are some adjectives, such as fatal, left, and twentieth, that can’t be made into comparative or superlative forms. If they could, it would probably be the twentiethest thing we’ve ever heard.

(If you are interested in learning more about adjectives that can't easily be modified here's an article for you: Is It Wrong to Say 'Very Unique'?)

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COMPARATIVE Definition & Usage Examples | Dictionary.com

COMPARATIVE Definition & Usage Examples | Dictionary.com

GamesDaily CrosswordWord PuzzleWord FinderAll gamesFeaturedWord of the DaySynonym of the DayWord of the YearNew wordsLanguage storiesAll featuredPop cultureSlangEmojiMemesAcronymsGender and sexualityAll pop cultureWriting tipsGrammar Coach™Writing hubGrammar essentialsCommonly confusedAll writing tipsGamesFeaturedPop cultureWriting tipscomparative[ kuhm-par-uh-tiv ]show ipaSee synonyms for: comparativecomparatively on Thesaurus.comadjectiveof or relating to comparison. proceeding by, founded on, or using comparison as a method of study: comparative anatomy.estimated by comparison; not positive or absolute; relative: a comparative newcomer in politics; to live in comparative luxury.Grammar. being, noting, or pertaining to the intermediate degree of the comparison of adjectives, as better and more beautiful, the comparative forms of good and beautiful, and of adverbs, as nearer and more carefully, the comparative forms of near and carefully.: Compare positive (def. 21), superlative (def. 2). See morenounGrammar.the comparative degree.a form in the comparative.Origin of comparative1First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin comparātīvus, equivalent to comparāt(us) (past participle of comparāre “to place together, match”; see compare, -ate1) + -īvus-iveOther words from comparativecom·par·a·tive·ly, adverbcom·par·a·tive·ness, nounWords that may be confused with comparativecomparable, comparative Words Nearby comparativecompar.comparablecomparable worthcomparablycomparatistcomparativecomparative advertisingcomparative governmentcomparative judgmentcomparative linguisticscomparative literatureDictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024How to use comparative in a sentenceHer teaching and scholarship have focused on comparative ethnic politics and conflict, democratization, and retrospective justice.Nobles is MIT’s new chancellor | Peter Dizikes | August 24, 2021 | MIT Technology ReviewOne of the new study’s authors, he is a comparative physiologist.Here’s how sea otters stay warm without blubber or a large body | Jaime Chambers | August 11, 2021 | Science News For StudentsTo find out, comparative psychologist Jim McGetrick and colleagues at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna trained pet dogs how to use a button to get food from a nearby dispenser.Would dogs return the favor if you gave them treats? It’s complicated | Betsy Mason | July 14, 2021 | Science NewsThat tiny froghoppers and other insects feed on xylem sap has stoked skepticism about these measurements, says Philip Matthews, a comparative physiologist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.Froghoppers are the super-suckers of the animal world | Jonathan Lambert | July 13, 2021 | Science NewsThe new scholarship on comparative polarization is crucial in understanding this dynamic.Why The Two-Party System Is Effing Up U.S. Democracy | Lee Drutman (drutman@newamerica.org) | June 16, 2021 | FiveThirtyEightThis full-circle comparative literature process is well represented in modern war writing and recent Arabic fiction.'Fives and Twenty-Fives' Is Fiction Honed in a Combat Zone | Brian Castner | August 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTA third way to counter the negative stereotypes is to provide a bit of comparative historical context.Why the US-Africa Summit Was Important and Why It Wasn't Enough | John Prendergast | August 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAs a comparative study, it highlights the distinctively brutal features of American slavery.Daniel Goldhagen’s Book Bag: Five on Prejudice | Daniel Jonah Goldhagen | September 10, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTUnder the old system, only a comparative handful of members had any power.Memo: The Aaron Sorkin Model of Political Discourse Doesn't Actually Work | Megan McArdle | April 23, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTAs a comparative anatomist, MacLean viewed animal behaviors as evolutionary adaptations of the brain.Why Do We Cry? | Michael Trimble | January 10, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTIt is impossible to form a just estimate of the Bible without some knowledge of ancient history and comparative mythology.God and my Neighbour | Robert BlatchfordThe doctor, informed of her comparative happiness, again shrugged his shoulders.The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol | William J. LockeTo many causes may the comparative smallness of success that has attended these be attributed.The Ordinance of Covenanting | John Cunningham"Madame tells me that he is dead," said she, and Garnache was shocked at the comparative calmness with which she said it.St. Martin's Summer | Rafael SabatiniAt Sorbonne a chair of comparative legislation was created for him.Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z | Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois ChristopheSee More ExamplesBritish Dictionary definitions for comparativecomparative/ (kəmˈpærətɪv) /adjectivedenoting or involving comparison: comparative literaturejudged by comparison; relative: a comparative loss of prestigegrammar denoting the form of an adjective that indicates that the quality denoted is possessed to a greater extent. In English the comparative form of an adjective is usually marked by the suffix -er or the word more: Compare positive (def. 10), superlative (def. 2)See morenounthe comparative form of an adjectiveDerived forms of comparativecomparatively, adverbcomparativeness, nounCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition

© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins

Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012Cultural definitions for comparativecomparativeA form of an adjective indicating a greater degree of the quality that the adjective describes. Better is the comparative form of good; faster is the comparative form of fast; bluer is the comparative form of blue; more charming is the comparative form of charming. (Compare superlative.)The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition

Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.Browse#aabbccddeeffgghhiijjkkllmmnnooppqqrrssttuuvvwwxxyyzzAboutCareersShopContact usAdvertise with usCookies, terms, & privacyDo not sell my infoFollow usGet the Word of the Day every day!Sign upBy clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.My account© 2024 Dictionary.com, LLC

comparative adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com

comparative adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com

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Definition of comparative adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

comparative adjective OPAL W  /kəmˈpærətɪv/  /kəmˈpærətɪv/

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 measured or judged by how similar or different it is to something else synonym relativeThen he was living in comparative comfort (= compared with others or with his own life at a previous time).The company is a comparative newcomer to the software market (= other companies have been in business much longer).

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Find out which words work together and produce more natural-sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

 connected with studying things to find out how similar or different they area comparative study of the educational systems of two countriescomparative linguistics

(grammar) relating to adjectives or adverbs that express more in amount, degree or quality, for example better, worse, slower and more difficult compare superlativeTopics Languagea2 Word Originlate Middle English (in sense (3)): from Latin comparativus, from comparare ‘to pair, match’, from compar ‘like, equal’, from com- ‘with’ + par ‘equal’.See comparative in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee comparative in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishCheck pronunciation:

comparative

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comparable adjective

comparably adverb

comparative adjective

comparative noun

comparative linguistics noun

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Comparative adjectives | LearnEnglish

Comparative adjectives | LearnEnglish

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Grammar

A1-A2 grammar

Comparative adjectives

Comparative adjectives

Do you know how to use comparative adjectives like older, better and more interesting? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how we use comparative adjectives.

The city is more interesting than the countryside.

This house is older than my house.

She's better at cooking now than before.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1

Grammar A1-A2: Comparative adjectives: 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

We use comparative adjectives to compare two things or show change. The comparative form depends on the number of syllables in the adjective.

Adjectives with one syllable

To make comparative forms with one-syllable adjectives, we usually add -er:

old → older

clean → cleaner

slow → slower

If an adjective ends in -e, we add -r:

safe → safer

nice → nicer

If an adjective ends in a vowel and a consonant, we usually double the consonant:

big → bigger

hot → hotter

Adjectives with two or more syllables

If a two-syllable adjective ends in a consonant and -y, we change -y to -i and add -er:

noisy → noisier

happy → happier

easy → easier

We use more to make comparative forms for most other two-syllable adjectives and for all adjectives with three or more syllables:

crowded → more crowded

stressful → more stressful

dangerous → more dangerous

Exception: You can either add -er/-r or use more with some two-syllable adjectives, such as common, cruel, gentle, handsome, likely, narrow, pleasant, polite, simple and stupid.

I think life in the countryside is simpler than in the city.

It's more simple to live in the city because everything you need is there.

Irregular adjectives

The adjectives good, bad and far have irregular comparative forms:

good → better

bad → worse

far → further/farther

Than

When we want to say which person or thing we are comparing with, we can use than:

Their house is cleaner than ours.

Traffic is slower in the city than in the countryside.

After the race I was more tired than Anne.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2

Grammar A1-A2: Comparative adjectives: 2

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Submitted by nathynha27 on Thu, 18/01/2024 - 18:04

Permalink

What about adjectives like bored, tired, drunk? Why do I say I am more bored than her? Which one is correct: I am more drunk or drunker than her?

Thank you so much.

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Submitted by Jonathan R on Fri, 19/01/2024 - 09:55

In reply to What about adjectives like… by nathynha27

Permalink

Hi nathynha27,

There are adjectives that don't follow the patterns described above.

Bored and tired are adjectives derived from verb forms and already include an -ed suffix, which is perhaps they don't conventionally take another -er suffix in the comparative form.

It is acceptable to say both drunker and more drunk. Other adjectives that can take both comparative forms include common, cruel, friendly and likely (see our other comparative adjectives page for more.) 

I hope that helps.

Jonathan

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Submitted by Manar.Mohamed.Gamal on Wed, 17/01/2024 - 06:48

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It's really useful, thanks for your kind support.

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Submitted by Gendeng on Fri, 01/12/2023 - 04:18

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Why doesn't this sentence say "more dangerous"? Why use "More of + noun?" I'm confused here. Do "More + adjective" and "More of + noun" have the same meaning? Could you give other examples in the struture "More of + noun?" This is new to me because I usually say "more + adjective".

He attacked with such pace and I believe he was more of a danger than Pele at the time - he was a phenomenon, capable of sheer magic.

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Submitted by Jonathan R on Fri, 01/12/2023 - 12:33

In reply to Why doesn't this sentence… by Gendeng

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Hi Gendeng,

You could also use the adjective and say "he was more dangerous than Pele" here. As for the difference in meaning, it's simply that "dangerous" is an adjective, and "a danger" is a noun. Adjectives describe how something is (i.e., its qualities or characteristics). Nouns say what something is.

Although the word "more" is in this sentence, it isn't integral to the adjective/noun. For example, you can say "It was surprising" or "It was a surprise". 

Here are a few more examples with "more of" + noun.

Messi is more of a striker than a midfielder.

Air pollution is more of a concern than water pollution in our city.

What I ate was more of a snack than a meal.

His birthday party this year was more of a celebration than the one last year.

People might use "more of" + noun if no related adjective exists (see examples 1 and 3 above). Or, using the related adjective might sound unusual for some reason (e.g. in 4, although the adjective "celebratory" does exist, it's less commonly used than the noun "celebration"). Other times, there may be no apparent reason for choosing the noun over the adjective (e.g., example 2 - it could also say "Air pollution is more concerning ..."), and there is no significant difference.

I hope that helps to understand it.

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

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Submitted by Gendeng on Fri, 01/12/2023 - 19:30

In reply to Hi Gendeng,

You could also… by Jonathan R

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Thanks, Jonathan. I'm still confused about the meaning of "more of" here. Does it mean more about/ a larger degree? How do you paraphrase "more of" in this context so that I can understand clearly. Please give me a clear meaning about "more of".

1. Messy is more of a striker than midfielder = more about strike

2. What I ate is more of a snack than a meal = a larger part of snack.

3. "Could" is softener, more of a suggestion = more about a suggestion

4. More of a nuisance than it should be. = More about nuisance.

5. She seemed to be in even more of a mood for needling me than normal. = ... in even more like mood.

6. It's more rain than fog = It's a greater rain than fog.

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Submitted by Jonathan R on Sat, 02/12/2023 - 05:55

In reply to Thanks, Jonathan. I'm still… by Gendeng

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Hi Gendeng,

It means "to a greater degree", or "more similar to". For example, (1) Messi is to a greater degree a striker than he is a midfielder; or Messi is more similar to a striker than to a midfielder. (2) What I ate was to a greater degree a snack than it was a meal; or what I ate was more similar to a snack than to a meal.

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

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Submitted by Gendeng on Sat, 02/12/2023 - 09:24

In reply to Hi Gendeng,

It means "to a… by Jonathan R

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Thanks a lot, Jonathan. How do you paraphrase "more of" in the following sentences? I really want to understand this.

1. "Could" is softener, more of a suggestion.

2. It's more of a guess tham an estimate.

3. More of a nuisance than it should be. = More about nuisance.

4. She seemed to be in even more of a mood for needling me than normal.

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Submitted by Jonathan R on Sun, 03/12/2023 - 12:02

In reply to Thanks a lot, Jonathan. How… by Gendeng

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Hi Gendeng,

It's similar to the other examples in my last message.

"Could" is a suggestion to a greater degree (than something else that is not specified in this sentence). / "Could" is more similar to a suggestion (than something else).

It's a guess to a greater degree than it is an estimate. / It's more similar to a guess than it is to an estimate.

It is a nuisance to a greater degree than it should be. / It's more similar to a nuisance than it should be.

She seemed to be in this mood to a greater degree than she normally is.

Hope that helps.

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

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Submitted by hanhtoo on Mon, 16/10/2023 - 22:30

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It's really grate, thanks for your kind support.

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