ESL Inventory

Comparatives: Rules, Examples & Exercises

Already know comparatives? Let’s have a quick test:

EXERCISE: Choose the correct comparative form

Choose the correct comparative form to fill the gap.

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That film was ___ than I thought.

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That book was ___ than I expected.

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The weather today is ___ than yesterday.

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Her jokes are ___ than his.

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He is ___ than his brother.

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This shop is ___ than the one downtown.

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Our exam was ___ than theirs.

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This road is ___ than the one we took yesterday.

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Your idea is ___ than mine.

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This winter is ___ than last year’s.

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Was this too hard? There are more exercises at the bottom of this page.

We use these words to compare two people, places, things, or situations. For example:

  • A bike is cheaper than a car.
  • This sofa is more comfortable than the old one.

Let’s look at how to form a comparative word, how to use them correctly, and how to add more meaning to your comparisons.

How to Form Comparatives

Adjective TypeRuleExample
One syllableAdd -ertall → taller
One syllable ending in -eAdd -rnice → nicer
One syllable, vowel + consonantDouble the consonant + -erbig → bigger
Two syllables ending in -yChange y to i + -erhappy → happier
Most 2-syllable and all longer adj.Use more + adjectivecomfortable → more comfortable
Irregular adjectivesChange word completelygood → better
bad → worse
far → farther/further

Comparatives Infographic

Infographic explaining comparatives in English. It shows how to compare two things using different adjective and adverb patterns. Irregular forms are highlighted, including good → better than, bad → worse than, and far → farther or further than. Rules are shown for one-syllable adjectives (hard → harder than), adjectives ending in consonant-vowel-consonant (big → bigger than), two-syllable adjectives ending in -y (easy → easier than), adjectives with two or more syllables (expensive → more expensive than), and adverbs ending in -ly (quickly → more quickly than). Example sentences illustrate each rule. Full article: https://esl-inventory.com/
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Common Adverbs Used with Comparatives

You can use adverbs before a comparative to make your sentence stronger or softer:

AdverbUseExample
muchmakes it much strongerThis chair is much more comfortable.
a lotinformal, strongShe’s a lot taller than me.
farformal, strongTrains are far cheaper than flights.
a bit / a littlemakes it softerIt’s a bit faster by car.
slightlyformal, softThis one is slightly heavier.
considerablyvery strongThe price is considerably higher now.

Some people may confuse it with superlatives; Example: easier or easiest? In that case: check the following pages: Comparatives and Superlatives, and Superlatives.

Comparisons with “as…as”

We use as + adjective + as to say two things are equal (or not equal):

  • This car is as fast as that one. (= same speed)
  • This bed isn’t as comfortable as mine. (= less comfortable)

You can also use just, nearly, or not quite to show how equal they are.

Common Adverbs Used with “as…as”

AdverbUseExample
justexactly equalHe’s just as smart as his brother.
almost / nearlyvery close to equalShe’s almost as tall as her dad.
not quitea little lessHe’s not quite as fast as before.
twice / three timescomparisons with quantityIt’s twice as expensive as my phone.
half50% lessThe city is half as noisy as before.

Exercises on Comparatives

EXERCISE: Fill the gaps with the correct comparative structure

Fill the gaps to complete sentences with the correct comparative structure. Use the word in brackets.

Example: The last question is ____ the first one. (hard)

Answer: harder than

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Our car is theirs. (expensive)

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That movie was I expected. (boring)

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He runs his teammates. (fast)

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I feel last week. (happy)

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The new sofa is the old one. (comfortable)

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My sister is me. (young)

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The mountain trail was the forest path. (difficult)

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This exercise is the last one. (easy)

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Your explanation is the teacher’s. (clear)

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Today is yesterday. (hot)

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EXERCISE: Fill the gaps with the correct comparative structure

Fill the gaps to complete sentences with the correct comparative structure. Use the words given.

Example: This ice cream is ______ the one we tried last week.

Word to use: a lot delicious

Answer: a lot more delicious than

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The coffee is I like.

Words to use: slightly strong

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The results were expected.

Word to use: considerably good

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This book is that one.

Words to use: not quite interesting

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That exam was last year’s.

Word to use: way hard

 

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She’s her sister.

Word to use: just tall

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My brother is me.

Words to use: much old

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This laptop is  your tablet.

Words to use: a little fast

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The museum is the library.

Words to use: slightly far

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That chair is mine.

Words to use: a lot comfortable

10 / 10

Today is yesterday.

Words to use: nearly hot

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