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Adjectives and Comparison

Describe nouns and compare things with -er, -est, more and most.

Beginner 2 min read

What Is It?

Adjectives describe nouns (a tall man). Comparatives compare two things (taller than). Superlatives pick the top one in a group (the tallest).

Why Do English Speakers Use It?

Describing and comparing is part of almost every conversation: shopping, travel, reviews, decisions.

When to Use It

  • Describe: It’s a beautiful day.
  • Compare two: The train is faster than the bus.
  • The top of a group: It’s the best restaurant in town.
  • Equal: as … as: She’s as clever as her brother.

When NOT to Use It

Never use more and -er together (“more bigger”). And adjectives don’t take a plural -s in English: “two big houses”, not “two bigs houses”.

Sentence Structure

Adjective Comparative Superlative
Short: small smaller than the smallest
Ends in -y: busy busier than the busiest
Long: expensive more expensive than the most expensive
Irregular: good / bad / far better / worse / further the best / the worst / the furthest

Grammar Rules

  1. Double the final consonant after a short vowel: big → bigger, hot → hottest.
  2. Adjectives go before the noun or after linking verbs: a hot day / The day is hot.
  3. Order of several adjectives: opinion – size – age – colour – origin – material: a lovely small old red Indian silk scarf.
  4. Use much / a lot / a bit to modify comparatives: much cheaper, a bit taller.

Real-Life Examples

  • This phone is cheaper than that one.
  • Today is the hottest day of the year.
  • My English is much better than last year.
  • The movie wasn’t as good as the book.

Common Learner Mistakes

  • She is more taller than me.She is taller than me.
  • It’s the most cheap option.It’s the cheapest option.
  • He is more good at math.He is better at math.

Quick Memory Tip

Short word, short ending; long word, long phrase. One syllable → -er / -est. Long adjective → more / most.

Real Conversation

Monica: Which phone should I buy?

Joe: This one is cheaper, but that one has a much better camera.

Monica: I want the best camera. I take a lot of photos!

Interactive Practice

Pick an answer to check your understanding.

Question 1 of 5

Of all my friends, Joe is the ___.

Question 2 of 5

Dhaka is ___ than Sylhet.

Question 3 of 5

This is the ___ exam I’ve ever taken.

Question 4 of 5

My English is getting ___ every day.

Question 5 of 5

This phone isn’t as expensive ___ that one.

Final Mini Quiz

One last check before you mark the lesson complete.

What is the comparative of “bad”?

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