This dress is nicer, but it's more expensive.
Comparatives
Nicer is the comparative form of nice. More expensive is the comparative form of expensive.
Comparative form = ...er or more ...:
This room is warmer than my bedroom.
Pizza is more delicious than hamburgers.
He runs faster than me.
The rain is heavier now than in the morning.
We can use than with comparative adjectives and adverbs:
You are older than me.
My bedroom is bigger than the living room.
...er
Add er to adjectives and adverbs with one syllable to make the comparative form:
- tall ➝ taller
- short ➝ shorter
- long ➝ longer
- young ➝ younger
- old ➝ older
- fast ➝ faster
- quick ➝ quicker
She runs faster than me.
My brother is younger than me.
John is tall, but Peter looks taller.
Double the consonant in the following words:
- hot ➝ hotter
- big ➝ bigger
- fat ➝ fatter
- slim ➝ slimmer
Jeff is slimmer than Bill.
Your country is hotter than my country.
Your hamburger is big, but mine is bigger.
...ier
If an adjective has two syllables and its last letter is y, change the y to ier to make the comparative form:
- happy ➝ happier
- heavy ➝ heavier
- early ➝ earlier
- sunny ➝ sunnier
- angry ➝ angrier
- easy ➝ easier
- cloudy ➝ cloudier
- windy ➝ windier
- noisy ➝ noisier
- stormy ➝ stormier
It's cloudier now than this morning.
I'm angry, but your father is angrier.
I think English is easier than math.
More ...
For longer adverbs and adjectives, the comparative form uses more:
- interesting ➝ more interesting
- careful ➝ more careful
- important ➝ more important
- expensive ➝ more expensive
- dangerous ➝ more dangerous
- delicious ➝ more delicious
This food tastes more delicious.
Your job is more dangerous than my job.
Please be more careful.
Special Words
- The comparative form of good and well is better.
- The comparative form of bad and badly is worse.
- Quiet has two comparative forms: quieter / more quiet.
The weather is better today.
She speaks Chinese badly, but I speak it worse.
I want to study in a quieter (or more quiet) place.
The library is more quiet (or quieter) than my apartment.
Exercise
Please click the Exercise link to continue.