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Comparative adjectives and adverbs

We usually add -er to one-syllable adjectives and adverbs to make their comparative forms.

Otherwise  we use 'more + adjectives' 

•    With one-syllable past participle adjectives : bored, creased, pleased, worn.

                 Ex : You should iron your shirt again it looks more creased  than before. ( not  : creaseder…)

•   With fun, real, right, wrong :

                 Ex : I thought she was honest, I couldn't have been more wrong ! ( not …wronger )

•  When we compare two qualities :

                Ex : He is more mad than brave.

                Ex : The door looks more green than blue !

We can sometimes use more as an alternative to the -er form to emphasize the comparison :

        Ex : You might think this one is small but the other one is more small. ( or …smaller )

 Other adjectives like this include  clear, cold, fair, rough, soft, true.

 Some adjectives with 2 syllables are most commonly used with more/less :

•  Participle adjectives ( worried, boring … ).

•  Adjectives ending in -ful, and -less ( careful, careless…).

•  + afraid, alert, alike, alone, ashamed, aware.

• + active, cautious, certain, complex, direct, eager, exact, formal, frequent, modern, special, recent.

Most two-syllable adjectives ending -y, -ow, -er, -ure can take either -er or the 'more + adjectives' form, although the -er form is more frequently used.

Some adjectives ( complete, equal, favourite, ideal, perfect, unique ) have a comparative meaning so they are not often used with -er or more/less.

However, we can use comparative forms for special emphasis or for a particular communicative purpose :

        Ex : His cooking today was good, but less perfect than yesterday.

Exercises - exercices :

• more + adjective (advanced)

• comparative - superlative

• comparisons

• comparisons (as, more, than)

• irregular comparisons

• more + adjective