Adjectives - Comparative Form printable pdf download

Adjectives – comparative form

Sometimes in order to assess the quality of a product or service, we need to compare them

either with a suitable benchmark or with similar products and services on the market. Using

the comparison can help businesses improve their performance, running more efficiently and

effectively.

From a grammatical point of view, there are some rules governing the formation of the

comparative form of an adjective and its use in a sentence.

Let us first look at the rules for forming comparative adjectives in English.

For one-syllable adjectives simply add the –er suffix: high – higher, fast – faster

For one-syllable adjectives spelled with a final e preceded by a consonant, remove the e

and then add the –er suffix: fine – finer, wide – wider

For one-syllable adjectives spelled with a final consonant preceded by a single vowel,

double the final consonant and add the –er suffix: big – bigger, hot – hotter

For one- or two-syllable adjectives spelled with a final y preceded by a consonant, change

the y into i and then add the –er suffix: heavy – heavier, easy – easier

For adjectives with three syllables or more, add more before the adjective: refreshing –

more refreshing, attractive – more attractive

Comparative adjectives compare two things, and therefore frequently the word than

accompanies the comparative but not always. If the second thing which is compared is

mentioned, we put than before it: Organic food is more expensive than conventional food.

Some adjectives have irregular comparative forms:

good

better

well (healthy)

better

bad

worse

far (distance)

farther

far (distance & other meanings)

further

old (general use)

older

old (people in the family)

elder

little (quantity)

less

little (size)

smaller

Complete the sentences with one of the following adjectives in their comparative form: high,

fast, refreshing, tough, old, efficient, safe, good, careful, low.

1. This drink is __________ than most other energy drinks.

2. Flying is __________ than driving because airplanes crash much less often than cars do.

3. Benchmarking is a process by which a business systematically measures itself against a

__________ business.

4. Three-star hotel prices are __________ in Birmingham than anywhere else in the UK.

5. He ran the company with this __________ brother until they fell out and went into

business on their own account.

6. The graduates entering the job market this month can expect to face __________

competition than last year.

Adjectives - Comparative Form

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