How to use -er, More, Less, Better, Worse #1 | Learn English | Beginner | Comparative Adjectives

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How to use -er, More, Less, Better, Worse
Four-part video series on Comparatives and Superlatives

Adjectives have what are called “degrees,” and there are three of them: positive, comparative, and superlative. The positive degree is used when there is no comparison being made. For example:

The funny comedian made the audience laugh.

The flower gardens are vibrant this year.

We use the positive form of the adjectives “funny” and “vibrant” in these sentences because we are not speaking of the comedian or the flower gardens in reference to anything else.

However, the comparative form is used for exactly what it sounds like: to compare! But be careful; these adjectives are used to compare only two things.

When using an adjective in its comparative form, you have to change it in one of four ways:

1. Add “er” to the end of the adjective, or
2. Use the word “more” before the adjective
3. Use the word “less” before the adjective
4. Change the adjective entirely!

The first two changes–adding “er” to the adjective or using “more” with the adjective–are both comparatives of “superiority.” This means that they show that something is better than, or superior to, something else. Let’s see how this works!

The comedian I saw last night was funnier than the one who’s performing tonight.

Notice that we added the suffix “er” to the “funny” –and that we changed the “y” to an “i”! – to create the comparative form. This comparative of superiority states that the previous comment was superior to the current comedian.

Now let’s see how it works when we have to add in the word “more” to create the comparative form:

These flower gardens are more vibrant than those!

In this comparative of superiority, we see that two flower gardens are being compared, and one is superior in its vibrancy than the other.

Here, you can tell that we need to use the “more” form of the comparative because you probably realize that the word “vibranter” sounds a little strange! Sometimes it’s difficult to tell which adjectives take “more” and which have an “er” added, but you’ll learn that with practice.

Here are a few of each:

Positive form: pleasant comparative form: more pleasant
Positive form: unfortunate comparative form: more unfortunate

Positive form: hungry — comparative form: hungrier
Positive form: bright — comparative form: brighter

Now let’s take a look at comparatives of inferiority. These adjectives are still comparing two things only, but they suggest that one thing is worse than, or inferior, to the other. Comparatives of inferiority never add the “er” suffix. Instead, they always use the word “less” before the adjective. Let’s see how they look!

Schoolwork was less difficult for Sally after she began taking tutoring classes at Excel Academy!

Notice here that we did not specify exactly which two things are being compared, but we can figure it out pretty easily: the schoolwork now is less difficult than the schoolwork she did before her tutoring sessions. Let’s see another:

Dave was less careful than he should have been when walking through the snow, so the slip on the ice was inevitable!

Now let’s take a look at adjectives that change completely when in their comparative forms. These can be comparatives of either superiority or inferiority:

Though Anna was a good musician, Mary was better.

The positive adjective “good” is a special type of adjective because it doesn’t follow either of the other rules: we do not say “gooder” or “more good.” Instead, we use an entirely different word though it does have an “er” on the end!

Here’s another example:

Anna’s meal was pretty bad, but Mary’s was even worse.

Just as before, we know that we don’t say “badder” or “more bad.” Also notice that this sentence doesn’t explicitly state what was “worse,” but we know from context that it was Mary’s meal.

If you want to test your knowledge of comparative adjectives, try to fill in the blank with the correct answer choice in the following sentences:

1. Snickers, my little brown dog, is ( ) than my sleepy cat.
Playfuller
More playful
Less playfuller
Playful

2. This movie is much ( ) than I remember!
Worst
Badder
Best
worse

Chapter
0:00 Start
0:20 Comparative Adjectives
0:32 Positive Degree
0:55 Comparative Degree
1:26 -er (superiority)
2:07 More (superiority)
3:03 Less(Inferiority)
3:54 Good - Better(superiority)
4:22 Bad - Worse(Inferiority)
4:42 Practice

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