Degrees of Comparison
Degrees of comparison are the forms we use to show how one person, thing, or idea measures against another. In English, many adjectives and some adverbs have three levels: the positive, comparative, and superlative. For example, "tall" becomes "taller" when comparing two people, and "the tallest" when identifying one person as the highest in a group. Likewise, "carefully" can become "more carefully" and then "most carefully" to show increasing degree. These patterns help us express whether a quality is equal, greater, or greatest, and they often change depending on the word's length and structure.
154 entries in this category
Adjectives ending in -e
21"She is the abler of the two candidates."
"He proved to be the bravest in the rescue."
"The closer station is easier to reach."
"That puppy is the cutest one in the litter."
"This forest is denser than the one near town."
"Her finer work appears in the later paintings."
"The second warning was graver than the first."
"This room is larger than the kitchen."
"This fish is livelier in warmer water."
"He felt loner than ever after the move."
"Today is milder than yesterday."
"This seat is nicer than the one by the door."
"Her water is purer after filtering."
"That coin is rarer than the others."
"Her sincerer apology helped calm the room."
"That was the strangest sound I have heard."
"She is surer of her answer now."
"The horse is tamer than it was last year."
"His truest friends stood by him."
"This road is wider than the old lane."
"The wiser choice is to wait until morning."
Adjectives ending in -y
25"She is happier today than yesterday."
"He was angrier than I expected."
"Monday is the busiest day of the week."
"This test is easier than the last one."
"That was the funniest story in the book."
"The garage is dirtier than the kitchen."
"This is the prettiest dress in the shop."
"She felt luckier than ever before."
"The street is noisier at night."
"That box is heavier than this one."
"I am hungrier now than I was an hour ago."
"His dog is greedier than mine."
"The old socks are smellier than the shoes."
"Today is sunnier than yesterday."
"After lunch, I feel sleepier than before."
"The runners were thirstier after the race."
"That is the craziest idea I have heard."
"She is shyer in large groups."
"This is the tiniest apartment on the street."
"It is windier near the coast."
"Climbing that wall is riskier than taking the stairs."
"This orange is juicier than that one."
"Her desk is messier than mine."
"That was the silliest answer in the class."
"He is wealthier than his brother."
Adverbs
17"He spoke most slowly when explaining the plan."
"He performed worse than expected."
"She works harder than anyone in the office."
"They visit us more often in summer."
"She appears most rarely at public events."
"I will call you sooner if I get the update."
"They stayed longer than planned."
"Please answer more quickly next time."
"She listened most carefully to the instructions."
"The teacher explained the rule more simply than before."
"The baby slept most quietly in the crib."
"The crowd cheered more loudly after the goal."
"We watched the experiment more closely this time."
"She was most deeply affected by the story."
"The moon shone more brightly than the streetlights."
"They welcomed the guests most warmly."
"The dancer moved more gracefully than before."
Common Everyday Adjectives
3"Today is colder than yesterday."
"Her explanation was clearer than mine."
"She is kinder than anyone I know."
Describing People & Places
4"This is the newest building in the area."
"The station is more crowded in the evening."
"The village is more peaceful than the city."
"This temple is more ancient than the nearby museum."
Irregular Comparisons
12"This plan is better than the last one."
"That was the worst result we could have expected."
"She lives farther from the station than I do."
"He has less time than he did yesterday."
"She has more patience than anyone I know."
"They invited more guests than we expected."
"This is the latest version of the report."
"The nearest cafe is just around the corner."
"She sings better than her sister."
"He felt worse after the long trip."
"That was the worst act of cruelty I have seen."
"He is one of the foremost experts in the field."
Long Adjectives (more/most)
19"This garden is more beautiful than the last one."
"Her health is more important than the meeting."
"That engine is more powerful than ours."
"This chair is more comfortable than that one."
"Driving at night is more dangerous on this road."
"This phone is more expensive than mine."
"He is more intelligent than his older brother."
"She is more responsible than her classmates."
"Their second project was more successful."
"Water is more necessary than many other things."
"You need to be more patient with children."
"His mistake was more careless than usual."
"Her writing is more poetic than his."
"The new design is more creative than the old one."
"My sister is more athletic than I am."
"The new neighbor is more friendly than the last one."
"It is more likely to rain this afternoon."
"The more recent report gives better data."
"This song is more popular than the others."
Regular Adjectives
22"This box is bigger than that one."
"Her room is the smallest in the house."
"That car is faster than mine."
"The turtle is the slowest animal here."
"She is taller than her brother."
"This route is shorter than the other one."
"My grandfather is the oldest person in the family."
"He is younger than his sister."
"This kitchen is cleaner than the last one."
"Walking is safer than crossing the road here."
"This shirt is cheaper than the blue one."
"She is the richest member of the club."
"This rope is stronger than the old one."
"The weaker team lost the match."
"This street is narrower than the main road."
"That answer is simpler than I expected."
"You should be more careful on the stairs."
"This is the most modern building in the city."
"She was more polite than her cousin."
"He is the most famous actor in the country."
"This cake is more delicious than the pie."
"That book is more interesting than the movie."
Short Adjectives (double consonant)
23"Today is hotter than yesterday."
"This pencil is thinner than that one."
"She felt sadder after the news."
"The cat is fatter than it was last year."
"Your shoes are wetter than mine."
"This apple is redder than the others."
"He is fitter now than he was before."
"She seemed madder than ever."
"That was the oddest result of all."
"This model is slimmer than the old one."
"The room looked drabber in the gray light."
"The lamp is dimmer than the ceiling light."
"This plan is more robust than the first."
"Her teacher became sterner after the warning."
"The hedge looks trimmer after the rain."
"The forecast grew grimmer as the day went on."
"Her face looked paler than usual."
"This well is deeper than the other one."
"The road is flatter near the river."
"I was gladder to hear the good news."
"The palace is grander than the museum."
"The rope was slacker after the knot slipped."
"That was his slyest trick yet."
Two-syllable Adjectives
8"He gave the child the gentlest advice."
"She is the cleverest student in the class."
"That bird is commoner in the north."
"This room is quieter than the one next door."
"We took the earliest train."
"This soup is tastier than the one we had yesterday."
"That was the cruellest remark he could make."
"That was the nastiest weather of the week."