Advanced grammar

Making Comparisons in English: The 'Big, Bigger, Biggest' Rule Explained

Hello, it's your friend Alex again. Let me tell you something that used to confuse me so much. I would see sentences like "My car is faster than your car" and "This is the fastest car in the world." Why do we use "-er" sometimes and "-est" other times? And then I would see "more beautiful" and "the most beautiful". It felt like a secret code I couldn't understand!

But then, I realized it's not a secret code. It's actually a very logical system. Today, I'm going to share the simple, visual way I learned to finally master making comparisons. This is one of the most useful skills in English because we compare things all the time! Are you ready to become a comparison expert?

The Big Idea: We change describing words (adjectives) to compare things. There are two levels of comparison, and I'll show you exactly when and how to use each one.

First, A Quick Reminder: What's an Adjective?

Remember, adjectives are words that describe nouns. They give us more information. For example:

A tall building. A fast car. An expensive watch.

Today, we are going to learn how to give these describing words superpowers!

Level 1: Comparatives (Comparing TWO Things)

We use comparatives when we compare **two** nouns (two people, two places, two things). Think of it like a competition between two players. Who is stronger? Who is faster?

Rule #1: For short words (one syllable), add "-er".

This is the most common rule. For short, simple adjectives, just add "-er" at the end.

tall

taller

Building B is taller than Building A.

More Examples: fast → faster, small → smaller, long → longer, old → older.

Rule #2: For longer words (2+ syllables), use "more".

We don't add "-er" to long words like "beautiful" or "expensive". That would sound strange! Instead, we put the word more before the adjective.

A Ferrari is more expensive than a Fiat.

More Examples: beautiful → more beautiful, difficult → more difficult, important → more important.

Watch out for this common mistake! Never use "more" and "-er" together. It's one or the other.
Incorrect: He is more taller than me.
Correct: He is taller than me.

Level 2: Superlatives (Comparing THREE or More Things)

We use superlatives when we compare **three or more** things. We want to find the one that is number one in a group. The biggest, the fastest, the best!

Rule #1: For short words, add "the" and "-est".

For short words, we add "-est" to the end, but we also add the very important word the at the beginning.

tall

taller

the tallest

Building C is the tallest building in the city.

More Examples: fast → the fastest, small → the smallest, long → the longest.

Rule #2: For longer words, use "the most".

Just like with comparatives, for long words we don't add an ending. We use the phrase the most before the adjective.

The diamond ring is the most expensive item in the store.

More Examples: beautiful → the most beautiful, difficult → the most difficult, important → the most important.

The Rebels: Irregular Superheroes! 🦸

Just like with irregular verbs, some adjectives are special. They don't follow the rules at all! I call them the "superheroes" because they are so unique and powerful. The good news is there are only a few, and they are very common.

Superhero #1: Good

We never say "gooder" or "the goodest". The superhero form of good is completely different!

good ➡️ better ➡️ the best

- My coffee is good, but your tea is better.
- This is the best pizza I have ever eaten!

Superhero #2: Bad

Like "good", we never say "badder" or "the baddest". The superhero form of bad is also unique.

bad ➡️ worse ➡️ the worst

- The weather was bad yesterday, but today it is even worse.
- This is the worst movie I have ever seen!

Comparison Challenge: Let's Practice!

Ready to test your new superpower? Fill in the blank with the correct form of the adjective. Click on the question to see the answer!

1. My brother is ______ than me. (old)

Answer: older (Comparing two people, short word).

2. This is ______ book I have ever read. (interesting)

Answer: the most interesting (Comparing one book to all other books, long word).

3. I think chocolate ice cream is ______ than vanilla. (good)

Answer: better (Irregular superhero! Comparing two things).

My Final Encouragement

And that's it! That is the entire system. It's not so scary now, is it? By understanding these simple, visual rules, you have gained one of the most powerful tools in the English language. You can now describe the world around you with much more detail and precision.

Your Turn! ✍️

Now it's time for you to be the expert! Write one sentence in the comments below that compares two things. For example, "My city is bigger than my friend's city." I can't wait to read your examples!