Comparatives: -er than and more than

Short answer: To compare two things, add -er to short adjectives and use than: A car is faster than a bike. For long adjectives, use more before the adjective and than after: This flower is more beautiful than that one. Some adjectives are special: good → better, bad → worse. Never use -er and more together.

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At a glance

In short

• Short words: add -er and say than. Long words: more … than.
• Special: good → better. Spelling: bigger, heavier.
• Do not use more and -er together. Say than, not then.

What is the rule for “Comparing two things: -er and more … than”?

The rule

Short describing words add -er and take than. Long ones use more … than.

How it looks

short word + -er + than · more + long word + than

What it means

It compares two things.

When to use it

Say which is bigger, faster or better.

How it works

• Compare two things. Use than between them: Ben is taller than Tom.
• One-syllable adjectives take -er: fast → faster. Spelling: big → bigger, nice → nicer.
• Adjectives ending in y change to -ier: heavy → heavier.
• Long adjectives (two or more syllables, not ending in y) take more: more expensive.

Examples of “Comparing two things: -er and more … than”

• A car is faster than a bike.
  fast + er.
• Ben is taller than Tom.
  tall + er.
• The cat is bigger than the mouse.
  big: double the g, then add er.
• This flower is more beautiful than that flower.
  beautiful is long: more … than.
• My bag is lighter than yours.
  light + er.
• Today is hotter than yesterday.
  hot: double the t, add er.
• This book is more interesting than that one.
  interesting is long: more... than.
• Her English is better than mine.
  good has a special form: better.

Common mistakes with “Comparing two things: -er and more … than”

• Ben is more taller than Tom. → Ben is taller than Tom.
  Use -er or more, not both.
• A car is fast than a bike. → A car is faster than a bike.
  Add -er to compare.
• smaller then → smaller than
  We say than, not then.
• She is more taller than me. → She is taller than me.
  Use -er or more, not both.
• He runs faster then me. → He runs faster than me.
  We say than, not then.

Exceptions: watch out

• good → better
  good has a special form: better. Do not say gooder or more good.
• heavy → heavier
  Consonant + y: change y to i: heavy → heavier.

Comparative and superlative

Use the comparative for two things. Use the superlative for three or more, with the: the tallest, the most beautiful.

See also: The best: comparing three or more

Check yourself

1. Compare: “small”
   Show the answer

   smaller than Short adjective: add -er.

2. Compare: “expensive”
   Show the answer

   more expensive than Long adjective: more.

3. Fix: “Ben is more taller than Tom.”
   Show the answer

   Ben is taller than Tom. Do not use more and -er together.

How to practice “Comparing two things: -er and more … than”

The interactive version adds step-by-step help, spoken instructions and a quick check. One rule card, one sound lesson and the first lesson of every stone are free to try; the rest is part of Full Access. See Full Access.

• Practice lesson: Comparing two things: -er and more ... than

Questions

How do I know if an adjective is short or long?

Count the syllables. One syllable: -er. Two syllables ending in y: -ier. Most others with two or more syllables: more.

Is “as ... as” also a comparison?

Yes, for things that are equal: Ben is as tall as Tom. See the as ... as card.

What does “much” do in “much taller”?

It makes the difference bigger. Use much or a lot before the comparative: much taller, a lot more expensive.

More Connecting Ideas rules

• Joining words: and, but, or, so: and, but, or and so join two ideas of the same kind.
• because: giving reasons: because gives the reason. It answers the question Why?
• there is / there are: there is tells that one thing is in a place. there are tells that many things are in a place.
• Past: was and were: was and were tell about the past. Use was with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we and they.
• Past simple: regular -ed: To talk about the past, most action words add -ed. It is the same for every person.
• Past simple: irregular verbs and did: Some action words have a special past form. After did or didn't, use the plain action word.

Used in these writing topics

• Compare and contrast essays

Part of the 📘 Grammar tool. Level G3: Connecting Ideas. Đọc bằng tiếng Việt.

Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.

Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30

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