Issue — June 2026

Comparing Things: Bigger, Better, Best

B1 Grammar 43 sentences

Comparing Things: Bigger, Better, Best 0 / 43

Speed

Learn how to compare two or more things using comparative and superlative adjectives.

Explanation

We use comparatives to compare two things, and superlatives to compare three or more things.

For short adjectives (one syllable), add -er for the comparative and -est for the superlative: tall → taller → tallest.

For longer adjectives (two syllables or more), use more for the comparative and the most for the superlative: famous → more famous → the most famous.

Some adjectives are irregular: good/well → better → the best, bad → worse → the worst, far → farther/further → the farthest/furthest.

Watch the spelling! If the adjective ends in a consonant + y, change the y to i: happy → happier → the happiest. For short adjectives ending in a single vowel + consonant, double the consonant: big → bigger → the biggest.

Use than after a comparative: 'My bag is heavier than yours.' Use the before a superlative: 'This is the tallest building in the city.'

Examples

Read these examples to see the rules in action.

My new phone is faster than my old one. (comparative, short adjective)
She is more careful than her brother. (comparative, longer adjective)
This is the best restaurant in town. (superlative, irregular)
Today is the hottest day of the year. (superlative, short adjective)
It was the most boring film I have ever seen. (superlative, longer adjective)
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. (superlative, short adjective)

Comparing Things: Bigger, Better, Best — image 2

Common mistakes

Here are some mistakes that English learners often make. Can you spot the problem?

❌ 'She is more taller than me.' → ✓ 'She is taller than me.' (Don't use 'more' together with -er.)
❌ 'He is the most tall boy in class.' → ✓ 'He is the tallest boy in class.' (Use -est, not 'most', for short adjectives.)
❌ 'This book is gooder than that one.' → ✓ 'This book is better than that one.' (Good is irregular.)
❌ 'She is more happy today.' → ✓ 'She is happier today.' (Don't use 'more' with -er for short adjectives.)
❌ 'It is the more interesting book.' → ✓ 'It is the most interesting book.' (Use 'the most' for the superlative of long adjectives.)

In real life

A short conversation between two friends.

Anna: How was your holiday? Better than last year?

Ben: Yes! It was the best holiday ever. The hotel was nicer, the food was better, and the beach was the most beautiful I have ever seen.

Anna: That sounds great. Was it more expensive?

Ben: A little, but it was worth it. Travelling by train is cheaper than flying, but we didn't have time.

Anna: Next year, let's go together!

Quiz

0/5

1According to the article, which of these adjectives is irregular?

The article lists 'good' as an irregular adjective, with the comparative 'better' and superlative 'the best'.
2What word does the article tell you to use after a comparative?

The article says: 'Use than after a comparative'.
3According to the spelling rules, what happens to the adjective 'happy'?

The article explains that for adjectives ending in a consonant + y, change the y to i: happy → happier.
4The article shows 'famous → more famous → the most famous'. Why?

The article says that for longer adjectives (two syllables or more), we use 'more' and 'the most'.
5In the dialog, what does Ben say about the beach?

Ben says: 'the beach was the most beautiful I have ever seen' in the conversation.

Must Know 9

adjective Noun a word that describes a noun or pronoun :
better Adjective comparative of good : of a higher standard , or more suitable , pleasing , or effective than other things or people : If you are or get better after an illness or injury , you are healthy again: to improve :
consonant Noun one of the speech sounds or letters of the alphabet that is not a vowel . Consonants are pronounced by stopping the air from flowing easily through the mouth , especially by closing the lips or touching the teeth with the tongue .
irregular Adjective Not following the usual pattern, order, or rules; not regular in form, arrangement, or behavior.
superlative Adjective The form of an adjective or adverb that expresses the highest degree of a quality, used when comparing three or more things. It can also describe something of the highest quality or excellence.
syllable Noun a single unit of speech , either a whole word or one of the parts into which a word can be separated , usually containing a vowel
than Conjunction Used to introduce the second part of a comparison, or to indicate a choice between alternatives after words like 'rather' or 'other'.
the Other used before nouns to refer to particular things or people that have already been talked about or are already known or that are in a situation where it is clear what is happening : used before some nouns that refer to place when you want to mention that type of place , without showing exactly which example of the place you mean : used before noun phrases in which the range of meaning of the noun is limited in some way: used to refer to things or people when only one exists at any one time : used before superlatives and other words, such as "first" or "only" or numbers showing something's position in a list , to refer to only one thing or person :
vowel Noun a speech sound produced by humans when the breath flows out through the mouth without being blocked by the teeth , tongue , or lips : a letter that represents a sound produced in this way: