Comparative Degree: Definition, Types, Examples, Rules, Preparation Tips & Exercises with Answers

Q: What is the difference between adverb and adjective?

Adverbs are the word that modifies the meaning of a verb, an adjective or another adverb. They tell us about how much, in what manner, how far, in what degree and to what extent. E.g. all, very, probably, very, etc. Example: She learns quickly. Adjectives are the words that add meaning to the nouns or pronouns. They simply make noun and pronoun more descriptive. E.g. beautiful, honest, brave, wealthy. Example: She is a quick learner.

Q: What are 10 examples of Adjectives?

The examples of Adjectives are: Bangalore is a large city. Ram is an honest man. I ate some pudding. You have no time. Have a good day! Most girls like Barbie dolls. Don't be in such a hurry. The CAT is lazy. I don't like that cafe. There are five mangoes in the fridge.

Q: What are the types of Adjectives?

The Adjetives are of following types: Type of Adjective Function / Usage Examples Descriptive Adjectives Tells about quality or kind of a person/thing tall, beautiful, soft Quantitative Adjectives/Adjectives of Quantity Tell us about the quantity of a thing many, few, some Demonstrative Adjectives Tell us about a specific thing or person which is meant this, that, these, those Possessive Adjectives Show ownership or possession my, your, his, their Interrogative Adjectives Asks questions about nouns which, what, whose Distributive Adjectives Refer to individual members of a group separately each, every, either, neither Comparative & Superlative Adjectives Show comparisons between two or more nouns bigger, best, more intelligent

Updated on Aug 14, 2025 18:38 IST

By Vikrant Shukla, Deputy Manager

The Comparative Degree is used to compare two persons, places, things, or situations based on a quality or characteristic. Comparative Degree shows that one has more of a quality than the other. It is the most important component of the English language. If you are learning English grammar, you will have to explore comparative degrees because of their diverse use cases.

Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns and pronouns. They add details about quality, quantity, size, shape, color, origin, or condition. For example, in the phrase "a beautiful painting," the word beautiful is an adjective. Adjectives make sentences more informative and vivid.

Whether you are at the school level, in college, or preparing for any competitive examination, this article will help you learn about comparative degrees. As we have shared a guide to help students master the comparative degree, including its definition, common mistakes in the comparative degree, grammar rules, the importance of the comparative degree, etc. We have also shared day-to-day examples and exercises to help students learn this topic better.

Also read:

Table of contents

What is the Comparative Degree?
Definition of Comparative Degree
Types of Degree of Comparison in English
Rules of Usage in Comparative Degree in Grammar
Exceptions in Comparative Degree in English
Common Mistakes and Corrections in Comparative Degree
Comparative vs Superlative Degree
Preparation Tips for Comparative Degree for Exams
How to Identify Comparative Degrees in Sentences
Comparative Degree: Written vs. Spoken English
Recommended Books to Prepare for a Comparative Degree
Comparative Degree Exercise 1
Comparative Degree Exercise 2
Additional English Grammar Topics for Preparation
FAQs on Comparative Degree

What is the Comparative Degree?

Comparative degree is used to compare two things, indicating which has more or less of a particular quality. It's formed by adding "-er" or by "more" or "less" before the adjective. For example, "larger" or "more accommodating". "Than" is often used after the comparative adjective to specify what is being compared. The purpose of the comparative degree is to find the difference in a quality between two nouns or pronouns.

The following examples will help you understand the term better:

This movie is more interesting than that one.
Soham is less talented than his brother.
My office space is bigger than his.
Ritwik is taller than her sister.
Abhay earns more money than Nidhi.
My glass of juice is sweeter than hers.

Also read:

Commonly asked questions

What is the definition of Adjective?

An Adjective is a word that describes a Noun or Pronoun or adds meaning to it. It is that part of speech that describes, quantifies, or modifies a noun or pronoun. It gives more details about the noun by giving information about what kind, which one, how many, etc.

Definition of Comparative Degree

As per the Oxford English Dictionary, “the comparative degree is defined as the grammatical form of an adjective or adverb that expresses a difference in amount, degree, or quality. It's used to compare two things, indicating that one has more or less of a particular quality than the other.”

As per the Cambridge Dictionary, “comparative degree is a form of an adjective or adverb that expresses a difference in amount, number, degree, or quality.”

Also read:

Types of Degree of Comparison in English

Comparative degree of the English adjective can take different forms - regular and irregular - and its usage also varies depending on the context. Understanding each type will help you know the usage, the tone, and the format. From the table below, we have shared the different types of comparative degrees, their descriptions, and examples.

Regular Comparatives

Irregular Comparatives

Using more or less

Regular comparatives are formed by adding -er to short adjectives.

Adjectives that change form completely.

For longer adjectives or when -er is not suitable.

Best Example:

fast - faster

tall - taller

Long-longer

Strong-Stroner

Heavy-Heavier

Best Example:

good-better

bad - worse

Far-Further

Little - Less

Late - Later

Best Example:

Beautiful - more beautiful, useful - less useful

Important - more important

Comfortable - less comfortable

Expensive - more expensive

Also read:

Rules of Usage in Comparative Degree in Grammar

As we have already learned above that comparative degree is used to compare two people, things, or ideas, its usage follows specific rules which are based on the type of adjective. Correct usage ensures clarity and accuracy in comparisons across written and spoken English. Short adjectives typically add “-er,” while longer ones use “more” or “less.” Irregular adjectives change entirely. Here we have shared some examples for students' reference -

1. Use ‘than’ after the comparative form

Rule: When comparing two things, use "than" after a comparative adjective. The word “than” is necessary to complete the comparison between two items or people. Words like taller, wiser, smarter, and faster, should always be followed by "than" when making a comparison. We have also shared two more examples using "Thicker" and "faster" as comparative adjectives.

Example 1: Mohan is wiser than Rohan.

Example 2: This book is thicker than that one.

Example 3: She is faster than her brother.

2. Use ‘more’ with adjectives of two or more syllables (except some ending with -y)

Explanation: If an adjective has two or more syllables (like “intelligent” or “comfortable”), we don’t add -er at the end. Instead, we put “more” before the adjective. "Comfortable" and "responsible" have more than two syllables, so we use “more” instead of adding “-er.”

Example 1: This sofa is more comfortable than the old one.

Example 2: He is more responsible than his colleague.

3. Adjectives ending in “-y” usually take “-ier”

If the adjective ends with -y, change -y to -i and add -er to form the comparative. Like - happy - happier, not more happy. "Sunny" and "trendy" end in -y. So we drop the "y" and add "ier" to form the comparative (not “more sunny”).

Example 1: The weather today is sunnier than yesterday.

Example 2: My new bag is trendier than the old one.

4. Do not use double comparatives

Some adjectives already imply comparison (like better, worse, less, more), so don’t add “more” or “-er” again. Saying more better is wrong because better is already the comparative form of good. “Cleaner,” “less,” and “worse” are already comparative forms, so adding “more” or “less” again would be redundant.

Incorrect: This room is more cleaner than the other.

Correct: This room is cleaner than the other.

Example 1: She is less intelligent than her sister. (not “more less intelligent”)

Example 2: This task is worse than the previous one. (not “more worse”)

Also read:

Exceptions in Comparative Degree in English

Although comparative degree follows regular patterns, there are notable exceptions as well. Understanding these exceptions is essential for accurate grammar in both written and spoken English. Here are some examples to cement the concept for you -

Exceptions in Comparative Degree – Explained with Examples

While most adjectives follow regular rules to form their comparative degree (by adding -er or using more), some adjectives do not follow these rules. These are called irregular comparatives.

Irregular Comparatives

Some adjectives change their form entirely in the comparative degree. They do not use “-er” or “more.” “Farther” is used for physical distance; “further” is used for figurative distance, like "Let’s discuss this further".

Positive	Comparative	Example Sentence
good	better	Ram is better at maths than Shyam.
bad	worse	My health is worse than it was last week.
far	farther / further	The school is farther than the library.
little	less	He has less patience than his brother.
many / much	more	She has more experience in teaching.

Two-Syllable Adjectives – Double Possibility

Some adjectives with two syllables can form the comparative in two ways:

By adding -er, or
By using more before the adjective.

Both forms are grammatically correct, but the usage may depend on style or flow of speech. In exams, go with the form that sounds natural and is widely accepted, e.g., simpler, cleverer, narrower.

Adjective	Comparative (Option 1)	Comparative (Option 2)	Example
simple	simpler	more simple	This solution is simpler / more simple.
clever	cleverer	more clever	She is cleverer / more clever than her classmates.
narrow	narrower	more narrow	The road is narrower / more narrow than before.

Do not combine more with -er. more better or more cleverer are incorrect.
Learn the most common irregular adjectives by heart - these are frequently asked in competitive exams.

Common Mistakes and Corrections in Comparative Degree

Though it may sound easy, sometimes even skilled people make mistakes, from the usage of adjectives to wrong sentence framing or sometimes even major spelling mistakes. These are very embarrassing situations, especially when preparing for any competitive exams. Students must avoid these common errors. From the following table, we have shared the lists of frequent errors in Comparative Degree and how to avoid them.

Incorrect Sentence	Corrected Version
This phone is more better than mine.	This phone is better than mine.
She is elder than me.	She is older than me. (elder = family)
He is more tall than his brother.	He is taller than his brother.

Also read:

Comparative vs Superlative Degree

Refer to the table below to find key differences between comparatives and superlatives.

Feature	Comparative Degree	Superlative Degree
Used for	Comparing two items or people	Comparing three or more items or people
Form of Adjective	Adds -er or uses more	Adds -est or uses most
Helper Word Used	Often followed by “than”	Often preceded by “the”
Position in Sentence	Usually comes before "than" or after the subject	Usually comes after “the”
Examples	She is taller than her sister.	She is the tallest girl in class.
	He is more skilled than John.	He is the most skilled person here.
	My bag is heavier than yours.	That is the heaviest bag on the rack.
	She is smarter than me.	She is the smartest girl.
Purpose	To show relative difference	To show the absolute or highest degree
Common Mistakes	Using double comparatives: more better (this is wrong)	Using superlatives when comparing only two: the best of two (this is also wrong)

Tip for Exams:

Use -er/-est with short adjectives (fast - faster - fastest).
Use more/most with long adjectives (intelligent - more intelligent - most intelligent).

Preparation Tips for Comparative Degree for Exams

To prepare for the comparative degree, students need regular practice and to follow the right approach. From the following points, they can check effective preparation tips.

1. Practice error spotting and sentence improvement questions

In competitive exams, these questions are common as they test your grammatical accuracy, with degrees of comparison.

Example:
Incorrect - This movie is more better than the previous one.
Correct - This movie is better than the previous one.

What to do:

Identify incorrect comparisons (more better, most tallest)
Replace with correct usage (better, tallest)
Focus on commonly confused pairs: good - better, bad - worse, many - more

2. Learn irregular adjectives by heart

Irregular adjectives don’t follow the regular pattern of adding -er/-est or using more/most, and such questions are often asked in competitive exams.

Memorize these terms:

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
good	better	best
bad	worse	worst
far	farther/further	farthest/furthest
little	less	least
much/many	more	most

Some preparation tips that may come in handy include making flashcards and keeping them readily available, so that whenever there is free time, students can easily access them. Students must engage in daily revisions and employ better grammar practices for effective sentence formation.

3. Revise the rules regularly using mock tests and short quizzes

While preparing for the exam, students must also make sure they give regular mock tests and attempt quizzes under a timer to ensure they are ready for the exam.

Some quick tips are taking topic-wise quizzes on Degrees of Comparison, which can be found on Google or any other open source. Students can also use study platforms to practice and track their progress and learn from their mistakes

Sample questions:
He is the most fastest typist in the office.

Incorrect - Error: most fastest

Correct - Correction: the fastest

4. Focus on contextual usage in comprehension passages

It is often explained to students that rather than remembering the terms, students must fcus on contextual usage, and the best way is to utilize it in day-to-day format. As degrees of comparison are often tested indirectly in reading comprehension, understanding the context will help you choose the right form of adjective.

Example:
Among all my colleagues, he appeared to be the most confident during the report presentation. The word "most confident" fits here because it refers to all colleagues (superlative degree).

While reading passages from newspapers or magazines, students must pay attention to adjectives and how they’re used. Students must keep an eye on terms where two or three items are compared.

Also read:

How to Identify Comparative Degrees in Sentences

Identifying comparatives is the first step to excelling in it. From the following, we have shared the most popular tricks on how to distinguish them.

1. Look for adjectives ending in “-er”

This is the most direct and common clue. Short adjectives form comparatives by adding “-er” at the end. When creating the comparative degree for short adjectives usually one syllable (and sometimes two) add “-er” to the end of the adjective. This form is used to compare two people, things, or situations.

Examples:

tall - taller
fast - faster
smart - smarter
strong - stronger
old - older
young - younger

Sentence examples:

This motorcycle is faster than Vijay’s motorcycle.
Radhika is taller than her brother, Ravi.
Pradeep is smarter than Sandeep.

In English, shorter adjectives tend to follow the traditional rule of adding “-er” for the comparative degree. This keeps the sentence structure simple and clear.

2. Use of “more” or “less” + adjective

For longer adjectives, do not add “-er.” Instead, we use “more” or “less” before the adjective. Only one method is correct; don’t combine both (Incorrect - more better).

Examples:

more beautiful, more difficult, less important

Sentence examples:

This season of Stranger Things is more interesting than the previous season.
The exam was less difficult than I feared.

3. The presence of the word “than”

“Than” is a key signal that a comparison is being made between two entities, and it often comes right after a comparative adjective. Even if the adjective doesn't end in “-er” or is not paired with “more/less,” the word “than” usually signals a comparative context.

Examples:

Rajiv is more polite than Virat.
My office is bigger than yours.

Comparative Degree: Written vs. Spoken English

The use of comparative degree differs slightly between written and spoken English. In written English, comparisons tend to follow strict grammar rules, using either “-er” or “more” accurately. For example: "The second part of the movie chapter was more adventurous than the first part." In spoken English, people use informal or even grammatically loose forms, such as "This one's more better," which is incorrect but may be heard in casual conversation.

Spoken English also allows for contractions and simplified structure, while written English demands clarity, precision, and correctness, especially in academic or formal contexts.

Use of Comparative Degree in Spoken and Written English

In spoken English, comparatives are used in casual comparisons:

Tarun is funnier than I thought.
It’s more peaceful in the village than in the city.

Use case of Comparative Degree In written English

The new rule implementation is more effective than the previous one.

Comparative Degree - Real-Life Examples

From the movie 3 Idiots:
“He is smarter than all of us, but he doesn’t brag.” (Farhan’s voice over when talking about Rancho)
In advertising:
“Now with 30% more powerful stain removal!” (Popular Detergent Powder Advertisement Punchlines)
Day-to-day talk:
Netflix is more entertaining than TV these days.

Recommended Books to Prepare for a Comparative Degree

There are no specific books to prepare for a comparative degree; however, with practice and following basic rules, students can prepare for them. There are several grammar and composition books for students and competitive exam aspirants. Some of the best books for comparative degrees are mentioned below.

Book name	Author/Publisher
High School English Grammar & Composition	Wren & Martin
Plinth to Paramount	Neetu Singh
Objective General English (Arihant)	SP Bakshi (Arihant)
Lucent's General English	Lucent
A Mirror of Common Errors	Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh
Word Power Made Easy (for vocabulary enhancement)	Norman Lewis
Practice Sets & Mock Tests from Adda247, Testbook, and Gradeup	Relevant Authors

Candidates can take reference from some of these books while preparing for a comparative degree.

Also read:

Learn about Parts of Speech in English

What is Subject Verb Agreement?

Comparative Degree Exercise 1

Fill in the blanks:

This bed is ______ than the old one. (softer / softest)
Piyush is ______ at singing than dancing. (better / best)
This movie is ______ than the one I watched last month. (more interesting / most interesting)
My box is ______ than yours. (heavier / heaviest)
Rajiv is ______ at solving quizzes than his sister. (quicker / quickest)

Comparative Degree Exercise 2

Identify and correct the error:

This homework is more easier than the last one.
She is elder than all her friends.
He is more smarter than his colleagues.
This is the most fastest motorcycle in the city.
My office is more near to the airport than yours.

Answer 1 - Correction: This homework is easier than the last one.
Answer 2 - Correction: She is older than all her friends.
Answer 3 - Correction: He is smarter than his colleagues.
Answer 4 - Correction: This is the fastest motorcycle in the city.
Answer 5 - Correction: My office is nearer to the airport than yours.

Additional English Grammar Topics for Preparation

Check out the table for English Grammar Study Material PDFs for some of the basic grammar topics required for fluent English speaking and writing.

Grammar Topic	English Grammar Study Material PDF
English Verbs	Verbs: Meaning, Examples, Forms, Types
English Tenses	Tenses: A Comprehensive Guide
English Nouns	Nouns in English Grammar: A Comprehensive Guide
English Parts of Speech	Parts of Speech in English Grammar
English Conjunctions	Conjunctions: A Comprehensive Summary
English Subject	Subject: Meaning, Preparation Tips, Rules
English Predicate	English Predicate: Meaning, Types & Preparation Tips
English Prepositions	Prepositions in English: Meaning, Types & Examples
English Letter Writing	Letter Writing in English: Meaning and Definition

FAQs on Comparative Degree

Check out the FAQs on Comparative Degree:

Commonly asked questions

How to identify an adjective?

The following steps will help to identify the Adjectives:

Identify the Words that Describe Noun or Pronouns
Pay attention to the Position of the Adjectives
Ask questions about noun and pronoun to know the details
Pay Attention to Comparative and Superlative Forms
Pay Attention to Suffixes

What is the definition of Adjective?

What is the difference between adverb and adjective?

Adverbs are the word that modifies the meaning of a verb, an adjective or another adverb. They tell us about how much, in what manner, how far, in what degree and to what extent. E.g. all, very, probably, very, etc.

Example: She learns quickly.

Adjectives are the words that add meaning to the nouns or pronouns. They simply make noun and pronoun more descriptive. E.g. beautiful, honest, brave, wealthy.

Example: She is a quick learner.

What are 10 examples of Adjectives?

The examples of Adjectives are:

Bangalore is a large city.
Ram is an honest man.
I ate some pudding.
You have no time.
Have a good day!
Most girls like Barbie dolls.
Don't be in such a hurry.
The CAT is lazy.
I don't like that cafe.
There are five mangoes in the fridge.

What are the types of Adjectives?

The Adjetives are of following types:

Type of Adjective	Function / Usage	Examples
Descriptive Adjectives	Tells about quality or kind of a person/thing	tall, beautiful, soft
Quantitative Adjectives/Adjectives of Quantity	Tell us about the quantity of a thing	many, few, some
Demonstrative Adjectives	Tell us about a specific thing or person which is meant	this, that, these, those
Possessive Adjectives	Show ownership or possession	my, your, his, their
Interrogative Adjectives	Asks questions about nouns	which, what, whose
Distributive Adjectives	Refer to individual members of a group separately	each, every, either, neither
Comparative & Superlative Adjectives	Show comparisons between two or more nouns	bigger, best, more intelligent

What is the Comparative Degree as per Grammar?

Comparative degree is a form of an adjective which is used to compare two people, things, or situations. It show how one differs from the other either by having more or less of it. Always ensure you're comparing only two entities when using the comparative form.

Structure:

Adjective + -er for short adjectives for example taller, faster
More/Less + adjective for longer adjectives for example more beautiful, less important

Example:

This airstrip is longer than the other one. Here, we are comparing two airstrips based on their length.

When do we use “more” instead of “-er”?

Usage of "more" with longer adjectives like "more beautiful" or "more intelligent." Short adjectives, especially one-syllable words like "fast" or "tall," usually take the "-er" form, such as "faster" or "taller."

Examples:

Vijay is more powerful than Ajay.
This TV show is more interesting than the other one.

Incorrect - Avoid using “-er” with long adjectives.

Example: Incorrect - Powerfuller - Correct - more powerful

Can we use “than” with all comparative degrees?

Yes, “than” is generally used to show comparison between two things. For example, “Ajay is intelligent than his sister.” However, in casual speech, “than” may be implied or dropped, like “He's stronger (than him), ” but in formal writing, always use “than.”

Example:

Ajay is intelligent than his sister.

However, in spoken English, "than" may be implied and not explicitly stated:

Ajay is intelligent (than his sister).

In formal writing and exams, it's always safer and grammatically correct to use “than.”

What is the difference between “elder” and “older”?

“Elder” is used specifically for family members (e.g., elder brother), while “older” can be used for anyone or anything (e.g., older car, older friend). Both are comparative forms, but their usage depends on context.

Both “elder” and “older” are comparative forms of age, but they differ in usage and context.

Word	Usage Context	Example
Elder	Only for family members	My elder sister is a doctor.
Older	For people, animals, objects	He is older than me. That is an older building.

Incorrect - You cannot say: “That elder building”
Correct - But you can say: “My elder cousin”

Is it correct to say “more better”?

No, “more better” is grammatically incorrect. “Better” is already a comparative form of “good, ” so adding “more” makes it redundant. Always use either “better” or “more good” (in rare, specific cases), but not both together. Never use “more” or “most” with irregular comparatives like better, worse, less, more, farther, etc.

Incorrect - No, “more better” is grammatically incorrect.

“Better” is already the comparative form of “good.” So, using “more” before it creates a redundant and incorrect expression.

Incorrect - Correct Forms:

Good - Better - Best
My husband is better than me. (Correct)

My wife is more good than me. Incorrect - (only correct in rare poetic or stylistic usage.

English Adjectives Exam

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Comparative Degree: Definition, Types, Examples, Rules, Preparation Tips & Exercises with Answers

What is the Comparative Degree?

The following examples will help you understand the term better:

Commonly asked questions

Definition of Comparative Degree

Types of Degree of Comparison in English

Rules of Usage in Comparative Degree in Grammar

1. Use ‘than’ after the comparative form

2. Use ‘more’ with adjectives of two or more syllables (except some ending with -y)

3. Adjectives ending in “-y” usually take “-ier”

4. Do not use double comparatives

Exceptions in Comparative Degree in English

Exceptions in Comparative Degree – Explained with Examples

Irregular Comparatives

Two-Syllable Adjectives – Double Possibility

Common Mistakes and Corrections in Comparative Degree

Comparative vs Superlative Degree

Preparation Tips for Comparative Degree for Exams

1. Practice error spotting and sentence improvement questions

2. Learn irregular adjectives by heart

3. Revise the rules regularly using mock tests and short quizzes

4. Focus on contextual usage in comprehension passages

How to Identify Comparative Degrees in Sentences

1. Look for adjectives ending in “-er”

2. Use of “more” or “less” + adjective

3. The presence of the word “than”

Comparative Degree: Written vs. Spoken English

Use of Comparative Degree in Spoken and Written English

Comparative Degree - Real-Life Examples

Recommended Books to Prepare for a Comparative Degree

Comparative Degree Exercise 1

Comparative Degree Exercise 2

Additional English Grammar Topics for Preparation

FAQs on Comparative Degree

Commonly asked questions

Student Forum

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Other Class 10th English Chapters

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