Comparing People, Places and Things
Comparative
Use the comparative to form a comparison between two people, places, things, etc. The comparative form expresses that one object has more of a characteristic than the other. Begin the sentence with the first object followed by the use of 'than' for the second object.
Example:
The employee dining room is smaller than the customer's dining room.
The housekeeping department keeps better books than accounting.
She thinks the dietician is more educated than the fry cook.
The disgruntled employee is not as happy as the manager.
The comparative adjective form is determined by the number of syllables in the adjective. The general rule is that all adjectives that have one syllable add '-er'. Adjectives with three syllables or more take 'more + adjective'. The following explanation provides examples and exceptions to these rules.
One Syllable Adjectives
Add '-er' to the end of the adjective (Note: double the final consonant if preceded by a vowel).
Example:
The banquet rooms are hotter than the basement rooms.
Food preparation is hotter than dishwashing.
Two Syllable Adjectives Ending in '-y'
Replace then final '-y' with '-ier'.
Example:
The vending industry is easier to get started in than advertising.
Contract management companies are luckier this year than last year.
Two or More Syllable Adjectives
Place 'more' before the adjective.
Example:
She thinks her requests are more important than the customer's requests.
She thinks the dietician is more educated than the fry cook.
Important Exceptions
good - better
bad - worse
fun - more fun
far - farther / further
Example:
The busser is worse than the dishwasher.
The housekeeping department keeps better books than accounting.
The rate of ticket purchases is worse this year than last.
As ... as
The form 'as as + adjective + as' expresses the fact that the characteristic is the same in each object. The negative form 'isn't / aren't as + adjective + as' can be used instead of the comparative. The adjective is not altered in this form.
Example:
Leisure time is as important as work.
Gourmet coffee is not as tasty as ice cream.
Chain operators are not as scrupulous as car salesmen.