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How To Make Simple Comparisons in English

Published on August 4, 2022 | Updated on September 10, 2024

There are several ways to Make Comparisons in English. People commonly use superlatives and comparatives to make them.

You can make comparisons in English about almost everything but some of the most common topics  to make comparisons with are:

#1Personal Appearance
#2Personality
#3Countries, Places, and Cities
#4Trends

Keep reading so you learn how to make comparisons in English correctly



Adjectives to Describe Physical Appearance

These are some of the most common adjectives to describe physical appearance to make comparisons in English.

This chart includes the comparative form of each adjective

AdjectiveComparative
talltaller
handsomemore handsome
beautifulmore beautiful 
shortshorter
strongstronger
fatfatter
fitfitter
muscular more muscular
skinnyskinnier

This chart includes the superlative form of each adjective

AdjectiveSuperlative
tallTallest
handsomethe most handsome
beautifulbeautiful
shortthe shortest
strongthe strongest
fatthe fattest
fitthe fittest
muscularthe most muscular
skinnythe skinniest

These are some examples of comparisons about personal appearance using comparatives

  1. She is taller than me.
  2. I am skinnier than her.
  3. He is shorter than me.
  4. Joe’s older than Mike.
  5. Linda is younger than  John
  6. Mike is stronger than Joshua

These are some examples of comparisons about personal appearance using superlatives

  1. Linda is the tallest on the Basketball team.
  2. John is the oldest in the classroom.
  3. I am the most handsome man in the room.
  4. She is the most beautiful woman in the university.
  5. Sheila is the youngest girl in the family.
  6. Mike is the strongest athlete on the wrestling team.

Adjectives to Describe Personality in English

These are some of the most common adjectives to describe people’s personalities and its comparative form

AdjectiveComparative
smartsmarter
kindkinder
honestmore honest
outgoingmore outgoing
politemore polite
charmingmore charming
Loyalmore loyal
FunnyFunnier

These are some of the most common adjectives to describe people’s personalities and their superlative form:

AdjectiveSuperlative
smartthe smartest
kindthe kindest
honestthe most honest
outgoingthe most outgoing
politethe most polite
charmingcharming
Loyalthe most loyal
FunnyFunniest

These are some comparisons using adjectives to describe personality in English using comparatives

  1. I am smarter than him
  2. Maria is Nicer than Linda
  3. I am more open-minded than him
  4. She is more creative than me
  5. Mike is more clever than her

These are some comparisons using adjectives to describe personality in English using superlatives

  1. I am the funniest person at the party.
  2. I am the most intelligent student in the class.
  3. She is the most confident athlete on the team.
  4. He is the most creative person on the graphic design team.

Adjectives to Describe a City, Country, or Place

You can make comparisons in English about cities, countries, and places

These are the most common adjectives and their comparative form

AdjectiveComparative
AmazingMore amazing 
BeautifulMore beautiful
BoringMore boring
ConvenientMore convenient
CrowdedMore crowded
InterestingMore interesting
FamousMore famous
FantasticMore Fantastic
ExcitingMore exciting
FascinatingMore Fascinating
InexpensiveMore Inexpensive
PollutedMore polluted
SafeSafer
DangerousMore dangerous
NaturalMore natural
BigBigger
ModernMore modern
SmallSmaller
NoisyNoisier
CheapCheaper
CleanCleaner
OldOlder
IndustrialMore industrial
CommercialMore Commercial
ProsperousMore prosperous
HotHotter
ColdColder
CalmCalmer
QuietQuieter
PeacefulMore peaceful

These are the most common adjectives and their superlative form

AdjectiveSuperlative
AmazingThe most amazing
BeautifulThe most beautiful
BoringThe most boring
ConvenientThe most convenient
CrowdedThe most crowded
InterestingThe most interesting
FamousThe most famous
FantasticThe most fantastic
ExcitingThe most exciting
FascinatingThe most fascinating
InexpensiveThe most inexpensive
PollutedThe most polluted
SafeSafest
DangerousThe most dangerous
Natural The most natural
BigThe biggest
ModernThe most modern
SmallThe smallest
NoisyThe Noisiest
CheapThe Cheapest
CleanThe cleanest
OldThe oldest
IndustrialThe most industrial
CommercialThe most commercial
ProsperousThe most prosperous
HotThe hottest
ColdThe coldest
CalmThe calmest
QuietThe quietest
PeacefulThe most peaceful

These are sentences in which countries, places, and cities are compared using comparatives

  1. Santa Cruz is cleaner than Nicoya
  2. Nicoya is less dangerous than San José
  3. For swimmers, Conchal Beach is more dangerous than  Flamingo Beach
  4. La Cruz City is quieter than Liberia City

These are sentences in which countries, places, and cities are compared using superlatives

  1. Cartago is the coldest city in Costa Rica
  2. Guanacaste is the hottest place in Costa Rica
  3. Canada has the best education in America
  4. Brazil is one of the biggest countries in South America

Two-syllable adjectives which end in -y 

Two-syllable adjectives which end in -y usually form the comparative by adding -er and the superlative by adding -est

AdjectiveComparativeSuperlative
Funny Funnier The funniest
Skinny Skinnier The skinniest
Pretty Prettier The prettiest
Happy Happier The happiest
Hungry Hungrier The hungriest
Busy Busier The Busiest
Crazy Crazier The Craziest
Dry Drier The driest
Silly Silliest The Silliest

List of Comparatives and Superlatives

To make comparisons in English, you need to know the most common adjectives in English and their comparative and superlative form

AdjectiveComparativeSuperlative
angryangrierangriest
badworseworst
bigbiggerbiggest
bravebraverbravest
briefbrieferbriefest
brightbrighterbrightest
busybusierbusiest
calmcalmercalmest
cheapcheapcheaper
classyclassierclassiest
cleancleanercleanest
clearclearclearest
clevercleverercleverest
closecloserclosest
coldcoldercoldest
coolcoolercoolest
crazycraziercraziest
creepycreepiercreepiest
cruelcruelercruelest
curlycurlycurliest
cutecutercutest
darkdarkerdarkest
deadlydeadlierdeadliest
deepdeeperdeepest
dirtydirtierdirtiest
drydrierdriest
dumbdumberdumbest
earlyearlierearliest
easyeasiereasiest
farfurther/fartherfurthest/farthest
fastfasterfastest
fatfatterfattest
fewfewerfewest
filthyfilthierfilthiest
finefinerfinest
fitfitterfittest
freshfresherfreshest
friendlyfriendlierfriendliest
funnyfunnierfunniest
goodbetterbest
greatgreatergreatest
guiltyguilterguiltiest
handyhandierhandiest
happyhappierhappiest
hardharderhardest
harshharsherharshest
healthyhealthierhealthiest
heavyheavierheaviest
highhigherhighest
hothotterhottest
hungryhungrierhungriest
juicyjuicierjuiciest
kindkinderkindest
largelargerlargest
latelaterlatest
lazylazierlaziest
lightlighterlightest
lonelylonlierlonliest
longlongerlongest
loudlouderloudest
lovelylovelierloveliest
lowlowerlowest
madmaddermaddest
meanmeanermeanest
messymessiermessiest
narrownarrowernarrowest
nastynastiernastiest
nearnearernearest
neatneaterneatest
newnewernewest
nicenicernicest
noisynoisiernoisiest
oddodderoddest
plainplainerplainest
poorpoorerpoorest
prettyprettierprettiest
proudprouderproudest
purepurerpurest
quickquickerquickest
quietquieterquietest
richricherrichest
riskyriskierriskiest
roughrougherroughest
ruderuderrudest
rustyrustierrustiest
sadsaddersaddest
safesafersafest
scaryscarierscariest
sharpsharpersharpest
shinyshiniershiniest
shortshortershortest
shyshyershyest
sillysilliersilliest
simplesimplersimplest
skinnyskinnierskinniest
slimslimmerslimmest
slowslowerslowest
smallsmallersmallest
smartsmartersmartest
softsoftersoftest
soonsoonersoonest
spicyspicierspiciest
strangestrangerstrangest
strictstricterstrictest
strongstrongerstrongest
sunnysunniersunniest
sweatysweatiersweatiest
sweetsweetersweetest
talltallertallest
tastytastiertastiest
thickthickerthickest
thinthinnerthinnest
tinytiniertiniest
toughtoughertoughest
truetruertruest
uglyuglierugliest
warmwarmerwarmest
weakweakerweakest
wealthywealthierwealthiest
weirdweirderweirdest
widewiderwidest
wildwilderwildest
wisewiserwisest
youngyoungeryoungest

Comparative Questions in English

A comparative question is one in which the questioner asks for a contrast between two people, objects, or ideas.

For example, a comparative question might ask how two people are different from each other or what is the difference between two concepts.

Here is a list of some examples of comparative questions.

  1. Which is worse for your health: smoking or drinking?
  2. Which is harder, math or reading and writing?
  3. Which game is more entertaining, Call of Duty or Free Fire?
  4. Do you think you’re smarter than your parents?
  5. What are you better at than your best friend?
  6. Which language is more difficult to learn, English or your language?
  7. Is playing video games better for you than watching TV?
  8. What is worse than failing an exam?
  9. What is healthier: eating healthy food or getting lots of exercise?
  10. Does life become more complicated as you get older?
  11. What country is better to live and why?

Manuel Campos

Manuel Campos

I am Jose Manuel, English professor and creator of EnglishPost.org, a blog whose mission is to share lessons for those who want to learn and improve their English