Short comparative adjectives with -er

Short comparative adjectives with -er

Why do we spell happier and not happyer?

A few examples of the usage.

• old: Lucy is older than Jenny.

• funny: Spiderman is funnIer than Batman

• nice: Prague is nicer than Ostrava

But... Sometimes there are some spelling changes. 

1) If the adjective ends in 'y', this often changes to 'i'.

• dry → drier 

• happy → happier

• easy → easier

Multiple Choice

Today I am ......(happy) than yesterday.

• happyer

• happier

Multiple Choice

My friend is......(sloppy) than me. When he eats spaghetti it's always all over his face.

• sloppyer

• sloppier

Multiple Choice

This meat is.....(fatty) than that one. Don't take it.

• fattier

• fattyer

• fatyer

• fatier

2) If there is one vowel followed by one consonant at the end a one-syllable short adjective, we often double the consonant.

• wet → wetter

• big → bigger

• hot → hotter 

Wait a minute...what is a vowel and a consonant?

• vowels: a, e, i, o, u sometimes y - they make the word sound!

• consonants: they must be connected with vowels to have sounds.

• For example: happy! (try to say it without vowels)

Once again: If there is one vowel followed by one consonant at the end a one-syllable short adjective, we often double the consonant.

• wet → wetter

• big → bigger

• hot → hotter 

Multiple Choice

She's definetly .....(hot) than her sister. You should ask her out.

• hotter

• hoter

Multiple Choice

She is now even .....(mad) at you than yesterday. Sitting on her cat was a mistake.

• mader

• madder

Multiple Choice

My blanket is definitely ............(snug) than this pile of rock. I'm glad I have it here.

• snugger

• snuger

• snuggeer

3) If the adjective ends in 'e', we don't add another 'e', just 'r'.

• nice → nicer 

• large → larger 

• simple → simpler

Multiple Choice

It's ........(simple) than you think. Just pull the trigger.

• simpler

• simpleer

Multiple Choice

Monica thinks Brian is.....(cute) than his younger brother.

• cuter

• cuteer

Multiple Choice

This tiger is ....(tame) than this one. You can even put your arm into his mouth.

• tamer

• tameer

4) Some adjectives are irregular:

• good - better

• bad - worse

• much/many - more

• little - less

• far - farther

Multiple Choice

You will feel... (good) after this excercise.

• better

• goodder

Multiple Choice

I live .....(far) from school than my friend.

• farrer

• farther

Multiple Choice

I think school is now...(little) important than friends.

• littler

• less

So once again. We need to be careful around adjectives:

• 1) ending with -y (happy - happier)

• 2) short ending with a vowel + consonant (hot-hotter)

• 3) ending with -e (nice-nicer)

• 4) irregular ones (bad-worse)

So why do we spell happier and not happyer?

Because happy ends with "y".

Congratulations. Now you can use comparative adjectives.

P.S. the same rules apply to -est endings in superlatives.