Common Mistake: Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparatives and superlatives are essential for comparing things in English, but learners often mix up the correct forms. This lesson clears up four common mistakes. Instead of the incorrect this is more better, the correct form is this is much better, since better is already a comparative and doesn't need more. For superlatives, she's the tallest is correct, not she's the most tall, since short adjectives like tall add est rather than using most. Similarly, my house is bigger is correct instead of my house is more big, following the same short-adjective rule. Finally, this test is easier is correct, not this test is more easy, since easy becomes easier by changing the y to i and adding er. The general rule is that short adjectives change their ending, while longer adjectives use more or most, and mixing the two patterns is one of the most common English mistakes. Practicing these examples will help these forms become automatic.