Comparative Forms: Bigger, Better and More Powerful

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by Martin Tailtiu

July 27, 2026

Comparative Forms
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Comparative Forms: Bigger, Better and More Powerful

Which is faster: a train or a bus? Is city life more exciting than country life? Comparative forms help us describe differences between people, places, objects and ideas. Learn the main patterns below, then test yourself with a little history about the Celtic queen Boudicca and her war with the Romans. 

Comparative Forms

Comparative forms: a quick review

For most short adjectives, add -er + than:

  • strong → stronger than
  • large → larger than

Watch the spelling:

  • big → bigger
  • heavy → heavier

With longer adjectives, use more + adjective + than:

  • more organised than
  • more successful than

Some comparative forms are irregular:

  • good → better
  • bad → worse
  • far → farther/further

To compare quantities, use:

  • more/fewer with countable nouns: more soldiers, fewer weapons
  • more/less with uncountable nouns: more armour, less protection

You can make a difference sound greater with much, far or a lot:

  • Boudicca’s army was much bigger than the Roman army.

Use slightly or a little for a smaller difference:

  • One army was slightly smaller than the other.

To show that two things are or are not equal, use (not) as … as:

  • The Britons were not as well protected as the Romans.

Ready to practise? Complete the gap-fill about the famous Celtic queen Boudicca, who fought the Roman occupiers of her homeland, then make your own sentences with comparative forms in the second activity.

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B1 Grammar Practice

Comparative Forms

Review the main forms, complete the Boudicca gap-fill, and then make your own comparisons.

Quick review

We use comparative forms to compare two people, groups, places or things.

  • Short adjectives: adjective + -er + than
    strong → stronger than
  • Long adjectives: more + adjective + than
    more organised than
  • Spelling: big → bigger; heavy → heavier; large → larger
  • Irregular forms: good → better; bad → worse; far → farther/further
  • Quantities: more/fewer soldiers; more/less armour
  • Other patterns: much bigger; slightly smaller; not as strong as

Boudicca and the Romans: gap-fill

Complete each sentence with the correct comparative form of the word or phrase in brackets. Add than or as where necessary.

Boudicca's army was much the Roman army. (big)

The Roman soldiers were the British warriors. (well trained)

The Romans were the Britons. (heavily protected)

The Britons had soldiers than the Romans. (many)

The Romans had soldiers than Boudicca's army. (few)

The British warriors wore armour than the Romans. (little)

The Roman soldiers were at working together than the Britons. (good)

The British army was not the Roman army. (organised)

The Roman army was the British army, but it was highly trained. (small)

British warriors believed they would return in their next life. (brave)

They also believed they would return than before. (strong)

In the end, the Roman battle strategy was Boudicca's strategy. (successful)

Make comparative sentences

Write at least one comparative sentence for each pair. Use the suggested adjectives or your own ideas. There is more than one possible answer.

Example: whales and elephants (large, heavy)
Whales are generally larger and heavier than elephants.

Boudicca's army and the Roman army
(large, organised, well trained)

British warriors and Roman soldiers
(well protected, numerous, skilled)

Mount Everest and Ben Nevis
(high, difficult to climb, famous)

Cheetahs and horses
(fast, strong, dangerous)

Trains and buses
(comfortable, fast, expensive)

Living in a city and living in the countryside
(quiet, convenient, stressful)

Books and films
(detailed, entertaining, long)

Smartphones and laptops
(small, powerful, easy to carry)

Learning English online and learning in a classroom
(flexible, social, convenient)

Summer and winter in your country
(hot, enjoyable, rainy)

Before you check the model answers

  • Have you used the correct comparative form?
  • Have you included than or the complete as ... as pattern where needed?
  • Can you strengthen your comparison with much, far or a lot?

Need the answer sheet?

Complete both activities first, then reveal the gap-fill key and possible answers.

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Martin Tailtiu

Writer, English-language tutoring and materials designer and provider.

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