Grammar - Adverbs of Comparison

Compiled from Grammar Builder Book 3

The rules are:

1.    Comparative adverbs are used when comparing the actions of one or more people/things at two different times.

a.    adverbs + ‘er’ + than

·         Mark works harder than Alex.

b.    adverb + ‘er’ + 1^st time frame + than + 2^nd time frame

·         Mark works harder now than he did last year.

c.     more + adverb + than

·         John eats more quietly than Peter.

d.    more + adverb + 1^st time frame + than + 2^nd time frame

·         Ice-cream generally sells more briskly in summer than in winter.

2.    Superlative adverbs are used when comparing the actions of three or more people/things, or the actions of one person/thing at three or more different times.

a.    the + adverb + ‘est’ + among/of

·         Mark works hard.

·         Mark works harder than Alex.

·         Sam studies the hardest of the three.

b.    the + most + adverb

·         It snowed heavily last night.

·         It snowed more heavily yesterday than on Monday.

·         It snowed the most heavily on Friday.

3.    Do not use two different comparative or superlative forms of adverbs together. Adverbs ending in ‘er’ or ‘est’ cannot be used with more or most in the same sentence.

·         The journey to work took more longer yesterday than today.                                                                       (WRONG)

·         The journey to work took longer yesterday than today. (CORRECT)

4.    Certain adverbs have irregular and superlative forms.

Compiled from Grammar Builder Book 3

·         Sandy ate little at dinner tonight.

·         Mandy ate less than Sandy.

·         Jessie ate the least among them.

Compiled from Grammar Builder Book 3