Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use '-er' for short words and 'more' for long words to compare two things using 'than'.
- Add '-er' to one-syllable adjectives like 'fast' to get 'faster'.
- Change '-y' to '-ier' for two-syllable words like 'happy' to get 'happier'.
- Use 'more' before adjectives with two or more syllables like 'more expensive'.
Overview
bigger, cheaper, 또는 more interesting해요. 이 문법은 A2 레벨 학습자에게 필수적이에요. '크다' 같은 단순한 묘사를 넘어 '생각보다 더 크다' 같은 더 복잡한 생각으로 나아가게 해주죠.taller? 누가 smarter?How This Grammar Works
-er를 붙이면 발음하기 너무 길어질 거예요. 'interestering-er'라고 말한다고 상상해보세요. 혀가 포기할 걸요.more를 사용하는 거예요. 그리고 than이라는 단어를 잊지 마세요. 비교하는 두 대상을 연결하는 다리 역할을 해요.than이 없으면 비교가 불완전해요. '나는 키가 더 커...'라고 말하고 그냥 가버리는 것과 같죠. 뭐보다 크다는 건가요?
Formation Pattern
-er를 붙여요. Fast는 faster가 되고, Small은 smaller가 돼요.
Big은 bigger가 되고, Hot은 hotter가 돼요. (단어가 새로운 어미를 붙잡기 위해 더 강해진다고 생각해보세요).
-y로 끝나는 2음절 형용사는 -y를 -i로 바꾸고 -er를 붙여요. Happy는 happier가 되고, Easy는 easier가 돼요.
more를 붙여요. Expensive는 more expensive가 되고, Beautiful은 more beautiful이 돼요.
than을 사용해서 두 번째 대상을 소개해요. A is [비교급] than B.
good -> better, bad -> worse, far -> farther/further. 이 단어들은 영어의 반항아들이에요. 규칙을 따르지 않지만, 그래도 우린 이 단어들을 좋아하죠.
When To Use It
noisier해졌어.' 처럼요.cheaper 버거와 more expensive 스테이크 사이에서 결정할 때 사용하세요. 여행 브이로그에 딱 맞아요: '이 경치가 지난번 것보다 more incredible해!' 면접에서는 성장을 보여주기 위해 사용하세요: '지난번 직책에서보다 지금이 more organized해요.' 기본적으로, 두 가지를 봤는데 하나가 다른 것보다 어떤 특성을 '더' 많이 가지고 있을 때마다 이 규칙을 사용하면 돼요.
Common Mistakes
-er 꼬리를 쓰거나 more 도우미를 쓰거나요. 또 다른 흔한 실수는 than 대신 that을 쓰는 거예요. 기억하세요: than은 비교를 위한 것이고, that은 가리키는 것을 위한 거예요. 불규칙 형태를 잊지 마세요. 사람들은 종종 'gooder'나 'badder'라고 말해요. 귀엽게 들릴지는 몰라도, 틀린 표현이에요. better와 worse를 사용하세요. 마지막으로, CVC 중복 규칙을 조심하세요. bigger 대신 biger라고 쓰는 건 여러분을 less professional하게 보이게 만드는 작은 실수예요. (방금 제가 뭘 했는지 보셨나요? Less는 more의 반대일 뿐이에요).Contrast With Similar Patterns
the biggest나 the most expensive 같은 것들)은 세 개 이상의 것들 중에서 절대적인 승자를 고를 때 쓰는 거예요. 비교급은 엄격하게 1대1 대결을 위한 거예요.as... as 패턴과 비교해보세요. taller than은 차이를 보여주는 반면, as tall as는 동등함을 보여줘요.taller than을 쓰고, 무승부일 때는 as tall as를 쓰세요. 비교급을 비디오 게임의 'VS' 모드라고 생각하세요. 항상 플레이어 1 대 플레이어 2죠.Quick FAQ
짧은 형용사에 more를 쓸 수 있나요?
보통은 안 되지만, 아주 격식 없는 대화에서 강조를 위해 가끔 쓸 때도 있어요. 하지만 시험이나 자연스러운 발음을 위해서는 -er를 고수하세요.
fun이라는 단어는 어떤가요?
fun은 좀 특이한 단어예요. 1음절인데도 대부분의 사람들이 more fun이라고 말해요. Funner라는 말도 있긴 하지만 아주 유치하게 들려요.
farther인가요 further인가요?
farther는 보통 물리적 거리(마일/km)에 사용되고, further는 비유적인 거리(더 많은 정보)에 사용돼요. 하지만 솔직히 대부분의 원어민들은 구분 없이 사용해요.
항상 than이 필요한가요?
두 번째 대상을 언급할 때만 필요해요. 모두가 무슨 얘기를 하는지 안다면 일찍 문장을 끝낼 수 있어요: 'cheaper 걸로 주세요.'
Comparative Formation Rules
| Adjective Type | Rule | Example | Comparative |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 Syllable
|
Add -er
|
Fast
|
Faster
|
|
1 Syllable (CVC)
|
Double consonant + -er
|
Big
|
Bigger
|
|
1 Syllable (ends in -e)
|
Add -r
|
Nice
|
Nicer
|
|
2 Syllables (ends in -y)
|
Change y to i + -er
|
Happy
|
Happier
|
|
2+ Syllables
|
Use 'more'
|
Modern
|
More modern
|
|
Irregular
|
Total change
|
Good
|
Better
|
|
Irregular
|
Total change
|
Bad
|
Worse
|
|
Irregular
|
Total change
|
Far
|
Farther/Further
|
Meanings
The comparative form is used to compare differences between the two objects it modifies (larger, smaller, faster, higher). It is used in sentences where two nouns are compared.
Short Adjectives
Adding the suffix '-er' to adjectives with one syllable.
“The sun is hotter than the moon.”
“This box is heavier than that one.”
Long Adjectives
Using the word 'more' before adjectives with two or more syllables.
“This book is more interesting than the movie.”
“She is more intelligent than her classmates.”
Irregular Comparatives
Adjectives that change completely in their comparative form.
“Your score is better than mine.”
“The weather today is worse than yesterday.”
Reference Table
| 형용사/부사 길이 | 규칙 | 단어 예시 | 비교급 형태 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
한 음절
|
Add -er
|
Tall
|
Taller
|
|
한 음절 (ends in -e)
|
Add -r
|
Large
|
Larger
|
|
한 음절 (CVC 패턴)
|
Double consonant + -er
|
Big
|
Bigger
|
|
두 음절 (ends in -y)
|
Change y to i + -er
|
Happy
|
Happier
|
|
두 음절 이상 ('-y'로 끝나지 않는)
|
Use 'more' before
|
Important
|
More important
|
|
부사 ('-ly'로 끝나는)
|
Use 'more' before
|
Quickly
|
More quickly
|
|
불규칙 형태
|
Memorize unique forms
|
Good
|
Better
|
|
불규칙 형태
|
Memorize unique forms
|
Bad
|
Worse
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
He is taller than I am. (Physical description)
He is taller than me. (Physical description)
He's taller than me. (Physical description)
He's got way more height than me. (Physical description)
비교급 만드는 방법
짧은 단어 (1음절)
- Tall Taller
- Big Bigger
- Fast Faster
'-y'로 끝나는 단어 (2음절)
- Happy Happier
- Easy Easier
긴 단어 (2음절 이상, '-y'로 끝나지 않는)
- Beautiful More beautiful
- Expensive More expensive
- Carefully More carefully
불규칙 형태
- Good Better
- Bad Worse
'-er' vs. 'More' 언제 쓸까?
비교급 형용사/부사 플로우차트
형용사/부사가 한 음절인가요?
두 음절이면서 '-y'로 끝나나요?
불규칙 단어인가요 (good, bad, far)?
비교급 유형별 예시
-er'로 끝나는 단어
- • taller
- • smaller
- • older
- • faster
- • nicer
- • bigger
-ier'로 끝나는 단어
- • happier
- • easier
- • funnier
- • busier
- • prettier
- • heavier
'More + 형용사/부사'
- • more beautiful
- • more expensive
- • more important
- • more carefully
- • more modern
- • more quickly
불규칙 형태
- • better
- • worse
- • farther
- • further
수준별 예문
I am taller than my sister.
A car is faster than a bike.
This apple is bigger.
My cat is smaller than your dog.
This phone is more expensive than that one.
I am happier today than yesterday.
Is London bigger than Paris?
The movie was better than the book.
The city is much noisier than the countryside.
This exercise is slightly easier than the last one.
He is more talented than he realizes.
The new model is significantly more efficient.
The more I study, the more I realize I don't know.
The situation is getting more and more complicated.
She is less interested in sports than her brother is.
The results were far better than we had anticipated.
The proposal was no less controversial than the previous one.
He was rather more upset than he let on.
The implications are far-reaching, more so than initially thought.
The narrowness of the path became even more pronounced.
The newer policy is arguably more robust, yet less flexible.
Her elder sister remains the more formidable of the two.
The discrepancy was all the more apparent given the context.
It was a task more easily described than performed.
혼동하기 쉬운
Learners use '-est' when they only have two items.
They sound similar, but 'then' is about time.
Learners use 'very' to compare.
자주 하는 실수
He is more big.
He is bigger.
I am more good.
I am better.
She is taller that me.
She is taller than me.
It is hoter today.
It is hotter today.
This is more better.
This is better.
It is more easy.
It is easier.
He is more tall than I.
He is taller than me.
The movie was more bad.
The movie was worse.
He is elder than me.
He is older than me.
This is superior than that.
This is superior to that.
문장 패턴
The ___ is ___er than the ___.
I think ___ is more ___ than ___.
My ___ is better than your ___.
It's getting ___er and ___er.
Real World Usage
This laptop is more powerful but more expensive.
Tomorrow will be slightly warmer than today.
I believe I am more qualified for this role than other candidates.
I'm looking for someone taller than me.
Is the hotel closer to the beach than the airport?
The pizza here is better than the one across the street.
He is running faster than his opponent!
Happier than ever!
음절 수를 세어보세요!
Fast is faster, beautiful is more beautiful.
이중 비교급은 피하세요!
He is faster, not more faster.
'Than'과 함께 연습하세요!
비격식적인 'Than' 사용법
She is taller than me.
'-y'로 끝나는 단어 조심!
She is prettier now.
Smart Tips
If it ends in -y, -er, -le, or -ow, it usually takes '-er'. If not, 'more' is a safer bet.
Use 'much' or 'way' before the comparative to add emphasis.
Always use 'than' followed by a subject pronoun and a verb.
Check if it's a 'CVC' word. If it is, double that last letter before adding -er.
발음
The Schwa Suffix
The '-er' ending is almost always pronounced as a weak schwa /ə/ in British English or a rhotic /ər/ in American English. Do not stress it.
Linking 'Than'
The word 'than' is usually reduced to /ðən/. It links quickly to the following word.
Comparison Stress
This one is BIGGER than that one.
We often stress the comparative adjective to emphasize the difference.
암기하기
기억법
Short is Sweet: Add -er. Long is Strong: Use More.
시각적 연상
Imagine a short person standing on a box labeled '-er' to reach a high shelf, while a tall person (long word) just needs a friend named 'More' to help them.
Rhyme
If the word is short and small, add -er to stand tall. If the word is long and wide, put 'more' right by its side.
Story
Once there was a small cat named 'Fast' who wanted to be 'Faster', so he ate an '-er' cookie. His friend, a big elephant named 'Intelligent', couldn't fit the cookie, so he just carried a sign that said 'More'.
Word Web
챌린지
Look around your room. Find two objects and say three comparative sentences about them (e.g., 'The lamp is taller than the book').
문화 노트
Using comparatives can sometimes sound rude if you are comparing people directly. It is often softer to use 'not as... as'.
Americans frequently use 'than me' or 'than him' (object pronouns).
In very formal British English, you might still hear 'than I' or 'than he', though it is becoming rare.
The '-er' suffix comes from Old English '-ra', which is shared with other Germanic languages. 'More' comes from the Old English 'māra'.
대화 시작하기
Which is better: living in a big city or a small town?
Is your phone better than your last one?
Compare two famous people you know.
If you could travel anywhere, would you prefer a hotter or colder climate?
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
My new apartment is ___ than my old one.
Find and fix the mistake:
Learning Spanish is more harder than learning French.
Choose the correct sentence:
Score: /3
연습 문제
8 exercisesMy house is ___ (big) than yours.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
She is more intelligenter than her brother.
The blue car is $20,000. The red car is $15,000. (expensive)
Bad, Happy, Far
Learning English is ___ (easy) than learning Chinese.
I am taller ___ my father.
today / than / is / it / yesterday / colder
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe weather today is ___ than yesterday.
Choose the correct sentence:
She drives more carefullyer than her brother.
Translate into English: 'El examen fue más fácil de lo que pensaba.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
This coffee tastes a little ___ than the one I usually drink.
Match the adjectives with their comparative forms:
Translate into English: 'Ella es más paciente que yo.'
The new software is efficienter than the old one.
Arrange these words into a sentence:
He responded ___ to my message this time.
Choose the correct sentence:
Score: /12
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
No, 'better' is already comparative. Adding 'more' is redundant and incorrect. Just say `better`.
Double the last letter for one-syllable words that end in a single vowel and a single consonant (CVC), like `big` -> `bigger` or `hot` -> `hotter`.
In modern English, they are often used interchangeably. However, `farther` usually refers to physical distance, while `further` refers to metaphorical distance (e.g., 'further information').
Technically, 'fun' is a noun, so 'more fun' is the standard form. While you might hear 'funner' in very casual speech, it is considered incorrect in exams or formal writing.
Both are used. `Than me` is common and natural in conversation. `Than I am` or `than I` is more formal.
Yes, if they don't end in 'y'. For example, `more modern` or `more famous`. If they end in 'y', use `-ier`.
Use the structure `as + adjective + as`. For example, 'I am as tall as my brother.'
The opposite is `less`. For example, 'This book is less interesting than the other one.'
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
más + adjective
No suffix equivalent to '-er'.
plus + adjective
Uses 'plus' instead of suffixes.
adjective + -er
German uses '-er' for almost all adjectives, even long ones.
yori
No morphological change to the adjective.
bǐ (比)
Comparison is handled by sentence structure, not word forms.
Elative form (af'al)
Internal root modification.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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