Penambahan akhiran -er (lebih) atau -est (paling) pada adjective atau adverb memiliki beberapa aturan. Hal ini juga terkait erat dengan penggunaan more (lebih) atau most (paling). Apa saja aturannya? Artikel ini akan membahasanya secara lengkap.
1 | Adjective/Adverb 1 syllable
Untuk adjective/adverb yang mempunyai hanya 1 syllable (suku kata) menggunkan tambahan -er (untuk comparative – lebih) dan -est (untuk superlative – paling)
| ADJ/ADV | -er | -est |
| Cheap (murah) | Cheaper (lebih murah) | Cheapest (paling murah) |
| Short (pendek) | Shorter | Shortest |
| Rich (kaya) | Richer | Richest |
| Great (Agung/Besar) | Greater | Greatest |
| Tall (tinggi) | Taller | Tallest |
Sedangkan adjective yang berakhiran huruf konsonan dan didahului oleh huruf vokal, maka huruf konsonan terakhir ditulis ganda (double).
| ADJ/ADV | -er | -est |
| Big (besar) | Bigger | Biggest |
| Fat (Gemuk) | Fatter | Fattest |
| Glad (Gembira) | Gladder | Gladdest |
| Sad (Sedih) | Sadder | Saddest |
| Thin (kurus) | Thinner | Thinnest |
2 | Adjective/Adverb dengan 2 syllable
Adjective atau Adverb yang mempunyai 2 syllable (suku kata) bisa menggunakan akhiran -er dan -est atau juga bisa menggunakan more dan most.
2.1 | Adjective yang penekanan suaranya pada suku kata kedua.
| ADJ/ADV | -er / more | -est / most |
| Polite (sopan) | politer | politest |
| Sincere (Ikhlas) | Sincerer | Sincerest |
2.2 | Adjective yang penekanan suaranya ada pada suku kata pertama
| ADJ/ADV | -er / more | -est / most |
| Modern (canggih) | More modern | Most modern |
| Famous (tenar) | More famous | Most famous |
| Modest (sederhana) | More modest | Most modest |
2.3 | Adjective yang berakhiran -er, -le, dan -owe
| ADJ/ADV | -er / more | -est / most |
| Clever (pandai) | Cleverer | Cleverest |
| Simple (sederhana) | Simpler | Simplest |
| Shallow (dangkal) | Shallower | Shallowest |
2.4 | Adverb yang ber-akhiran -ly
| ADJ/ADV | -er / more | -est / most |
| Bravely (dengan berani) | More bravely | Most Bravely |
| Clearly (dengan jelas) | More clearly | Most clearly |
| Gently (dengan lembut) | More gently | Most gently |
| Humbly (dengan rendah hati) | More humbly | Most humbly |
| Loudly (dengan keras) | More loudly | Most loudly |
| Nobly (dengan mulia) | More nobly | Most nobly |
| Simply (dengan sederhana) | More simply | Most simply |
2.5 | Adjective berakhiran huruf -y
Adjective yang berakhiran huruf -y ditentukan oleh huruf sebelumnya. Jika huruf sebelumnya konsonan maka huruf -y diganti menjadi -ier atau -iest. Seperti Crazy – Crazier – Craziest.
| Adjective | -ier | -iest |
| Pretty (cantik) | Prettier | Prettiest |
| Happy (senang) | Happier | Happiest |
| Holy (suci) | Holier | Holiest |
| Heavy (berat) | Heavier | Heaviest |
| Dry (kering) | Drier | Driest |
| Early (awal) | Earlier | Earliest |
| Lovely (indah) | Lovelier | Loveliest |
| Easy (mudah) | Easier | Easiest |
| Tidy (rapi) | Tidier | Tidiest |
Namun, jika sebelum -y didahului huruf vokal, tetap -er atau -est.
| Adjective | -ier | -iest |
| Gay (riang) | Gayer | Gayest |
| Gray (kelabu) | Grayer | Grayest |
2.6 | Adjective yang berakhiran -e
Adjective yang akhirannya -e, tinggal ditambah -r atau -st
| Adjective | -ier | -iest |
| Large (luas) | Larger | Largest |
| Simple (sederhana) | Simpler | Simplest |
| Wide (luas) | Wider | Widest |
2.7 | Adjective yang dibentuk dari verb-nya (participle)
| Adjective | more | most |
| boring (membosankan) | more boring | most boring |
| bored (bosan) | more bored | most bored |
| interesting (menarik) | more interesting | most interesting |
| scared (takut) | more scared | most scared |
3 | Irregular Adjective / Adverb
Ada beberapa adjective / adverb yang perubahan bentuk comparative dan superlative nya tidak beraturan. Tidak mengikuti aturan -er dan -est di atas.
| Adjective | more | most |
| Good (baik) | Better | Best |
| Bad (buruk) | Worse | Worst |
| Fore (depan/dahulu) | Former | Foremost/First |
| Hind (belakang) | Hinder | Hindermost |
| Late (akhir) | Later / latter | Latest / Last |
| Little (sedikit) | Less/smaller | Least |
| Much/Many (banyak) | More | Most |
| Old (tua) | Older / Elder | Oldest / Eldest |
| Near (dekat) | Nearer | Nearest |
Untuk adverb yang tidak beraturan seperti,
| Adverb | more | most |
| Far (Jauh) | Farther / Further | Farthest / Furthest |
| Badly (dengan buruk) | Worse | Worst |
| Well (dengan baik) | Better | Best |
| Beneath (bawah) | Nether | Nethermost |
| In (dalam) | Inner | Innermost / Inmost |
| Out (luar) | Outer/Utter | Outermost / Uttermost |
| Up (atas) | Upper | Uppermost |
4 | Adjective / Adverb dengan 3 syllable atau lebih
Jika adjective atau adverb yang mempunyai 3 syllable atau lebih, comparative-nya pakai more dan superlative -nya pakai most.
4.1 | Adjective
| Adjective | More | Most |
| Beautiful (cantik) | More beautiful | Most beautiful |
| Careful (hati-hati) | More careful | Most careful |
| Dangerous (bahaya) | More dangerous | Most dangerous |
| Difficult (sulit) | More difficult | Most difficult |
| Expensive (mahal) | More expensive | Most expensive |
4.2 | Adverb
| Adverb | More | Most |
| Beautifully (dengan cantik) | More beautifully | Most beautifully |
| Carefully (dengan hati-hati) | More carefully | Most carefully |
| Dangerously (dengan bahaya) | More dangerously | Most dangerously |
| Difficultly (dengan sulit) | More difficultly | Most difficultly |
| Expensively (dengan mahal) | More expensively | Most expensively |