Comparative and superlative degrees

[Ju]

Are there rules to tell when should we add "er", "est", "more" and "most" for comparative and superlative adjectives?

 

[Rover_KE]

Click here.

 

[teechar]

Are there rules [STRIKE]to tell[/STRIKE] for when we should [STRIKE]we[/STRIKE] add "er", "est", "more" and "most" for comparative and superlative adjectives?

See above.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Click here.

Right. More concisely:

- er = the better of two things.

- est = the best of three or more things.​

The trick: Just remember that er is two letters and est is three.

Easy!

 

[emsr2d2]

The general rule is that if an adjective has one or two syllables, you can add -er/-est to the end. If it has three or more syllables, you use more/most + adjective.

hard (1 syllable) > harder/hardest
easy (2 syllables) > easier/easiest
arduous (3 syllables) > more/most arduous
professional (4 syllables) > more/most professional

Bear in mind, though, that it really is a general rule. There are, of course, exceptions.

 

[Ju]

Can I say:

1. Book A is much more interesting than Book B.

2. Exercise 1 is much easier than Exercise 2.

 

[emsr2d2]

Can I say the following?

1. Book A is much more interesting than Book B.

2. Exercise 1 is much easier than Exercise 2.

Yes.

Note my change to the opening of your post. If you just write "Can I say" and follow it with two lines of text, you've got nowhere to put the necessary question mark.

 

[Tdol]

Click here.

That's not bad advice about two-syllable adjectives.