A1 Beginner Questions, comparison, future, prepositions
Comparative — short adjectives
Lesson goal. After this lesson you can compare two people or things with short adjectives, spelling -er correctly.
When to use it
- Comparing two things: Nam is taller than Minh.
- Saying which one has more of a quality
- Noting a change: Today is hotter than yesterday.
Form
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | A + be + adjective-er + than + B | Nam is taller than Minh. |
| Negative | A + be not + adjective-er + than + B | Nam isn't taller than Minh. |
| Question | Be + A + adjective-er + than + B? | Is Nam taller than Minh? |
Step by step
- Count the syllables: one syllable (or two ending in -y) takes -er.
- Add -er following the spelling table below.
- Put than before the thing you compare with.
Spelling the -er form
| Adjective ends in | How to add | Example |
|---|---|---|
| most verbs | + er | tall → taller · old → older |
| -e | + r | nice → nicer · large → larger |
| 1 syllable: consonant–vowel–consonant | double the final consonant | big → bigger · hot → hotter |
| consonant + y | drop y, + ier | happy → happier · easy → easier |
| irregular | learn by heart | good → better · bad → worse · far → further |
Examples
Nam is taller than Minh.
Today is hotter than yesterday.
This book is nicer than that one.
Maths is easier than English for me.
Ha Noi is bigger than Hue.
Her English is better than mine.
The weather is worse than yesterday.
My sister is younger than me.
Common mistakes
He is more tall than me. → He is taller than me.
Short adjectives take -er, not more. more is for long adjectives, which come at A2.
She is biger than her sister. → She is bigger than her sister.
big is consonant–vowel–consonant, so the g doubles.
Ha Noi is bigger from Hue. → Ha Noi is bigger than Hue.
Use than, not from or with. The Vietnamese phrasing pushes learners towards the wrong preposition.
Memory tip
Count the syllables first. One syllable almost always takes -er. Two syllables ending in -y take -ier. Everything else uses more — but that is for a later level.
Summary
- Short adjective + -er + than.
- Double the consonant in consonant–vowel–consonant words: big → bigger.
- Irregular: good → better · bad → worse.
Practise this lesson
Do exercises with an explanation for every question, take mini tests and track your progress on GrammUp.