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Study Resource: Two-syllable adjectives that can take ‘-er’ / ‘-est’ comparatives and superlatives

By: revel arroway

Most two- syllable adjectives have comparative and superlative forms like these:

more+ adjective

the most+ adjective

more anxious

the most anxious

But some can be formed by adding -er or -est to the end of the adjective:

-er

-est

yellower

yellowest

Read on to learn more!

Key to the tables below:

✅ → officially correct

❌ → officially incorrect

Forms in red are almost never used.1

Forms in gray are uncommon forms.1

Forms in white are common forms.1

Note: Sometimes forms that are technically incorrect are still used by native speakers!

1 In published writing, according to Google N-grams (2023)

Adjectives ending in ‘-y’

The table below shows the comparative forms of some common two-syllable adjectives that end in -y.

  • All two-syllable adjectives ending in -y have an -er / -est comparative and superlative form.

  • Some have a comparative with more / most.

    → The more/most forms are more acceptable with more common adjectives.
Stem
-er comparative
-est superlative
more comparative
most superlative
Notes

busy

✅ busier

✅ busiest

❌ more busy

❌ most busy

happy

✅ happier

✅ happiest

❌ more happy

❌ most happy

angry

✅ angrier

✅ angriest

✅ more angry

✅ most angry

easy

✅ easier

✅ easiest

❌ more easy

❌ most easy

likely

✅ liklier

✅ likeliest

✅ more likely

✅ most likely

heavy

✅ heavier

✅ heaviest

❌ more heavy

❌ most heavy

bloody

✅ bloodier

✅ bloodiest

❌ more bloody

❌ most bloody

more bloodyis sometimes used, but most bloodyis usually not used

sorry

✅ sorrier

✅ sorriest

✅ more sorry

✅ most sorry

sorriestis a little more common than most sorry

tiny

✅ tinier

✅ tiniest

❌ more tiny

❌ most tiny

more tinyis used, but rarely

early

✅ earlier

✅ earliest

❌ more early

❌ most early

empty

✅ emptier

✅ emptiest

❌ more empty

❌ most empty

Comparative and superlative forms are only used metaphorically (e.g. I’ve never heard an emptier argument.)

funny

✅ funnier

✅ funniest

❌ more funny

❌ most funny

lucky

✅ luckier

✅ luckiest

✅ more lucky

✅ most lucky

friendly

✅ friendlier

✅ friendliest

✅ more friendly

✅ most friendly

Before about 1980, more/most friendly was much more common

pretty

✅ prettier

✅ prettiest

❌ more pretty

❌ most pretty

fatty

✅ fattier

✅ fattiest

❌ more fatty

❌ most fatty

Before 1980, more fatty and most fatty were very common

slippery

✅ slipperier

✅ slipperiest

❌ more slippery

❌ most slippery

slipperierless common than more slippery, probably because it is more difficult to pronounce.

windy

✅ windier

✅ windiest

❌ more windy

❌ most windy

sleepy

✅ sleepier

✅ sleepiest

❌ more sleepy

❌ most sleepy

healthy

✅ healthier

✅ healthiest

✅ more healthy

✅ most healthy

healthierand healthiest are much more common

dirty

✅ dirtier

✅ dirtiest

❌ more dirty

❌ most dirty

lonely

✅ lonelier

✅ loneliest

✅ more lonely

✅ most lonely

noisy

✅ noisier

✅ noisiest

❌ more noisy

❌ most noisy

lazy

✅ lazier

✅ laziest

❌ more lazy

❌ most lazy

tricky

✅ trickier

✅ trickiest

❌ more tricky

❌ most tricky

tricky

✅ trickier

✅ trickiest

❌ more tricky

❌ most tricky

sturdy

✅ sturdier

✅ sturdiest

❌ more sturdy

❌ most sturdy

guilty

✅ guiltier

✅ guiltiest

✅ more guilty

✅ most guilty

Though not all dictionaries accept more/most guilty, they are actually slightly more common

wealthy

✅ wealthier

✅ wealthiest

✅ more wealthy

✅ most wealthy

fancy

✅ fancier

✅ fanciest

❌ more fancy

❌ most fancy

gloomy

✅ gloomier

✅ gloomiest

❌ more gloomy

❌ most gloomy

silly

✅ sillier

✅ silliest

❌ more silly

❌ most silly

More silly is used occasionally, but most silly is very rare

crazy

✅ crazier

✅ craziest

❌ more crazy

❌ most crazy

More crazyis used rarely

ugly

✅ uglier

✅ ugliest

❌ more ugly

❌ most ugly

sunny

✅ sunnier

✅ sunniest

❌ more sunny

❌ most sunny

tidy

✅ tidier

✅ tidiest

❌ more tidy

❌ most tidy

risky

✅ riskier

✅ riskiest

❌ more risky

❌ most risky

skinny

✅ skinnier

✅ skinniest

❌ more skinny

❌ most skinny

tasty

✅ tastier

✅ tastiest

❌ more tasty

❌ most tasty

thirsty

✅ thirstier

✅ thirstiest

❌ more thirsty

❌ most thirty

rainy

✅ rainier

✅ rainiest

❌ more rainy

❌ most rainy

spicy

✅ spicier

✅ spiciest

❌ more spicy

❌ most spicy

curly

✅ curlier

✅ curliest

❌ more curly

❌ most curly

messy

✅ messier

✅ messiest

❌ more messy

❌ most messy

curly

✅ curlier

✅ curliest

❌ more curly

❌ most curly

cloudy

✅ cloudier

✅ cloudiest

❌ more cloudy

❌ most cloudy

shady

✅ shadier

✅ shadiest

❌ more shady

❌ most shady

snowy

✅ snowier

✅ snowiest

❌ more snowy

❌ most snowy

most snowy is almost never used

salty

✅ saltier

✅ saltiest

❌ more salty

❌ most salty

Other adjectives

The table below illustrates some common adjectives that belong to other categories of two-syllable adjectives that can have comparatives and superlatives with -er or -est.

  • Adjective stem ends in -er

    Stem
    -er comparative
    -est superlative
    more comparative
    most superlative

    clever

    ✅ cleverer

    ✅ cleverest

    ✅ more clever

    ✅ most clever

    eager

    ✅ eagerer

    ✅ eagerest

    ✅ more eager

    ✅ most eager

    proper

    ✅ properer

    ✅ properest

    ✅ more proper

    ✅ most proper

  • Adjective stem ends in [consonant] + -le

    Stem
    -er comparative
    -est superlative
    more comparative
    most superlative
    Notes

    able

    ✅ abler

    ✅ ablest

    ❌ more able

    ❌ most able

    Even though abler/ablest are technically correct, they are less common

    little

    ✅ littler

    ✅ littlest

    ❌ more little

    ❌ most little

    noble

    ✅ nobler

    ✅ noblest

    ✅ more noble

    ✅ most noble

    humble

    ✅ humbler

    ✅ humblest

    ✅ more humble

    ✅ most humble

    gentle

    ✅ gentler

    ✅ gentlest

    ✅ more gentle

    ✅ most gentle

    simple

    ✅ simpler

    ✅ simplest

    ✅ more simple

    ✅ most simple

    purple

    ✅ purpler

    ✅ purplest

    ✅ more purple

    ✅ most purple

  • Adjective stem ends in -ow

    Stem
    -er comparative
    -est superlative
    more comparative
    most superlative
    Notes

    narrow

    ✅ narrower

    ✅ narrowest

    ❌ more narrow

    ❌ most narrow

    yellow

    ✅ yellower

    ✅ yellowest

    ✅ more yellow

    ✅ most yellow

    Yellowestis more common than most yellow

    hollow

    ✅ hollower

    ✅ hollowest

    ❌ more hollow

    ❌ most hollow

    Even though more/most hollow are not officially correct, they are quite common

    shallow

    ✅ shallower

    ✅ shallowest

    ❌ more shallow

    ❌ most shallow

  • Adjective stem ends in -el

    Stem
    -er comparative
    -est superlative
    more comparative
    most superlative
    Notes

    cruel

    ✅ crueler

    ✅ crueler

    ✅ more cruel

    ✅ most cruel

    novel

    ❌ noveler

    ❌ novelest

    ✅ more novel

    ✅ most novel

    level

    ✅ leveler

    ✅ levelest

    ❌ more level

    ❌ most level

    leveler/ levelest are spelled leveller / levellest in British English

  • Adjective stem ends in -me (with stress on the first syllable)

    Note: not all adjectives in this group have an -er/-est form!

    Stem
    -er comparative
    -est superlative
    more comparative
    most superlative

    handsome

    ✅ handsomer

    ✅ handsomer

    ✅ more handsome

    ✅ most handsome

    awesome

    ✅ awesomer

    ✅ awesomest

    ✅ more awesome

    ✅ most awesome

    extreme

    ✅ extremer

    ✅ extremest

    ✅ more extreme

    ✅ most extreme

    welcome

    ❌ welcomer

    ❌ welcomest

    ✅ more welcome

    ✅ most welcome

  • Adjective stem ends in -te

    Stem
    -er comparative
    -est superlative
    more comparative
    most superlative

    polite

    ✅ politer

    ✅ politest

    ✅ more polite

    ✅ most polite

    remote

    ✅ remoter

    ✅ remotest

    ✅ more remote

    ✅ most remote

  • Adjective stem ends in -id

    Stem
    -er comparative
    -est superlative
    more comparative
    most superlative
    Notes

    stupid

    ✅ stupider

    ✅ stupider

    ✅ more stupid

    ✅ most stupid

    humid

    ✅ humider

    ✅ humidest

    ✅ more humid

    ✅ most humid

    Dictionaries do not agree about whether the -er/-est versions exist, but they are very uncommon

    stupid

    ❌ stupider

    ❌ stupider

    ✅ more stupid

    ✅ most stupid

  • Other common adjectives with -er/-est forms

    Stem
    -er comparative
    -est superlative
    more comparative
    most superlative
    Notes

    stale

    ✅ stupider

    ✅ stupider

    ❌ more stale

    ❌ most stale

    pleasant

    ✅ pleasanter

    ✅ pleasantest

    ✅ more pleasant

    ✅ most pleasant

    common

    ✅ commoner

    ✅ commonest

    ✅ more common

    ✅ most common

    The -er/-est forms are mostly used when common means “lower-class”

    quiet

    ✅ quieter

    ✅ quietest

    ✅ more quiet

    ✅ most quiet

Tip

Check out our posts on English comparative adjectives and English superlative adjectives to learn more!

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