Short Comparatives (-er) Exercises

When we compare two things using short adjectives (one syllable), we add -er to the adjective and use than after it. For example, tall becomes taller: "My brother is taller than me." This pattern works for most one-syllable adjectives: old → older, fast → faster, cheap → cheaper, long → longer. Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y also follow this rule: happy → happier, easy → easier. The adjective always comes between the two things you are comparing.

The form for questions and negatives stays the same: "Is she taller than him?" and "He isn't older than her." A common mistake is using more with short adjectives — never say "more tall," always say "taller." Remember that some short adjectives have spelling changes when you add -er: big → bigger (double the last letter), nice → nicer (drop the e). These spelling rules are practised in a separate exercise. Short comparatives appear frequently in Cambridge A2 Key and B1 Preliminary examinations.