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Study Resource: Two-syllable adjectives that can take ‘-er’ / ‘-est’ comparatives and superlatives
Most two- have and 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. 
| 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 superlativemore 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 superlativemore comparative
 most superlativeNotes- 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 superlativemore comparative
 most superlativeNotes- 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 superlativemore comparative
 most superlativeNotes- 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 superlativemore 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 superlativemore 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 superlativemore comparative
 most superlativeNotes- 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 superlativemore comparative
 most superlativeNotes- 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 
