An aerial view of the colorful hotels in las Vegas, including the Paris hotel and the Bellagio

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!

To embark on your next language adventure, join Mango on social!

Ready to take the next step?

The Mango Languages learning platform is designed to get you speaking like a local quickly and easily.

Mango app open on multiple devices

Learning Activities

Elevate your language-learning journey to new heights with our interactive activities.