##  [adverb comparison](/writing-tips-plus/adverb-comparison)

##  Avertissement

Ce contenu est offert en anglais seulement.

In English, adverbs fall into the category called *modifiers*. (A *modifier* is a word that either describes or limits the meaning of the word it refers to. There are two main classes of modifiers: adjectives and adverbs.)

## Adverb forms

Adverbs have three forms: positive, comparative and superlative.

The **positive** form is the adverb itself:

- Eric worked *hard* at repairing the motorcycle.
- Julia walked *slowly* along the path.

The **comparative** form is used to compare two actions:

- Eric worked *harder* than Samantha.
- Julia walked *more slowly* than Georg.

The **superlative** form is used to compare three or more actions:

- Of the group of motorcyclists, Eric worked the *hardest*.
- Julia walked the *most slowly* of all.

## Rules for forming the comparative and superlative

The **comparative** is formed in the following ways:

- For short adverbs (one syllable), add the ending ‑*er*: *faster*, *harder*.
- For longer adverbs, use *more* before the adverb: *more happily*, *more often*.

The **superlative** is formed in the following ways:

- For short adverbs (one syllable), add the ending ‑*est*: *fastest*, *hardest*.
- For longer adverbs, use *most* before the adverbs: *most happily*, *most often*.

**Note:** The adverb *early* is an exception. Although it is longer than one syllable, it forms its comparative and superlative forms by adding ‑*er* and ‑*est*: *early, earlier, earliest*.

## Irregular comparative and superlative forms

The following table shows the irregular comparative and superlative forms of five common adverbs.

Five adverbs with irregular forms
| **Positive** | **Comparative** | **Superlative** |
|---|---|---|
| badly | worse | worst |
| far | farther | farthest |
| little | less | least |
| much | more | most |
| well | better | best |

## Mistakes to avoid in using comparative and superlative adverbs

**Don’t** combine the two forms for the comparative or superlative. Use either *more* or ‑*er* (or *most* or ‑*est*), but not both:

- better (*not* more better)
- fastest (*not* most fastest)

**Don’t** use the superlative when comparing only two persons or things:

- Who threw the ball farther, Jacob or Myriam? (*not* farthest)

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## Liens connexes

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