Farther is only for physical distance; further covers distance and also abstract extent, further information, further discussion. Since further does both jobs and farther does only one, further is the safer default.

Can I say “more happy”?

It is not wrong, and it turns up when the adjective is being contrasted: he was more happy than relieved. As a plain comparative, happier is what English uses, and more happy will sound odd in most sentences.

How do I compare with nouns rather than adjectives?

Use more, fewer and less. More time, fewer people, less money. Fewer goes with countables and less with uncountables, the distinction supermarket signs famously ignore.

Grammar referenceA2

Comparatives and superlatives

The short answer

Syllable count decides. One-syllable adjectives add -er and -est: taller, tallest. Three or more take more and most: more expensive, most expensive. Two-syllable adjectives go either way, with those ending in -y taking -ier and -iest. A handful are irregular.

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The rule

A comparative compares two things and a superlative singles out one from a group. Short adjectives inflect with -er and -est; long ones take more and most. The dividing line is syllable count, with two-syllable adjectives split between the two patterns and those ending in -y firmly in the inflecting group. Comparatives are followed by than, superlatives are preceded by the, and a small set of very common adjectives (good, bad, far) has irregular forms that simply have to be learned.

Form	Structure	Example
One syllable	`-er / -est`	fast → faster → the fastest
Ending in -y	`-ier / -iest`	happy → happier → the happiest
Two syllables, other	`usually more / most`	careful → more careful
Three or more	`more / most`	expensive → more expensive
Irregular	`own forms`	good → better → best, bad → worse → worst
Spelling	`short vowel doubles the consonant`	big → bigger, hot → hottest

Part 1 of 3

Which pattern

One syllable takes the endings: older, cheaper, quicker. Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y also take them, changing -y to -i: easier, busier, friendlier. Three syllables or more always take more and most.

The genuinely uncertain group is two-syllable adjectives that do not end in -y. Some take either: commoner and more common are both fine, and most prefer more: more careful, more useful, more modern. When in doubt, more is the safer choice.

This route is quicker but the other one is safer.

One syllable, so -er.

It’s the easiest option we have.

-y becomes -iest.

She’s more experienced than the rest of us.

Four syllables, so more.

Part 2 of 3

Than, the, and structures around them

Comparatives take than, not that or as: warmer than yesterday. Superlatives take the: the tallest building. Both are obligatory, and dropping the before a superlative is a frequent error.

Two further structures are worth knowing. As … as expresses equality: as expensive as the original, and the … the expresses parallel change, the more you practise, the easier it gets.

It’s cheaper than I expected.

Than, not that.

That was the worst part of the day.

The with a superlative.

The sooner we start, the better.

Parallel change.

Part 3 of 3

The irregulars, and intensifying

Six matter: good → better → best, bad → worse → worst, far → further/farther → furthest/farthest, little → less → least, much/many → more → most. They are among the most frequent words in English, so they are worth over-learning early.

Comparatives are intensified with much, far, a lot or slightly: much better, far more expensive, never with very. Very belongs with the base adjective: very good, but much better.

This draft is much better than the last one.

Much, not very.

It’s the least expensive of the three.

Least, the superlative of little.

The station is further than I thought.

Further for distance, and for abstract extent.

Mistakes to avoid

What learners actually get wrong

This one is more cheaper.
This one is cheaper.
Never combine both patterns. Cheaper is already comparative, and adding more doubles the marking, the same error as more better, which is why it sounds immediately wrong to a native ear.
It’s bigger that the other one.
It’s bigger than the other one.
Comparatives take than. That and then are both common misspellings here, and then in particular changes the sentence into nonsense about sequence.
She is very better today.
She is much better today.
Very cannot intensify a comparative. Much, far, a lot and considerably all can, and very stays with the base form: very good.
It was best day of the trip.
It was the best day of the trip.
Superlatives take the. Dropping it is common among speakers whose languages mark the superlative on the adjective alone, and it is very noticeable in writing.

Now use it

Comparatives & superlatives

-er, -est, more, most, plus the irregulars that break the pattern. Reading a rule and being able to apply it are different skills, and only one of them shows up when you speak.

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Questions

Asked and answered

Further or farther?: Farther is only for physical distance; further covers distance and also abstract extent, further information, further discussion. Since further does both jobs and farther does only one, further is the safer default.
Can I say “more happy”?: It is not wrong, and it turns up when the adjective is being contrasted: he was more happy than relieved. As a plain comparative, happier is what English uses, and more happy will sound odd in most sentences.
How do I compare with nouns rather than adjectives?: Use more, fewer and less. More time, fewer people, less money. Fewer goes with countables and less with uncountables, the distinction supermarket signs famously ignore.

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