comparative adjective that can add "more" or add "-er"

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Joey_five  #355838  Thu, 26 Apr 07 03:03 AM

For my pwn experience, it seems some adjectives can take "more" or the suffix "-er" in the comparative form...eg

more stupid, stupider; more common, commoner; more politer, more polite

Is there any rules concerning the comparative and superlative forms of the adjective? Are some of the examples above are actually mistakes??

Thank you in advance.

  
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Cool Breeze  #356165  Thu, 26 Apr 07 05:51 PM
Hi Joey

1. er and est is added to nearly all monosylabic adjectives:
He is older than me/I.

2. Many disyllabic adjectives behave in the same way, especially those that end in y, ow, er or a consonant + le:
We are happier than them/they.
This is the narrowest street.
Tom is cleverer than me/I.
He asked a simpler question.

You can choose freely in many cases: commoner/more common, oftener/more often, handsomer/more handsome etc.
There is considerable variety and a tendency to use more and most even with short adjectives, especially when emphasis is needed. Very few will argue with you unless you say or write something totally exceptional: I'm tireder than you.Smile [:)]

3. Adjectives longer than two syllables form their comparatives and superlatives with more and most:
This is the most interesting book.
Is German more difficult than Arabic?

4. Adverbs ending in ly always take more and most:
He drove more slowly than us/we.

Cheers
CB
  
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