Comparison of Adverbs

Adverbs, like adjectives, have comparative and superlative forms. The comparative compares two actions; the superlative compares three or more.

The logic is the same as with adjectives, but the rules for forming these degrees are different.

Three formation rules

1. Adverbs ending in -ly: more / most

Most adverbs are formed by adding -ly to an adjective. These adverbs always use more for the comparative and most for the superlative. Never add -er or -est to them.

A few more examples: quietly -- more quietly -- most quietly; slowly -- more slowly -- most slowly; efficiently -- more efficiently -- most efficiently.

2. Short adverbs (same form as the adjective): -er / -est

A small group of adverbs look exactly like their adjective counterparts: fast, hard, early, late, long, high, low, near. These form comparatives and superlatives the same way adjectives do -- by adding -er and -est.

Note that early changes its spelling: early -- earlier -- earliest (the y becomes i before the suffix).

3. Irregular forms

A few common adverbs change their form completely.

The pair farther / further is mostly interchangeable in modern English. Some speakers prefer farther for physical distance and further for abstract meanings, but both are correct in either context.

Reference table

"The" before superlative adverbs

With adjectives, the article the before a superlative is required: the tallest building. With adverbs, the is optional.

Both sentences are correct and equally natural. In everyday speech, the version without the is slightly more common; in formal writing, both appear freely.

Comparative structures

The same patterns that work with adjective comparison also apply to adverbs: as...as, less...than, the harder...the better, much / far + comparative. These structures are covered separately.

Common mistakes

Using -er / -est with -ly adverbs

Double comparatives

Wrong irregular form

Confusing adjective and adverb forms