Question in Comparative

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/adjectives.htm

Depends on what you're trying to say. For example, you would say "Saturn is farther from Earth than Mars, but Pluto is farthest". You could also say "Saturn is farther from Earth than Mars, but Pluto is farther". The difference between the 2 sentences is that in the first sentence, "farthest" is final ie no planet is farther from Earth than Pluto. The second sentence isn't final ie there may b

Tidus wrote: Use more/most before words that don't take an er ending. Handsome, for example, doesn't take an er ending: "Craig is more handsome than Ian".

According to the Oxford University website, the comparative of 'handsome' is 'handsomer' but I'm aware 'more handsome' is also correct.

Oxford University Google Search

My apologies. Personally I wouldn't use 'handsomer' though. It's a clumsy word.

Lots of handsomer at the NYT:

http://query.nytimes.com/search/query?query=%22handsomer%22&srchst=nyt

TidusMy apologies. Personally I wouldn't use 'handsomer' though. It's a clumsy word.

I'm right there with you. I'm very surprised to see so many citations for it.

I also think 'handsomer' is a clumsy word. A dichotomy here maybe? A difference between what people are willing to write and what they are later willing to actually try to pronounce?

YankeeI also think 'handsomer' is a clumsy word. A dichotomy here maybe? A difference between what people are willing to write and what they are later willing to actually try to pronounce?

When do we add "-er/-est" and "more/most"?

You won't go too far wrong to add -er and -est to all one-syllable adjectives, change all two-syllable adjectives in -y to -ier and -iest, and use more and most with all the others.

old, older, oldest
funny, funnier, funniest
superstitious, more supers

Marius HancuLots of handsomer at the NYT:

http://query.nytimes.com/search/query?query=%22handsomer%22&srchst=nyt

I learnt in school that it should be 'more pleasant', but I was surprised to learn many years later that