More / -er
Comparing the quality of two items
Adjectives
| -ER | MORE | LESS |
|---|---|---|
With a one-syllable word or a word ending in -y or -ly add the suffix -er to form a comparative phrase with than. |
With an adjective or adverb of more-than-one syllable, use more to create the comparative phrase with than. |
With an adjective or adverb of more-than-one syllable, use less to create the comparative phrase with than. |
This apple is better than that one. (good - better) |
This apple is more beautiful than that one. |
This apple is less beautiful than that one. |
This apple is redder than the other one. (red) |
This apple is more flavorful than the other one. |
This apple is less flavorful than the other one. |
This apple is heavier than that one. (heavy) |
This apple is more exceptional than that one. |
This apple is less exceptional than that one. |
This apple is uglier than that one. (ugly) |
This apple is more desirable than that one. |
This apple is less desirable than that one. |
Comparative Adjective Forms
Exceptions
Exceptions – Adjectives with -er
angry — angrier |
friendly — friendlier / more friendly |
handsome — handsomer |
good — better |
busy — busier |
gentle — gentler / more gentle |
far — farther / further |
bad — worse |
happy — happier |
little — littler |
clever — cleverer / more clever* |
little — less (noncount nouns) |
ugly — uglier |
narrow — narrower |
simple — simpler / more simple* |
few — fewer (noncount nouns - regular) |
funny — funnier |
silly — sillier |
fun — funner / more fun (see below) |
many / much — more |
Related page farther / further
Comparative Adverbs
Comparing the manner of two actions
Adverbs
| -ER | MORE | LESS |
|---|---|---|
Use -er with a one-syllable adverb that does not take the -ly ending (loud, fast, hard, etc.) |
Use more with most adverbs ending in -ly. |
Use less with most adverbs ending in -ly. |
Can you drive faster than this? |
Can you drive more rapidly than this? |
Can you drive less rapidly than this? |
On this one, you push harder on the brake than on that one. |
You push more forcefully on the brake than on that one. |
You push less forcefully on the brake than on that one. |
This car runs quieter than the other one. (informal use) |
This car runs more quietly than that one. |
This car runs less quietly than that one. |
This car warms up slower than that one. (informal use) |
This car warms up more slowly than that one. |
This car warms up less quickly than that one. |
See Adverb exceptions.
Exceptions
Comparative adverb forms
Exceptions – Adverbs with -er
bad — worse |
high — higher |
near — nearer |
easy — easier (informal) |
early — earlier |
late — later |
soon — sooner |
loud — louder (informal) |
fast — faster |
long — er |
well — better |
slow — slower (informal) |
hard — harder |
low — lower |
|
quick — quicker (informal) |
Much
Emphasizing modifiers
Adjectives – much -er / much more
| MUCH -ER | MUCH MORE |
|---|---|
Use much (an adverb) to add emphasis to the comparison word formed with -er. (also: much, far, rather, a bit, a lot) |
Use much (an adverb) to add emphasis to the comparison formed with more. (also: much, far, rather, a bit, a lot) |
ONE SYLLABLE OR SHORT WORD This apple is much redder than the other one. (red) |
— |
This apple is much riper than the other one. (red) |
— |
This apple is much tastier than the other one. (red) |
?This apple is far more tasty than the other one. |
This apple is far uglier than that one. (ugly) |
?This apple is much more ugly than that one. (ugly) |
MULTIPLE SYLLABLES — |
This apple is much more beautiful than that one. |
— |
This apple is a bit more exceptional than that one. |
— |
This apple is a lot more desirable than that one. |
Adverbs — much -er / much more -ly
| MUCH -ER | MUCH MORE |
|---|---|
Use much (an adverb) to add emphasis to the comparison word formed with -er. Note that a few adverbs have no -ly form (good-well, fast–fast, hard–hard, loud–loud or loudly) |
Use much (an adverb) to add emphasis to the comparison formed with more. (also: much, far, rather, a bit, a lot) |
ONE SYLLABLE OR SHORT WORD This apple is much better than that one. (good - better) |
*Mario runs much more better than his brother. |
Mario runs much faster than his brother. (fast–fast) |
— |
Mario works much harder than his brother. (hard–hard) |
— |
Mario speaks much louder than his brother. (loud–loud) |
Mario speaks much more loudly than his brother. (loud–loudly) |
MULTIPLE SYLLABLES *Mario runs much rapider than his brother. (rapid–rapidly) |
Mario runs much more rapidly than his brother. |
— |
Mario speaks much more quickly than his brother.. |
— |
Mario chooses his words much more thoughtfully than his brother.. |
— |
Mario speaks much more loudly than his brother.. |
*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
?borderline usage
Also see Adverbs of Manner–Other Forms (good, fast, hard, loud)
Related page: Much / More
Than I / Than Me
Shortening Comparative Clauses
Using a subject vs. an object pronoun in a reduced comparative clause
| SUBJECT PRONOUN IN CLAUSE (formal) | OBJECT PRONOUN IN PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE |
|---|---|
In formal usage, than is followed by a clause which may be reduced to a subject pronoun and optionally the auxiliary verb. The verbs are parallel (same tense). The main verb is not usually repeated after than . In formal usage, business and academic English, the subject pronoun (nominative) is preferred. |
In current linguistic analysis, than is a preposition, and a preposition may be followed by a noun, an object pronoun (accusative), or by a clause. This usage is considered informal by some. |
REDUCED CLAUSE FORM I speak five languages. You speak six languages. |
PREPOSITION + OBJECT PRONOUN
|
You are an hour late. He is thirty minutes late. |
|
We liked the movie. Chelsea loved the movie. |
|
He bought a new car this year. They bought a new car last year. |
|
He has been difficult to please. You have been difficult to please. |
|
In current linguistic analysis, than is a preposition, and a preposition may be followed by a noun, an accusative pronoun, or by a clause. (Swan 139.6, 429.2)
(CaGEL 460, 1113)
Common Mistakes
Errors and Solutions
| ERROR | FIX |
|---|---|
?There are several new electric cars on the market. Tesla is a faster car. Compared to what? |
Tesla is a fast car.
|
?I bought a prettier dress. Do you want to see it. Compared to what? |
I bought a pretty dress.
|
*Eleni and Maria are a bit shorter than me. |
Eleni and Maria are a bit shorter than I. / I am. Adding the auxiliary verb after the pronoun often helps a speaker remember that a subject pronoun is needed.
|
*I was working more quickly than he did. |
I was working more quickly than he was. [was working] |
Pop-Q "Shorter than"
*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
?Questionable usage. Could be correct in a particular context.
Grammar Notes
Language Change
This game is funner!
Fun — Noun v. Adjective
| NEW USAGE | COMPARATIVE FORM |
|---|---|
The word fun is a word that is changing in use. Originally used as a noun, it started to be used as a noun modifier and then an adjective dating to around 1850 to 1950. Currently, it is being used as an adjective along side of an earlier adjective form – funny. Both words are in use now with different meanings. |
The comparative form of fun is currently more fun; however, advertising is starting to use the expected grammatical pattern of funner. The use may change in time to the -er comparative form or it may remain frozen with the 'more' form. |
Let's have some fun. a noun This is game is fun. an adjective - informal use (amusing) This is a fun game. an adjective - informal use This is a funny game. an adjective - causes laughter, or is odd or peculiar |
*The new version is funner than the last one. causes more amusement - informal use! The new version is more fun than the last one. informal to formal use The new version is funnier than the last one. causes more laughter, or is odder
|
*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
fun. This modernish noun (first recorded in 1700 and stigmatized by Johnson as 'a low cant word') has become an informal quasi-adj., esp. in the second half of the 20C. We had a fun time, exclaims many a young person after a party, an outing, a holiday, etc., or It was a fun thing to do, meaning 'an amusing or enjoyable thing'. But it has not yet gained admission to the standard class of adjectives in that, in serious writing, it (so far) lacks a comparative and a superlative. In ordinary attributive use fun is quite frequent, esp. in funfair, the American word funfest (a gathering for the purpose of amusement), and fun run (an invention of the 1970s). — Burchfield (319)
Fun, traditionally a noun has come into vogue as an adjective — but only as a "casualism". Why has the usage changed here? Two main reasons. (1) Unlike other nouns of emotion, fun hasn't had a corresponding adjective to mean "productive of fun." Funny long ago took on other senses such as "risible" and "weird." Most other nouns of emotion have adjectives that mean "productive of" <excitement–exciting> <fear–fearful> <gloom–gloomy> <sadness–sad>. But not fun, which is among the most popular nouns of emotion.
(2) Because fun is always a mass noun, it never appears with an article. So although we may say 'This is a pleasure of a joy, we cannot say *a fun. Instead we say This is fun—and this predicate noun looks as if it might be a predicate adjective. — Garner (379)
fun A few commentators and handbooks deplore the use of fun as an adjective, several other term it informal, and a couple who dislike it themselves still note how nouns have a way of turning into adjectives in English….
The [OED] Supplement calls it as attributive use of the noun passing into an adjective and cites examples from the middle of the 19th century on, inducing this title from 1853…
As an attributive adjective, fun is not often found in elevated contexts; as a quasi-predicate adjective, it is found in all contexts. — Merriam-Webster (469-70)
Resources
Fowler's Modern English Usage. Ed. R. W. Burchfield. Rev. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. Print.
Garner, Bryan A.. Garner's Modern American Usage. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press. 2009. Print
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage (MWDEU). Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 1994.Print.
Quinion, Michael. "World Wide Words: Funner and funnest." 2009 World Wide Words: English from a British Viewpoint. 03 Dec 2009. <http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-fun1.htm>
Wiki Answers: "Why can't you say funner instead of more fun?." 2009. Answers.com. 03 Dec 2009. <http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_can't_you_say_funner_instead_of_more_fun>
Practice 1
Comparing Two Auto Models
The Smart car vs. Toyota Yaris
Read the given information (not factual) and then make a comparative statement.
- Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
- Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button.
"2010 Smart for two Comparisons" Automotive.com Web. http://www.automotive.com/2010/12/smart/fortwo/compare/index.html Sep 9 2012
Practice 2
Comparing Abilities (actions)
- Select the word or words that best complete the sentence.
- Compare your response to the answer to the right by clicking the "check" button.
Practice 3
Clause Shortening Practice
- Select the word or words that best complete the sentence.
- Compare your response to the answer to the right by clicking the "check" button.