What we compare: an action rather than an object
In I sleep more now or She worries less than before, more and less do not compare two objects or two qualities. They describe how much, how often or to what degree the verb’s action occurs. Here more/less functions as a comparative adverb modifying the verb.
This differs from the familiar pattern more + longer adjective (more expensive, more interesting), where more describes a quality, often after be. In sleeps more, the key word is verb sleep: we compare amounts of sleeping rather than separate objects or people.
Compare the positions: sleep more describes doing more sleeping; more sleep describes a greater amount of sleep. In the first phrase sleep is a verb; in the second it is a noun.
Since he started the new job, Tom sleeps more than he used to.
Since he started the new job, Tom sleeps more than he used to.
More compares the action sleep, or how much Tom sleeps, rather than an object.
She worries less than her sister.
She worries less than her sister.
Less modifies worries: the comparison concerns two people’s degree of worrying rather than their qualities.
Usual position after the verb
In neutral word order, more/less follows the verb. With a direct object (helps the team) or a verb particle (gives up), put more/less after that group rather than splitting it: helps the team more, gives up less. A following prepositional phrase can remain later, as in complains less about the schedule.
The same pattern applies to both words. More signals an increase and less a decrease, but their usual position is the same.
Subject + verb (+ direct object or particle) + more/less (+ than + comparison).
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- object / O —
- Who or what an action affects: in I read a book, a book is the object.
Experience helps more than expensive equipment.
Experience helps more than expensive equipment.
More follows helps and precedes than, rather than more helps.
He gives up less than he used to.
He gives up less than he used to.
Less follows the whole phrase gives up rather than splitting it into gives less up.
The new manager helps the team more than the last one did.
The new manager helps the team more than the last one did.
Object the team goes between the verb and more: helps the team more rather than helps more the team.
Than introduces the comparison
Than names what something is compared with. It can be followed by a noun (than money), an adverb (than before) or a clause (than she used to).
When the comparison point is understood, than is optional: I sleep more now. If you name it explicitly, introduce it: Kindness matters more than money.
Kindness matters more than money.
Kindness matters more than money.
Than + noun phrase money.
He worries less than he did last year.
He worries less than he did last year.
Than + full clause he did last year.
Less follows the same pattern as more
Learners sometimes practise only more and overlook that less follows the same position pattern: after the verb, before than. There is no separate pattern for less.
Build pairs with the same verb and opposite directions to see that the position stays the same; only the word expressing the direction changes.
We travel more than we used to.
We travel more than we used to.
More immediately follows travel.
We complain less than we used to.
We complain less than we used to.
The same structure: less occupies the position that more has in the previous sentence.
The key contrast: action versus quality
The same idea can often be expressed with a verb (he worries more) or an adjective after be (he is more worried). Both are grammatical and close in meaning, but use different constructions.
Problems arise when the two are mixed: using be for an action while treating verb worry as though it were an adjective produces is more worry. First decide whether the main meaning is carried by a verb or adjective, then place more/less accordingly.
He worries less than before.
He worries less than before.
Action: verb worry + less immediately after it.
He is less worried than before.
He is less worried than before.
Quality: be + less + adjective worried. Both sentences are correct, using different constructions.
Another related pattern: more/less before a noun
More/less can directly precede a noun to express quantity (more time, less money). They then function as determiners modifying nouns rather than adverbs modifying verbs. This is a different grammatical role and pattern.
Compare sleeps more, which measures the action sleep, with needs more sleep, which measures noun sleep. The words look the same, but their positions and roles differ.
She sleeps more than she used to.
She sleeps more than she used to.
More follows verb sleeps, comparing the amount of the action.
She needs more sleep than she used to get.
She needs more sleep than she used to get.
More precedes noun sleep, comparing a quantity. This is outside the target construction.
Negatives and questions
In a negative, auxiliary don’t/doesn’t/didn’t precedes the main verb as usual. More/less retains its usual position after the main verb, or after its direct object or particle if present.
In a question, put Do/Does/Did before the subject and use the verb’s base form after the subject: Does she sleep more? More/less keeps its normal position after the verb.
She doesn't complain more than she used to — if anything, she complains less.
She doesn't complain more than she used to — if anything, she complains less.
Doesn’t precedes complain; more/less follows complain as in an affirmative statement.
Do you sleep more now than you did as a student?
Do you sleep more now than you did as a student?
Do moves to the front; sleep more keeps its usual order.
Using the pattern in conversation
This is a natural way to discuss changes in habits, relationships, work or wellbeing. It is common in everyday conversation: I work more now; We argue less than we used to.
The aim is to describe a real or imagined change freely rather than reproduce a memorised example. Choose your own verb, topic (health, work or relationships) and way to establish the before-and-after comparison.
I've read a lot more since I started commuting by train.
I've read a lot more since I started commuting by train.
A personal situation provides a natural reason for comparison: since I started… .
He trusts new colleagues less after what happened last year.
He trusts new colleagues less after what happened last year.
Less follows trusts new colleagues: the verb and its object precede less.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:I more sleep now than I did last year.
Correct:I sleep more now than I did last year.
More is a comparative adverb modifying sleep; in this neutral sentence it follows the verb rather than preceding it.
Incorrect:She less complains about the schedule than she used to.
Correct:She complains less about the schedule than she used to.
The same principle applies to less: place it after complains rather than before it.
Incorrect:Passion matters more expensive tools.
Correct:Passion matters more than expensive tools.
Than is needed to introduce the explicitly stated comparison here. Without it, expensive tools is not linked to the comparison and the sentence becomes unclear.
Incorrect:We travel more, we used to.
Correct:We travel more than we used to.
Than links the main clause to the comparison clause; a comma alone cannot do that job.
Incorrect:He is more worry than before.
Correct:He worries more than before.
Worry is a verb here, rather than an adjective after be. Attach more to the verb (worries more) instead of inserting it after be.
Incorrect:He give up less often now.
Correct:He gives up less often now.
Present simple with he requires gives. Less often expresses lower frequency and follows gives up.
Sources
- Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries — more, adverb entry (greater degree, with I like the film more than the book; read directly during the original source review)
- Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries — less, adverb entry (smaller degree, with I read much less now than I used to; read directly during the original source review)
- Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries — less, determiner entry (less before uncountable nouns; less cars marked nonstandard, with fewer for countable plurals; read directly during the original source review)
- British Council LearnEnglish — Comparative and superlative adverbs (post-verbal more, comparison with than and I forget things more often than I used to; read directly during the original source review)
- British Council LearnEnglish — Comparative adjectives (be + comparative adjective, including more tired and more interesting, used for contrast; read directly during the original source review)