What comparison with more means
The comparative form shows that an object, state, or experience has a quality to a greater degree. We place more before the adjective: more comfortable — more comfortable.
The subject determines the direction: in The train is more comfortable than the bus, the train has the higher level of comfort. Even a grammatically correct form is wrong if it reverses the visible facts.
X + be + more + adjective + than + Y
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
The train is more comfortable than the bus.
The train is more comfortable than the bus.
Train is the first participant and has more of the quality.
This route is more dangerous after dark.
This route is more dangerous after dark.
The second state is clear from the context, so there is no than phrase.
Which adjectives reliably take more
For this rule, use common words such as interesting, expensive, difficult, dangerous, comfortable, important, convenient, reliable. They usually form the comparative with more. Careful, useful, peaceful, and powerful work the same way.
The number of syllables is a guideline, not an exception-free rule. Happy → happier, while some two-syllable adjectives allow both patterns: cleverer / more clever. Check a new word in a dictionary when necessary.
Long adjectives usually: more + base form
- V1 / base form —
- The base verb without to: work, go, be.
The second explanation is more useful than the first.
The second explanation is more useful than the first.
Useful ends in -ful and reliably forms the comparative with more.
The documentary was more interesting than the lecture.
The documentary was more interesting than the lecture.
Interesting is a long adjective; in the usual pattern, we say more interesting.
More does not change the adjective’s form
After more, use the base form of the adjective: more expensive, more careful, more reliable. Do not add -er, change the ending, or use another more.
After be, use more + adjective: The plan is more practical. The same group can follow seem, become, look, or feel, which link the subject to a characteristic.
more + base form of the adjective, without an additional -er
- V1 / base form —
- The base verb without to: work, go, be.
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
This plan seems more practical.
This plan seems more practical.
Practical remains in the base form after more.
The new system is more reliable than the old one.
The new system is more reliable than the old one.
Not reliabler and not more reliabler.
Than and the understood second participant
Than introduces what we are comparing with: more useful than the old guide, more expensive than mine. After than, we can use a noun with dependent words, a pronoun, or a clause: more useful than I expected.
Than is not needed after every form with more. If two options have already been named or are visible, it is natural to ask Which option is more practical? and answer The online option is more practical.
more + adjective (+ than + what we are comparing with)
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
The digital map is more detailed than the paper map.
The digital map is more detailed than the paper map.
Than directly connects two types of map.
Which chair is more comfortable?
Which chair is more comfortable?
Both chairs are known, so the second one is not repeated.
Questions and negatives
In a yes/no question, be moves before the subject: Is this room more comfortable? To ask for specific information, add a question word: Which route is more convenient?
To make a negative, put not after be: The basic plan is not more expensive than the standard plan. This form denies that one option has more of the quality, but by itself it does not prove that the two options are equal.
Be + X + more + adjective? / X + be + not + more + adjective
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
Is the morning flight more convenient than the evening flight?
Is the morning flight more convenient than the evening flight?
Is comes before the subject morning flight.
The new ticket is not more expensive than the old one.
The new ticket is not more expensive than the old one.
Not comes before the comparative group more expensive.
The comparative form before a noun
More + adjective can come before a noun: a more reliable service. An article or another determiner, such as this, comes before the entire group.
In this construction, the than phrase is often unnecessary if the previous option is known: We need a more practical solution. It still has a comparative meaning, rather than being simply more about quantity.
a/an/the + more + adjective + noun
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
We need a more detailed map.
We need a more detailed map.
A comes before more detailed map.
They chose the more affordable option.
They chose the more affordable option.
The determines option, while more affordable describes it.
Do not mix neighboring mechanisms
Expensive → more expensive. Short adjectives often take -er: small → smaller. Good, bad, and far have the special forms better, worse, and farther/further.
Most + adjective forms the superlative: the most dangerous — the most dangerous. For a direct comparison with than in this pattern, use more: This route is more dangerous than that one.
Choose the pattern: -er / more + adjective / special form
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
The blue sofa is more comfortable than the grey sofa.
The blue sofa is more comfortable than the grey sofa.
One mechanism: more + comfortable.
This bag is lighter, but that suitcase is more durable.
This bag is lighter, but that suitcase is more durable.
Lighter and more durable show two ways of forming the comparative.
How to check your own comparison
Check the word, its form, and its meaning: does the adjective combine with more, has the base form been kept, and is it clear who has more of the quality and what it is being compared with?
Your own comparison may sound different from the example. What matters is that it expresses your meaning accurately.
Type of adjective → form → word order → meaning of the comparison
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
Plan B is more flexible than Plan A, so it suits my schedule better.
Plan B is more flexible than Plan A, so it suits my schedule better.
The comparison directly supports the conclusion.
The cheaper hotel is less convenient, but the other hotel is more comfortable.
The cheaper hotel is less convenient, but the other hotel is more comfortable.
The referents and the different criteria remain clear.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:This ticket is expensiver than that one.
Correct:This ticket is more expensive than that one.
Expensive has three syllables and forms the comparative with more.
Incorrect:The second book is interestinger than the first.
Correct:The second book is more interesting than the first.
Do not add -er to interesting.
Incorrect:This chair is more comfortabler than that one.
Correct:This chair is more comfortable than that one.
Double marking with more + -er is not allowed.
Incorrect:This road is most dangerous than the other road.
Correct:This road is more dangerous than the other road.
In a comparison with than, use more dangerous; most forms a different construction—the superlative.
Incorrect:The new guide is more useful then the old guide.
Correct:The new guide is more useful than the old guide.
Than introduces the second participant in the comparison; then refers to time.
Incorrect:The online class more convenient than the evening class.
Correct:The online class is more convenient than the evening class.
In the basic structure, be is needed between the subject and the comparative form.
Incorrect:The report is more more detailed than the summary.
Correct:The report is more detailed than the summary.
Use more only once.
Incorrect:We need more a reliable plan.
Correct:We need a more reliable plan.
The article comes before the entire group more reliable plan.
Incorrect:Is more practical this option than the first one?
Correct:Is this option more practical than the first one?
In a question, be comes before the subject, and the comparative form comes after the subject.
Incorrect:This exercise is more easier than the last one.
Correct:This exercise is easier than the last one.
Easier already means “more easy,” so do not add more.
Incorrect:This solution is more good than the old solution.
Correct:This solution is better than the old solution.
Good has the special comparative form better.
Incorrect:This chair is comfortable more than that one.
Correct:This chair is more comfortable than that one.
Put more before the adjective comfortable.