3 simple tips to remember whether to use “more” or just add “er”

If there is one thing about grammar that trips up a lot of people up, it’s how to use the comparative and superlative properly. In other words, how do I know when to use more/most and when to simply add -er/-est?

Luckily, there is an easy, 3-part rule of thumb to remember:

  1. For 1-syllable words, just add -er/-est.
  2. For words of 3 or more syllables, use more/most.
  3. For 2-syllable words, it’s usually safe to use either method.

The last one is actually a bit more complex than that, but it will get you by.

So, have fun correcting your friends when they try to correct us for using words like funner.

By Kim Siever

I am a copywriter and copyeditor. I blog on writing and social media tips mostly, but I sometimes throw in my thoughts about running a small business. Follow me on Twitter at @hotpepper.

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