IS IT CORRECT? - 7 - It's more better.

All language learners around the world make mistakes. Have you ever felt your teacher’s corrections do not have a long-lasting effect? Are you frustrated that even though your teacher corrects you, once you leave the class you keep making the same mistakes? We understand how you feel and will help you eliminate mistakes you might be making. The purpose of this section is to address common mistakes many students from different countries make in English and briefly explain why they are incorrect. Once you understand why they are incorrect, it might be easier for you to avoid them!
 

 

 MISTAKE:  It’s more better.

CORRECTION:  It’s much better.

Although communicative (everyone will understand what you mean) and unambiguous (no one will be confused about what you mean), this phrase is simply incorrect English. Here is why.

If you want to compare two objects, people, animals, or ideas we need to form a comparative adjective. You probably already know that "good" is an irregular adjective, and its comparative form is "better". 

Regular adjectives follow these rules:

1)   almost all one-syllable adjectives, and some two-syllable ones need -er at the end. Example: long - longer, hard - harder, happy - happier, etc.

2)   most two-syllable adjectives and all adjectives of three or more syllables need "more" in front of them. Example: careful - more careful, important - more important, beautiful - more beautiful, etc.

YOU CANNOT use "more" to emphasize an adjective that is already comparative, like "better". For the same reason you cannot say “more longer” or “more happier”

YOU SHOULD say: It's better. or  It's much better. You will say "much better" if you want to say that you strongly prefer one of the object/people/ideas.

Feel free to e-mail me if you have other grammar questions.

Ania Necakov - Academic Coordinator NYLC Jackson Heights

ania@nylanguagecenter.com