Question
Updated on
27 Nov 2022
- Russian
-
English (US)
Question about English (US)
The rule for comparatives goes : these common two-syllable adjectives, you can either add –er/–r
So both ways are acceptable.(as the rule states)
More common
More cruel
More gentle
More handsome
More likely
More narrow
More pleasant
More polite
More simple
More stupid
But which way would people really use with these words ?
Would people really say ''commoner'' ''pleasanter'' ?
The rule for comparatives goes : these common two-syllable adjectives, you can either add –er/–r
So both ways are acceptable.(as the rule states)
More common
More cruel
More gentle
More handsome
More likely
More narrow
More pleasant
More polite
More simple
More stupid
But which way would people really use with these words ?
Would people really say ''commoner'' ''pleasanter'' ?
So both ways are acceptable.(as the rule states)
More common
More cruel
More gentle
More handsome
More likely
More narrow
More pleasant
More polite
More simple
More stupid
But which way would people really use with these words ?
Would people really say ''commoner'' ''pleasanter'' ?
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27 Nov 2022
Featured answer
- English (US)
- Russian
From my experience, these are more common (no pun intended :)):
- more common (never heard "commoner", unless it's a noun)
- more cruel (never heard "crueler")
- gentler (it's kind of one syllable, although "more gentle" sounds okay)
- more handsome (never heard "handsomer")
- more likely
- narrower (I think "more narrow" is okay too)
- more pleasant (never heard "pleasanter")
- more polite / politer (both are okay)
- simpler (it's kind of one syllable; I think "more simple" is okay but I don't think I've heard it)
- more stupid (I think I've heard "stupider" a couple of times but it's not as common)
You can google all of these and see how many hits you get, too.
Read more comments
- English (US)
- Russian
From my experience, these are more common (no pun intended :)):
- more common (never heard "commoner", unless it's a noun)
- more cruel (never heard "crueler")
- gentler (it's kind of one syllable, although "more gentle" sounds okay)
- more handsome (never heard "handsomer")
- more likely
- narrower (I think "more narrow" is okay too)
- more pleasant (never heard "pleasanter")
- more polite / politer (both are okay)
- simpler (it's kind of one syllable; I think "more simple" is okay but I don't think I've heard it)
- more stupid (I think I've heard "stupider" a couple of times but it's not as common)
You can google all of these and see how many hits you get, too.
- English (US)
“Commoner” and “pleasanter” definitely sound weird to me!
Even when both forms can be used, one will often be more commonly used than the other.
These are my recommendations, from my experience (keep in mind that some of them are matter of opinion):
• More common
• Crueler
• Gentler
• More handsome
• Likelier / More likely — it depends, see my example below
• Narrower
• More pleasant
• More polite / politer
• Simpler
• Stupider
“Ants are more common than assassin bugs.”
“Keeping people in suspense is crueler than telling them right away.”
“This lotion is gentler than that lotion.”
“You look even more handsome than before!”
“The dog is missing, and I don’t think he opened the door himself…”
• “Someone leaving the door open is the likelier scenario.”
• “I think it’s more likely that someone left the door open.”
“My bedroom door is narrower than the front door.”
“Reading by the fireplace sounds more pleasant than shoveling snow.”
“You could have been politer to Mark, you know.” / “You could have been more polite to Mark, you know.”
“There’s a simpler way to do that.”
“People are getting stupider and stupider!”
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