more
more — noun
1. an amount, number, or degree that is bigger than another amount or than what is
an amount, number, or degree that is bigger than another amount or than what is usual or necessary
Nikhil had saved fifty dollars, but he needed much more to buy the bicycle.
much more — noun phrase for greater quantity
The charity collected food for the village, yet more was needed each week.
more as noun subject with singular verb
Tariro looked at the portion on her plate and decided she did not want more.
The city spent four million on the park, but more went into the new library.
Leo asked for no more, saying the soup had filled him up nicely.
- less
the opposite smaller amount; used with uncountable nouns
文法句型
more + singular verb
much more
far more
no more
用法筆記
Subject of the sentence takes a singular verb when more refers to an uncountable amount: More is needed, not More are needed. For countable groups (more people), the determiner or pronoun uses a plural verb.
常見錯誤
2. an additional amount beyond what is normally expected or needed, often used in c
an additional amount beyond what is normally expected or needed, often used in contexts where something extra is supplied, produced, or consumed on top of a regular portion or count
Élise finished her drink and asked the waiter for some more.
some more — requesting an additional amount
The manager promised that more would arrive before the weekend rush.
more as subject for an additional shipment
The baker baked a dozen cookies, then made a dozen more for the party guests.
Christopher stayed at the office for two hours more after his team had left.
Adaeze read the first chapter once, then read it once more to memorise the details.
- extra
more direct adjective form; 'an extra amount'
- additional
more formal than more as a noun; 'something additional'
- less
a smaller additional amount
文法句型
some more
a little more
[number] + more
any more
用法筆記
Commonly follows numbers (two more, ten more) or the determiner some (some more). Once more and one more time are fixed expressions for repetition.
常見錯誤
3. people who hold a superior social position or a higher status within a group or
people who hold a superior social position or a higher status within a group or society
In medieval castles the more ate at the high table while servants ate below.
the more as noun for higher-ranking people
The historian studied the daily lives of both the more and the less in Tudor England.
the more and the less — fixed formal pair
In old texts the more were described as those who governed and owned the land.
The palace servants bowed when the more entered the great hall during the ceremony.
- upper class
more modern term for a high social group
- nobility
specifically the titled ruling class in historical contexts
- the less
the paired opposite: people of lower rank
文法句型
the more
the more and the less
用法筆記
Almost always used with the definite article (the more) and frequently paired with the less to contrast high and low rank. This sense is mostly found in historical writing or formal analysis of social structures; it is not used in everyday conversation.
more — adjective
1. A larger quantity, size, or degree of something when compared to something else
A larger quantity, size, or degree of something when compared to something else — for example, if you have more patience than your brother, you stay calm for longer than he can.
Bao needs more time to finish the exam than his classmates do.
more + uncountable noun + than
Kasia drank more coffee this morning than she usually drinks.
more + mass noun (coffee)
The new manager showed more patience with the team than the previous one did.
After the heavy rain, there was more water in the garden than the street.
Haruto has more homework this week than he had last week.
- less
the direct opposite when comparing amounts or degrees of uncountable things
文法句型
more + uncountable noun
more + uncountable noun + than
用法筆記
Frequently appears in than‑comparison structures to contrast two quantities or degrees. The noun that follows is always uncountable (time, patience, water, homework).
常見錯誤
2. Extra in number; beyond what is already present, available, or expected — for ex
Extra in number; beyond what is already present, available, or expected — for example, buying more chairs means adding chairs to the ones you already have.
Vikram invited more people to the party after he found a bigger room.
more + plural countable noun (people)
The librarian ordered more books for the children's reading corner this month.
Dewi set out more chairs around the dinner table before the guests arrived.
Allison asked for more details about the flight before she booked a ticket.
Mira needs more volunteers to help run the school fair next Saturday.
- additional
slightly more formal; emphasises something added on top of what exists
- further
slightly more formal; implies continuation or extra steps
- extra
implies something beyond the usual or expected number
- fewer
the direct opposite for countable items — fewer chairs, fewer people
文法句型
more + plural noun
more + plural noun + than
用法筆記
Object of the sentence is always a plural countable noun. This sense does NOT take than‑comparison naturally — when 'more + plural noun' is followed by 'than', it shifts toward sense 1. Distinguish from sense 1: if the noun can take a number (three chairs, ten books), this sense applies.
常見錯誤
more — idiom
more — adverb
1. used to say that an extra amount of something exists, happens, or is wanted beyo
used to say that an extra amount of something exists, happens, or is wanted beyond what is already present or has already been mentioned.
We need to prepare more before the guests arrive tomorrow.
Bilal wanted to learn more about how car engines work.
verb + more + about-phrase for seeking additional information
The teacher asked the class to read more during the summer break.
Yumi decided to exercise more after her yearly health checkup.
Hugo ordered two more chairs for the meeting room.
- further
more formal; often used in abstract or written contexts
- extra
used as an adjective before a noun rather than as an adverb
- additional
used as an adjective; more formal than 'more'
- less
opposite in terms of quantity or amount
文法句型
verb + more
more + noun phrase
want/need + more
用法筆記
Frequently appears after verbs such as 'need,' 'want,' 'have,' 'get,' or 'do' to indicate an additional amount. When followed by a noun, a reader may interpret it as a determiner — the boundary between adverb and determiner uses of 'more' is often unclear, but the core idea of 'in addition' remains the same.
常見錯誤
2. used after a verb to show that an action or situation happens to a greater exten
used after a verb to show that an action or situation happens to a greater extent or degree than before, than something else, or than is usual.
Meera visits her parents more since they moved closer to the city centre.
verb + more to show greater frequency
The new bakery sells more because its bread costs less than the supermarket.
Eleni spoke more after the teacher asked about her trip to Japan.
The Watanabe family travels more now that their children have grown up.
- to a greater extent
more formal, used in academic writing
- increasingly
specifically shows change over time rather than a one-time comparison
- less
the opposite degree — to a smaller extent
文法句型
verb + more
verb + more + than + noun phrase
verb + much/a lot + more
用法筆記
The action word (verb) that comes before more tells what is happening to a greater extent — visiting, selling, speaking, travelling. The comparison may be explicit (with than) or implied from context. Much more and a lot more add emphasis: She talks much more now.
常見錯誤
3. used before an adjective or adverb to form the comparative, showing that someone
used before an adjective or adverb to form the comparative, showing that someone or something has a larger amount of a particular quality than another person or thing.
This coffee tastes more bitter than the one I had yesterday.
more + adjective + than for comparing two things
Yumi found the second test more difficult than the first one.
The new train runs more quietly than the old diesel model.
Can you speak more slowly so that I can follow you?
Erik chose a more comfortable chair for his home office.
- -er form
the morphological comparative for short adjectives, e.g., 'smaller,' 'faster'
- less
used before adjectives and adverbs for a smaller degree, e.g., 'less expensive'
文法句型
more + adjective + than + noun
more + adverb + than + noun
用法筆記
Use 'more' for adjectives and adverbs with two or more syllables (e.g., 'more beautiful,' 'more carefully'). For short one-syllable adjectives, use '-er' instead ('taller,' not 'more tall'). Some two-syllable adjectives accept both forms ('more friendly' and 'friendlier').
常見錯誤
more — biographical name
1. A 17th-century English thinker who was a leading member of the Cambridge Platoni
A 17th-century English thinker who was a leading member of the Cambridge Platonist group, writing about the nature of the soul, the existence of God, and the connection between reason and religious faith.
Henry More believed the soul continues to exist after the death of the body.
Teachers of philosophy sometimes discuss Henry More as a key figure among the Cambridge Platonists.
collocation: Cambridge Platonists
The writings of Henry More explore the link between spiritual experience and logical argument.
Many 17th-century scholars, including Henry More, tried to bring science and religion together.
用法筆記
Typically referred to by full name 'Henry More' to distinguish him from other historical figures named More.
2. A 16th-century English politician and author who served as Lord Chancellor and w
A 16th-century English politician and author who served as Lord Chancellor and was executed after refusing to accept King Henry VIII as the supreme head of the Church of England.
Thomas More wrote "Utopia," a book that imagines a perfect society on an island.
notable work: Utopia
Sir Thomas More served as Lord Chancellor of England under King Henry VIII.
title: Lord Chancellor
The life of Thomas More was turned into a play and later into a film.
Historians admire Thomas More for staying true to his beliefs even when facing death.
用法筆記
Often referred to as 'Sir Thomas More' or 'Saint Thomas More' depending on context. Catholics honour him as a martyr saint.
常見錯誤
more — determiner / pronoun
1. used when the number, amount, or degree of something is bigger than another thin
used when the number, amount, or degree of something is bigger than another thing or than what existed before
Gabriel spent more time on his art project than anyone else in class.
more + noun for comparative quantity
If you need more, just tell the librarian and she will order it for you.
pronoun: 'more' standing alone as object
The company hired more workers to meet the high demand this summer.
We have more food in the fridge than we can eat this week.
Hugo asked for more coffee after finishing his first cup.
- extra
focuses on something added beyond what is normal or expected, rather than a direct comparison
- additional
more formal; emphasises something extra on top of what already exists
- further
used especially for amounts, time, or distance beyond what is already present
文法句型
more + noun
more (as pronoun)
常見錯誤
2. talking about a situation where the number or amount of something keeps growing
talking about a situation where the number or amount of something keeps growing over time
More and more families are choosing to grow their own vegetables at home.
'more and more' + noun for ongoing increase
As winter ended, more birds returned to the park each morning.
Abigail noticed more tourists arriving in the town every summer.
The school enrolled more students this year than ever before.
- increasingly
adverb form; emphasises the gradual nature of the rise
- growing
adjective; focuses on the sense of expansion over time
- less and less
the opposite progressive pattern for decreasing amounts
文法句型
more and more + noun
more + noun (progressive increase)
用法筆記
Subject is usually an event or situation that changes over time. Frequently used with time expressions like 'each year', 'every month', or 'as time goes by'. The pattern 'more and more' strongly signals this sense.
常見錯誤
more — determiner
1. used before a noun to show that an amount or number of something is greater than
used before a noun to show that an amount or number of something is greater than before or greater than what is usual or needed.
The school needs more teachers for the new term starting in September.
more + noun (uncountable/countable)
Naoko asked for more time to finish her science project before the deadline.
more + uncountable noun
This recipe calls for more sugar than the one my grandmother used to make.
Asher earned more money this month because he worked extra shifts at the hospital.
We need more chairs — there are only eight and twenty people are coming.
- extra
suggests something added beyond what is usual or expected
- additional
more formal; often used in official or business contexts
- further
suggests continuation or extension of something already begun
文法句型
more + noun
more + noun + than + noun phrase
用法筆記
Unlike 'much' or 'many', 'more' works with both countable nouns (more chairs) and uncountable nouns (more time). No 'of' is needed before the noun unless the noun is already specified (more of the money).
常見錯誤
2. used before an adjective or adverb with two or more syllables to compare two peo
used before an adjective or adverb with two or more syllables to compare two people, things, or situations, showing that one has a greater degree of a quality than the other.
Hugo is more confident now than he was at the start of the school year.
more + adjective + than
The train is a more comfortable way to travel than the bus on this route.
Tara found the second exam more difficult, but she still passed both papers.
Which city has a more interesting history — London or Tokyo?
Camila speaks French more fluently now after living in Paris for six months.
- -er (suffix)
used instead of 'more' for one-syllable adjectives
- to a greater degree
a longer, more formal way to express comparison
- less
a smaller degree of a quality; used with multi-syllable words (less expensive)
文法句型
more + adjective + than + noun phrase
more + adverb + than + noun phrase
[verb] + more + adverb + than + noun phrase
用法筆記
Only used with adjectives and adverbs of two or more syllables. For one-syllable words, add '-er' instead (smaller, faster, harder). Also avoid using 'more' with irregular comparatives such as 'better', 'worse', or 'farther'.
常見錯誤
3. used before a number or quantity to emphasize that the actual figure is surprisi
used before a number or quantity to emphasize that the actual figure is surprisingly or noticeably large, often followed by 'than'.
More than two thousand people attended the music festival in the park.
more than + number (large quantity)
The new library cost more than five million dollars to build and furnish.
Min waited for more than an hour at the clinic before seeing the doctor.
It took more than three weeks for the package to arrive from Japan.
The blue whale can weigh more than a hundred and fifty tons as an adult.
- fewer than
a smaller number (countable)
- less than
a smaller amount (uncountable or number-neutral)
文法句型
more than + number + noun
more than + quantity expression
用法筆記
The emphasis is on the speaker's surprise or the impressiveness of the number. For neutral reporting of numbers, 'over' or 'above' is a more neutral alternative. The phrase 'more than' can be shortened to 'over' in less emphatic contexts.
常見錯誤
4. used in the repeated pattern 'more and more' before an adjective or noun to show
used in the repeated pattern 'more and more' before an adjective or noun to show that something is becoming greater in amount or degree steadily over time.
The river is getting more and more polluted as factories dump waste into it.
more and more + adjective (growing degree)
More and more families are choosing to ride bicycles instead of driving cars.
more and more + noun (growing number of)
Christopher found it more and more difficult to concentrate as the afternoon wore on.
Each year, more and more tourists visit the national park during the summer season.
Life in the city has grown more and more expensive for young people.
- increasingly
more formal; a single-word alternative to 'more and more'
- progressively
formal; suggests step-by-step change
- less and less
shows a steady decrease over time
文法句型
more and more + adjective
more and more + noun phrase
get/grow + more and more + adjective
用法筆記
This sense always uses the full repeated pattern 'more and more'. A single 'more' plus an adjective (e.g., 'more expensive') creates a simple comparative and does NOT carry the 'gradual increase' meaning. For a single-word equivalent, use 'increasingly' (more formal).
常見錯誤
5. used at the start of two parallel clauses in the pattern 'the more...the more...
used at the start of two parallel clauses in the pattern 'the more...the more...' to show that as one thing increases or changes, another thing changes correspondingly in the same direction.
The more you practise the piano, the more your fingers will learn the notes.
the more [clause], the more [clause]
The more Hamza read about the history, the more he wanted to visit the country.
The more Megan explained the rules, the more confused her little brother became.
The more time Salma spent in the garden, the more flowers she decided to plant.
The more the children argued, the more tired their parents became of the noise.
- the less... the less
shows that as one thing decreases, another also decreases
文法句型
the more + [clause], the more + [clause]
the more + noun + [verb], the more + noun + [verb]
用法筆記
Both clauses must begin with 'the more' (or 'the' + comparative). The first clause states the cause or condition, and the second clause states the result. The verb can be omitted in the second clause when it is the same as the first (e.g., 'The more you eat, the fatter you get').
常見錯誤
more — pronoun
1. used on its own, without a following noun, to refer to people or items that come
used on its own, without a following noun, to refer to people or items that come on top of what is already present or has already been discussed.
Jessica had finished her homework, but more was still waiting for her brother.
more as subject referring to an uncountable noun
The kitchen had enough plates, but Hassan asked for more before the party.
more as object after a preposition
Esteban bought three mangoes, then decided to buy more at the next stall.
Some tickets were already sold out, but more became available later that evening.
Tanvi asked if there were more of the hand-painted bowls in the back room.
- extra
less formal, often used for physical items ('some extra are in the box')
- additional ones
more explicit, used when the referent is countable
- a greater amount
specifically for uncountable quantities
文法句型
more as subject (verb agrees with what more refers to)
more as object of a verb or preposition
more of + determiner + noun phrase
用法筆記
The verb after 'more' as subject is singular when 'more' refers to an uncountable amount (more is needed) and plural when it refers to countable items (more are coming). Use 'more of' only before a determiner — write 'more of the cake', not 'more of cake'.