a very popular question. I get asked this all the time by students who are learning English:

when to use "-er", when to use "more" when we are comparing things, for example with

adjectives. When do I say "better", for example, or "happier" or "more expensive"? How do you

know which one to use? Okay? So it's very, very simple, okay? We're going to look at

syllables. To use "-er", we use -- sorry. We use "-er"

with words that have one or two syllables. We use "more" with words that have two or

more syllables. Now, before I explain that, what are syllables?

"Syllables" are vowel sounds in a word, okay? They're not the number of vowels; they're

the number of vowel sounds. But first, what is a "vowel"?

Just in case you're not familiar: A, E, I, O, U; these are the vowels in English. Consonants

are B, C, D, F, G, and so on. Keep in mind "Y" is a consonant even though it sounds often

like a vowel. Okay, so back to syllables. So these are the

vowel sounds. So for example, the word "cat". How many vowel sounds are in the word "cat"?

One: "ah" -- "cat". Keep in mind -- here's another one-syllable word: "leak". Two vowels,

one vowel sound, "leak", "eeee", okay? Can you think of a two-syllable word? How

do you feel right now? I bet you feel "happy". I'm sure you feel happy because you're watching

www.engvid.com, right? "Happy". The two vowel sounds: "ha", "py" -- sorry. My mistake. "Hap",

"py", "ah", "eeee", okay? How about a three-vowel sound word? How about

three syllables? "Beautiful". Sorry. I'm not having the best day spelling today. "Beau",

"ti", "ful". Three syllables. How about four? "Ex", "cep", "tio", "nal"

-- "exceptional". Great. Very good. Okay. One more -- five. Very common word: "International".

Can you divide them up into the syllables? Try it. "In", "ter", "na", "tio", "nal" -- "international",

five syllables. So now, here we go back. We see one or two

syllables or two or more syllables. So now, you're thinking, "Okay, well if I have a two-syllable

word, I still don't know which one to use, right?" Well, here is the answer. One or two

syllables: If the word ends in "Y" -- I'll put it here. Sorry about the mess. If the

word ends in "Y", use "-er". So "happy" -- if you want to compare two things; who's happier?

Me or my friend? Then you drop the "Y"; then you put "ier". "Happier". Okay?

If the word -- the two-syllable word -- ends in a consonant, okay, then you use "more".

Okay? So "gentle" is technically a two-syllable word, but it ends in a vowel, so "gentler".

I'll think of an example of a consonant-ending word.

Now, there are, of course, exceptions. "Good" does not take "-er" or "more". "Good" becomes

"better". "Bad" becomes "worse". "Far" becomes "farther". I'll write this one down. "Far"

becomes "farther", so you have the extra addition here. "Much" becomes "more". "Little" becomes

"less", okay? Now -- oh, I put it twice. Sorry. Now, "fun" is a one-syllable word, but you

will never hear anybody say "funner". Why? Because it sounds like "funnier". So this

is an exception. We usually say "more fun". Now here's an example of a two-syllable word

that ends in a consonant, so you think "cleverer". Now, some people will say "cleverer", but

because of the "r-r" ending, it's a little bit hard to say, so many people will say "more

clever". "He is more clever than she is", okay? For example. I still can't think of

a word that ends in a consonant. "Feather". No. That's not -- it's a noun; I can't use

that. Okay. It'll come to me. I'll put it on the comments on www.engvid.com.

And if you want to practice more of these, go to www.engvid.com. There's a quiz there,

and you can practice these and come back, and we'll do some more lessons. So don't forget

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