What is more? Pronunciation and usage in English

more means . Learn how to pronounce and use more through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of more

moredeterminer

/mɔː/
Definition & pronunciation of more

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "more" in English. It's a tricky one for many learners! Here's a breakdown:

The Standard Pronunciation (Most Common):

  • Sounds: /mɔːr/ (This is using the International Phonetic Alphabet - IPA)
  • Breakdown:
    • "mo": This part sounds like "moh" – vowel sound like in "toe" or "go." It's a long 'o' sound.
    • "r": This is a trilled "r." (More on this below)

The Trilled "R" - The Key to "More"

The biggest challenge for many learners is the "r" sound. It’s not like the English "r" in "red" or "run." It's a retroflex “r.” Here’s how to produce it:

  1. Tongue Position: Imagine you’re trying to say the letter "t" but don't quite touch your tongue to the roof of your mouth. Keep your tongue slightly curled backwards, almost like you're trying to touch the back of your teeth with the tip of your tongue.

  2. Airflow: As you say the "r," push a little puff of air over the back of your tongue. You should hear a quick, light ripple or vibration. It’s similar to the sound you might hear when a baby is trying to make a "g" sound.

  3. Practice: It takes some practice! Try saying words with a strong "r" like "butter" (though the English "r" is different) to get a feel for the tongue position.

Important Notes:

  • Regional Variations: The trilled "r" is more common in British English. In American English, the pronunciation is often a tap or flap "r" (similar to the "r" in “butter”). You'll hear "more" pronounced as /mɔr/ in American English, but with a single, quick tap of the tongue.

  • Listen and Imitate: The best way to learn is to listen to native speakers. You can find examples on websites like:

To summarize: Aim for /mɔːr/ with a trilled "r" (if you’re aiming for a more British pronunciation) or /mɔr/ with a tap “r” (if you’re aiming for an American pronunciation).

Would you like me to:

  • Give you some more examples of words with a trilled “r”?
  • Provide a video link demonstrating the pronunciation?

Usage and examples with the word more in English

Let's break down how to use the word "more" in English! It's a surprisingly versatile word, and understanding its different uses will really improve your fluency. Here's a breakdown, grouped by category:

1. Quantity & Amount (Most Common)

  • Adding to a Number: This is the most frequent use. You use "more" to indicate a greater quantity.

    • "I want more cookies." (I want a larger number of cookies.)
    • "Please pass me more salt." (I need a greater amount of salt.)
    • "She has more books than he does." (She possesses a larger quantity of books.)

  • With Measurements:

    • "I drink more water than juice."
    • "He earns more money now."

2. Degree/Intensity (Adjectives)

  • Modifying Adjectives: "More" intensifies the meaning of an adjective.
    • "It’s more interesting now." (It’s even more interesting than before.)
    • "She's more careful." (She's even more careful.)
    • "The weather is more pleasant today."

3. Time/Frequency

  • "More often": Describes doing something repeatedly.
    • "I go to the gym more often now."
  • "More lately": Indicates something has been happening recently.
    • “I’ve been feeling more lately stressed.”

4. Comparisons (Using "than")

  • Comparing Two Things: "More" is often used with "than" to show a difference in quantity or degree.
    • “He’s more intelligent than I am.”
    • "This car is more expensive than that one."

5. Emphasis & Restatement

  • Repeating a Word (for emphasis): Sometimes you’ll use "more" just to add a little stress.
    • “I’m tired. More tired than I thought!”

6. Phrases with "More"

  • "A lot more": Significantly more.

    • "I’ve got a lot more work to do."

  • "Much more": Similar to "a lot more," but can also emphasize a great difference in degree.

    • "The food was much more delicious this time."

  • "Any more": Asking if there is additional quantity.

    • "Do you want any more tea?"

  • "More or less": Approximately, roughly.

    • “I arrived more or less on time.”

  • “More than”: Used for emphasis, similar to "a lot more" or "much more"

    • “He’s more than just a friend.”

Important Notes & Common Mistakes:

  • Don’t use "more" before uncountable nouns when a specific quantity is needed: Instead of "I need more water," say "I need some water" or "I need a glass of water."

  • "More" vs. "Most": "More" is generally used with countable nouns. “Most” is used with uncountable nouns and plural countable nouns.

    • "I have more apples." (countable)
    • "I have most of the apples." (uncountable - all of them)
    • "I have most cars." (plural countable)

  • “The more… the better…” This is a common idiomatic expression: "The more you practice, the better you'll get."

Resources for Further Learning:

To help me give you even more specific advice, could you tell me:

  • What kind of context are you trying to use "more" in? (e.g., writing an essay, having a conversation, etc.)
  • Can you give me an example sentence you're unsure about?

Synonyms for the word more

Idioms of the word more

more and more
continuing to become larger in number or amount
  • More and more people are banking online.
  • She spends more and more time alone in her room.

Practice with vocabulary more

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. To achieve the project goals efficiently, we will need to allocate ____ funding to research and development.
  2. The committee requested ____ details regarding the proposed budget before making a final decision.
  3. This new operating system provides users with ____ control over their privacy settings compared to previous versions.
  4. Of all the proposals submitted, hers demonstrated the ____ innovative approach to problem-solving.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer (There may be multiple correct answers per question)

  1. The updated security protocol offers ____ protection against sophisticated cyber threats. a) more b) greater c) much d) most

  2. The independent audit confirmed that the financial statements were ____ accurate. a) most b) very c) sufficiently d) extremely

  3. To improve customer satisfaction, organizations need to be ____ responsive to feedback. a) more b) increasingly c) most d) much

  4. Research suggests that ____ frequent breaks throughout the workday can significantly enhance productivity. a) more b) extra c) few d) much

  5. Despite the unexpected challenges, the team delivered an ____ positive outcome for the project. a) extremely b) highly c) incredibly d) more

Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

  1. The first draft of the report was not as comprehensive as the final version.

    • Rewrite using 'more' or a related word form:

  2. We need to put in extra effort to complete the task before the deadline.

    • Rewrite without using 'more':

  3. The client expressed a need for an increase in flexibility regarding payment terms.

    • Rewrite using 'more' or a related word form:

Answer:

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. more
  2. additional / further
  3. more
  4. most

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

  1. a) more, b) greater
  2. b) very, c) sufficiently, d) extremely
  3. a) more, b) increasingly
  4. a) more, b) extra
  5. a) extremely, b) highly, c) incredibly

Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

  1. The final version of the report was more comprehensive than the first draft.
  2. We need to put in additional effort to complete the task before the deadline.
  3. The client expressed a need for more flexibility regarding payment terms.

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