more hard

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "more hard" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct comparative form of "hard" is "harder." Example: "This math problem is harder than the last one."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

43 human-written examples

"More hard core".

The New York Times

More hard work followed the enforced break.

The New York Times - Arts

There are a lot more hard feelings.

The New York Times

More hard losers, apply within?

The Washington Post

More hard choices for Osborne?

The Guardian - Opinion

No, more hard work will do.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

17 human-written examples

Drugs buyers are becoming more hard-nosed.

The Economist

There's also more hard-nosed analysis.

The New York Times - Food

"Germans are more hard-working than forecast.

The Guardian

Some take a more hard-line approach.

The New York Times

In politics, Maduro was more hard-nosed.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "harder" instead of "more hard" to ensure grammatical correctness. For example, say "This task requires harder work" instead of "This task requires more hard work".

Common error

Avoid using "more" with adjectives that have established comparative forms (ending in '-er'). "Hard" already has the comparative form "harder". So avoid using the expression "more hard" since this construction is grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "more hard" functions as a comparative, aiming to express a greater degree of effort, difficulty, or intensity. However, it is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI also states, the correct comparative form of "hard" is "harder."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Science

24%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "more hard" is frequently found across various sources, including news media, science, and wikis, it's grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI confirms that "harder" is the appropriate comparative form. Therefore, writers should always use "harder" or alternatives like "more difficult" or "more challenging" to ensure correctness, especially in academic and professional contexts. Despite its prevalence, relying on "more hard" is not recommended.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

harder

Direct comparative form of "hard".

more difficult

Replaces "hard" with its synonym "difficult" in the comparative form.

more challenging

Uses "challenging" as a synonym for "hard", offering a slightly different nuance.

increasingly difficult

Emphasizes a progressive increase in difficulty.

more strenuous

Suggests a greater need for effort and energy.

more arduous

Implies a task that is laborious and demanding.

more toilsome

Highlights the laboriousness and fatigue associated with the task.

more labored

Focuses on the effort and difficulty involved in a process or activity.

more intensely

Shifts the focus to the intensity of effort or application.

with greater difficulty

Expresses the concept of "hardness" through the presence of difficulty.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "more hard"?

No, the grammatically correct way to express the comparative form of "hard" is to use "harder". The phrase "more hard" is generally considered incorrect in standard English.

What's the difference between "more hard" and "harder"?

"Harder" is the correct comparative form of the adjective "hard", while "more hard" is not a standard or grammatically accepted construction in English. Always use "harder" to indicate a greater degree of hardness or difficulty.

When should I use "more difficult" instead of "harder"?

While "harder" is generally the preferred comparative form of "hard", you can use "more difficult" as an alternative, especially when you want to emphasize the complexity or challenging nature of something. However, for simplicity and directness, "harder" is usually better.

What are some alternatives to saying "more hard work"?

Instead of "more hard work", you can use phrases like "harder work", "more strenuous work", "more demanding work", or "increased effort".