more than do

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'more than do' is not correct and is not usable in written English.
Instead, you should use 'more than doing' or 'more than to do'. Example: She enjoyed studying more than doing her homework.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But with "Next," one copy will more than do.

The New York Times

They puzzle him even more than do American peculiarities of pronunciation.

Encyclopedia Britannica

And that confusion, he argues, threatens Turkey's stability far more than do Mr Savas's fundamentalist chimeras.

The Economist

The silence between them troubles the sociable and desperate Roland even more than do the insults.

The New Yorker

Nearly all households own a set, more than do a refrigerator.

The Economist

Grade C- but staying up and still having a club in May will more than do.

The Guardian - Sport

If Cameron wants a capable, low-key replacement for Fox, then Hammond will more than do.

The Guardian

I don't think I have an explanation more than: Do you need a little bit of luck?

The New York Times - Sports

The Russians don't care about the innocents they kill any more than do the Syrian army or Nato.

Independent

Glasgow-based companies complain about the shortage of skilled workers even more than do firms elsewhere in Britain.

The Economist

All stimulus sets contain biases in similarity measures such that grammatical test stimuli resemble training stimuli acoustically more than do non-grammatical test stimuli.

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When making comparisons, ensure the verb form after "more than" correctly matches the subject being compared. Often, using "doing" or restructuring the sentence avoids grammatical errors.

Common error

Avoid using the base form of the verb directly after "more than" when making comparisons. This often leads to grammatically incorrect sentences. For example, instead of "She likes to read more than do sports", use "She likes to read more than doing sports" or "She likes reading more than she likes doing sports".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "more than do" functions as a comparative structure, though often grammatically flawed. It attempts to establish a comparison between two actions or states, but as Ludwig AI indicates, the uncorrected phrase is not standard English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Science

28%

Encyclopedias

6%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "more than do" appears frequently across various sources, including news and media outlets, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. A better practice is to use "more than doing" or to rephrase the sentence altogether to ensure grammatical accuracy. Although common, especially in news and scientific contexts, it's advisable to avoid this phrase in formal writing to maintain credibility and clarity. Ensure proper verb usage and sentence structure when making comparisons.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more than doing

This corrects the grammar by using the gerund form, creating a valid comparison.

more than to do

This alters the sentence structure to use an infinitive, providing a grammatically correct alternative.

rather than do

This replaces "more than" with "rather than", shifting the focus to preference instead of comparison.

better than do

This expresses a preference or superiority, similar to "more than", but with a different emphasis.

more so than do

Adds emphasis to the "more than" comparison, highlighting a greater degree of difference.

exceeds what they do

This restructures the phrase to emphasize exceeding a certain action or level.

surpasses what they do

Similar to "exceeds what they do", but with a connotation of surpassing or outdoing.

greater than what they do

This is a more formal way of expressing comparison, emphasizing the difference in quantity or quality.

more than what is required

This focuses on exceeding a specific requirement or expectation.

above and beyond what they do

This indicates a significant level of exceeding expectations or actions.

FAQs

How can I fix the phrase "more than do" in a sentence?

You can correct "more than do" by using "more than doing" or restructuring the sentence to use a different verb form, such as an infinitive or a full clause. For example, instead of "She reads more than do I", you can say "She reads more than I do" or "She reads more than I read".

What's a grammatically correct alternative to "more than do" when comparing actions?

A grammatically sound alternative is to use the gerund form after "more than", like "more than doing". For instance, instead of "He enjoys hiking more than do swimming", use "He enjoys hiking more than doing swimming" or "He enjoys hiking more than swimming".

Is "more than do" considered grammatically correct in formal writing?

No, "more than do" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in formal writing. It's better to use a grammatically correct alternative such as "more than doing" or rephrase the sentence to ensure clarity and correctness.

How does "more than do" compare to "more than to do" in terms of correctness?

"More than do" is generally incorrect, while "more than to do" is a grammatically correct alternative in specific contexts where an infinitive is needed. For example: "He has more work than to do in one day".