very harder

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "very harder" is not correct in written English.
It is a grammatically incorrect combination because "harder" already implies a comparative degree, and "very" should be used with positive forms, not comparatives. Example: "This task is much harder than I expected."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

There is negative relationship between distance travelled to fetch water and per capita water consumption and accordingly a unit km increase in distance will leads to a decrease of per capital consumption by 0.59 time since it is very harder to fetch water from very far distance on back.

Environmental Systems Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Very hard.

The New York Times

"I work very hard.

The Economist

"That's very hard".

The New York Times - Arts

Very hard to know.

The New York Times

Tuesday was very hard.

Independent

2. Work very hard.

Independent

Very hard to say.

The New York Times - Arts

We worked very hard".

Independent

She cried very hard".

Independent

"Not very hard.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you intend to intensify a comparative adjective like 'harder', use adverbs such as 'much', 'significantly', or 'considerably' instead of 'very'.

Common error

Avoid using "very" with comparative adjectives (ending in '-er'). "Very" is best used with positive adjectives (e.g., "very hard"), while comparative adjectives need intensifiers like "much", "far", or "significantly".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "very harder" is an incorrect attempt to intensify a comparative adjective. Ludwig AI confirms that the correct usage involves using intensifiers like "much", "significantly", or "far" with comparative adjectives instead.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "very harder" is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI points out that it's inappropriate to use "very" with comparative adjectives; instead, use intensifiers like "much", "far", or "significantly". Although "very harder" attempts to emphasize intensity, its incorrectness undermines its effectiveness. It's best to avoid this phrase in formal writing and opt for grammatically sound alternatives to clearly and accurately convey your intended message. While examples exist of its usage in contexts like Science and News & Media, it remains non-standard.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

much harder

Uses "much" to intensify "harder", which is grammatically correct for comparative adjectives.

significantly harder

Replaces "very" with "significantly", maintaining the intensification of "harder".

considerably harder

Similar to "significantly harder", but with a slightly different nuance.

a lot harder

An informal but grammatically correct alternative to express greater difficulty.

far harder

Uses "far" as an intensifier, which is grammatically sound.

noticeably harder

Indicates that the increased difficulty is easily observed.

distinctly harder

Emphasizes a clear and definite increase in difficulty.

markedly harder

Highlights that the difficulty is noticeably different.

substantially harder

Indicates a significant degree of increased difficulty.

extremely difficult

Replaces the comparative form with an absolute adjective intensified by "extremely".

FAQs

Why is "very harder" grammatically incorrect?

"Very" is typically used to modify positive adjectives (e.g., "very difficult"), not comparative adjectives (those ending in "-er"). Using "very harder" is considered incorrect because "harder" already implies a comparison.

What are some correct alternatives to "very harder"?

Instead of "very harder", you can use phrases like "much harder", "significantly harder", or "considerably harder" to properly intensify the comparative adjective.

Is there a situation where "very" can be used with a comparative?

No, "very" should not be used directly with comparative adjectives. It's grammatically incorrect. To show intensity, rely on adverbs designed for comparatives, such as "much" or "far".

How can I remember the difference between using "very" and "much"?

Think of "very" as working with absolute qualities (e.g., "very tall", "very smart") and "much" as enhancing comparisons (e.g., "much taller", "much smarter"). This can help you avoid misusing "very" with comparatives.