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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > More hard-working or harder-working
More hard-working or harder-working

Malwina
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More hard-working or harder-working
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Hi! I�ve got a problem. Which one is more corrert/ or whoch one is correct more hard-working or harder-working, and please explain why:)
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19 Nov 2008
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Tere-arg
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Comparative: more hard-working Superlative: the most hard-working
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19 Nov 2008
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mamamima
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i agree with tere. "harder- working" does not seem to be the comparative of the whole compound |
19 Nov 2008
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igof
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Hi Malwina...
I have to agree with Tere. If we apply the rule for adjectives with more than two silables, and in this case it is a compound adjective I believe we need to form the comparative with more , so we have more hard-working and the superlative would also be the most hard-working. Hope i could be of some assistance to you.
Bye
Big Hug 
Isabel |
19 Nov 2008
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Vickiii
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I am harder working than my husband. But my father is the hardest worker of them all.
That is what I would say - from just one native speaker - I would like to have support on this one. More hardworking and most hardworking sound really wrong to me. Although this is a compund word I would split it up when using as a comparative or superlative.
hope that is clearer than mud
hugs
Vickiii |
19 Nov 2008
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Tere-arg
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Hi vicki,
I think your example is not correct:
I am harder working than my husband. But my father is the hardest worker of them all.
Hard/harder/hardest
hard-working/more hard-working/most hard-working (= not my opinion, but that is what grammar says)
hard-working is a compound adjective and you are using it as two words (in red).
You may say instead:
I work harder than my husband. I am more hard-working than my husband.
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19 Nov 2008
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Vickiii
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Hi Tere,
I can see where you are coming from and yet I still stand by what I have written
More Hard-working ~ sounds really wrong.
Harder working ~ sounds right.
I am so sorry but I can not even find a grammar reference to support my argument. I am sure I am right though. neither I, nor my husband would ever say more hard-working.
I would really like to hear from some other native speakers.
Cheers
V |
19 Nov 2008
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Malwina
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Thanks for all your repilies:) I have found in some sources that more hard-working is correct and in one grammar book harder-working:) To me harder-working sounds better:) I don�t think the number of syllables matters here since the comparative of good-looking is better-looking;)
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20 Nov 2008
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puspita
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Hi everyone, I must say that I find this thread quite interesting.
Malwina, I thought good is �an irregular� adjective like bad, so it doesn�t follow the rule. (?) I mean, syllables thing.
So, if both forms are correct, can I say this: hot-blooded person => more hot-blooded person? and hotter-blooded person? narrow-minded boy => more narrow-minded boy? and narrower-minded boy? easy-going lad => more easy-going lad? and easier-going lad?
Zora, from the link you gave I got the impression that the tax is for working students who happened to be the poorest... so it�s not about students who performed badly (?) And the tax policy would give the hardest hit to these students (?) ....
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21 Nov 2008
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Zora
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Hi puspita,
Just one thing to mention here, I think the problem some are having with words like "hard working" is that some of you hyphenate it, when the word can be written without hyphens, making it seem like a "long" adjective when in fact it is (or can be) two separate words.
In fact, I do not hyphenate it, so therefore I would just add "er" and "est" whereas some of you see it as one complete word and therefore see the need to add "more" and "most".
And to answer your questions puspita:
... narrow minded, easy going and hot blooded (hot blooded sounds weird when it�s in either comparative form to me... but oh well... ) can both be formed both ways. Although, you should know something - SOMETIMES - things do not follow a certain rule simply because of it�s too hard to pronounce or sounds bad - no other reason than that. Narrow minded sort of follows that rule, it�s harder to say "narrower-minded" it better to say "more narrow minded"
Now to the article... I didn�t read it since I was looking for an "official" example of "harder/est working"... BUT I went back and had a look at it.
The article is basically about the fact that "poorer students" i.e. working students who aren�t living at home... now have to pay a municipal/council tax like everybody else who resides in the town. They aren�t exempt from the tax anymore just because they are working and studying.
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21 Nov 2008
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