more of/more/ less of /less

Question

Those are the ages "when children really begin making more of their own decisions I would like to ask why more of is used instead of more.How do I use more of/more/less of /less?Thank you

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Those are the ages "when children really begin making more of their own decisions

I would like to ask why more of is used instead of more.

How do I use more of/more/less of /less?

'More' can be a noun. He loves money . He wants more. He wants more of my money. He wants more of the profits. It's a noun in your original example.

'More' can also be an adjective. He wants more money.

Best wishes, Clive

MyShirley · Answer

CliveHi,

Those are the ages "when children really begin making more of their own decisions

I would like to ask why more of is used instead of more.

How do I use more of/more/less of /less?

'More' can be a noun. He loves money . He wants more. He wants more of my money. He wants more of the profits. It's a noun in your original example.

'More' can also be an adjective. He wants more money.

Best wishes, Clive

How about their meaning? more of and more have the same meaning?

Clive · Answer

Hi Myshirley,

Welcome to the Forum.

more of and more have the same meaning?

No. For a start, there's the grammatical difference I just explained. Why don't you try writing a couple of sentences, and I'll tell you if they are OK?

Best wishes, Clive

Paco2004 · Answer

Hello Clive

I am interested in Shirley's question. At first I thought that the use of "more of" in Shirley's sentence might come from a syntactic restriction that two determiners ("more" and "their" in the Shirley's sentence) cannot be put before a noun. And I thought there might be no semantic difference between "more" and "more of", as both mean "a greater number of". But reading your answer, I began to be puzzled.

Is there any semantic difference between the two below?
I have more friends in New York than here.
More of my friends live in New York than here.

paco

Clive · Answer

Hi Paco,

Is there any semantic difference between the two below?
I have more friends in New York than here.
More of my friends live in New York than here.

Well, they seem the same at first reading. However, let's try to split a few hairs.

More of my friends live in New York than here. Let's say this meaning is clear.

I have more friends in New York than here. I have 6 friends. 4 of them are visiting New York. So, this statement is true. But, they don't live there, so the meaning is different. To include the idea of living, wouldn't we have to say something like More friends of mine live in New York than here?

Now, let's look at non-countable nouns. eg More rain will fall tomorrow. or More work always brings more success. How to say these things with 'more of'?

There are other syntaxes, too. eg Mary is more beautiful than Jane. Everyday, Tom loves her more. How do you suggest we say this with 'more of'?

Best wishes, Clive

Paco2004 · Answer

CliveNow, let's look at non-countable nouns. eg More rain will fall tomorrow. or More work always brings more success. How to say these things with 'more of'?There are other syntaxes, too. eg Mary is more beautiful than Jane. Everyday, Tom loves her more. How do you suggest we say this with 'more of'?

Hi Clive

Thanks for the lecture of "more". But frankly I think I don't need to learn that sort of stuff any more.

paco2004I thought there might be no semantic difference between "more" and "more of", as both mean "a greater number of".

"I didn't mean "more of" could replace the "more"s of all kinds. I just suggested the possibility "more of" might be used for "more" in the sense of "a greater number of" (i.e., the comparative of "many"). How could we modify "my friends" with "more" without using "of"?

Best wishes,

paco

Clive · Answer

Hi again,

OK.

'More of my friends', 'More friends of mine', I suppose?

Clive

Paco2004 · Answer

Clive'More of my friends', 'More friends of mine', I suppose?

Hi Clive

Thanks again. Yes, d'accord. Because of the rule that two determiners cannot be put together, you would say either "more of my friends" or "more friends of mine". I just googled some phrases to check.
"two of my friends"/"two friends of mine" 256,000/78,100
"many of my friends"/"many friends of mine" 984,000/24,600
"more of my friends"/"more friends of mine" 55,000/1,720
"most of my friends"/"most friends of mine" 1,040,000/315

Now let's get back to Shirley's question. What I find it problematic there is that "more of X" can mean both of "a greater number of X" and "a larger portion of X". When we predicate a static state, they do not differ so much in the meaning. But when the predication is about a dynamic event as in the case of Shirley's sentence, we learners get a little puzzled at which sense the writer is using "more of X" for.
"My child is making more of his own decisions year by year."
Does "more" here imply "a greater number" or "a larger portion"?

paco

Clive · Answer

Hi Paco,

"My child is making more of his own decisions year by year."
Does "more" here imply "a greater number" or "a larger portion"?

I don't seem to have been grasping your previous questions. Nor, I'm afraid, do I do so in this case. Does 'more' here not simply mean 'a greater number'?

Clive

Paco2004 · Answer

Hello Clive

Thanks. But I feel a little like we are arguing in different planes.

Clivemore of and more have the same meaning?
No. For a start, there's the grammatical difference I just explained. Why don't you try writing a couple of sentences, and I'll tell you if they are OK?

If "more of his own decisions" in Shirley's sentence does not mean "a greater number of his own decisions", what do you think it means?

paco

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