“Freer” vs. “More Free”: Here’s The Correct Version

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Language is a funny thing. Even though it purports to have clear rules, these rules are constantly being broken or changed.

The thing that most people forget is that language is not like math. It isn’t made up of rigid rules that never change with time.

Instead, language is a living, breathing creature, one that evolves with time. And, this evolution can be attributed to the users of the language in question.

If you want to see this evolution in progress, you need not look further than how English has changed from the 1600s to present-day English, the one you and I speak.

Moreover, almost every language spoken today can be traced back to an older, more archaic form. For instance, French comes from Latin, yet Latin is a dead language today.

And, how does all of this evolution happen?

Simple. It takes place through minuscule changes that keep compounding over time, and most of these changes start off as someone breaking the “rules.”

For a clear example of how a violation of the “rules” has become the norm, we can look at the comparative form of the adjective “free” and try to answer a simple question.
 

Is the correct comparative form “freer” or “more free”?

As far as the “rules” are concerned, the correct form should be “freer.” Yet, as you might have already guessed, this isn’t necessarily the case. Today, not only is “more free” used by plenty of individuals, but it has also become the more common usage out of the two. So, the answer to our little question is that, practically speaking, both forms are correct, and which one you use depends on your own stylistic choices.
 

A closer look at the rules that govern comparatives

When do you add “-er” to the end of an adjective, and when do you use the word “more”?

Actually, there are a few rules of thumb that people learn early on, and they all depend on the length of the adjective you’re trying to expand on.

For starters, if the adjective is one syllable long, then you should use the suffix “-er.”

 

Example:

Big becomes bigger, while small becomes smaller.

 

There are six exceptions to the one-syllable rule, and they are “good,” “bad,” “far,” “little,” “many,” and “much.” If anything, these six adjectives change completely when used in their comparative forms.

 

Example:

A good pupil can get better until they are the best.

A bad teacher can get worse until they are the worst.

A far car can drive farther until it reaches the farthest distance possible from its starting point.

 

Interestingly, the adjective “little” takes on different forms depending on its meaning. “Little” can either mean “small in size” or “small amount.”

 

Example:

The little goat played with a littler one, all the while ignoring the littlest goat on the farm.

 

In this example,  “little” means “small in size.”

 

This usage may surprise as it’s not very often that people use this version of little in a comparative fashion. However, you are probably more familiar with the other usage, that of “small amount.”

I had a little amount of soup in my bowl, but he had less. And, she had the least.

As for “many” and “much,” these two adjectives actually share the same comparative form. You see, both “many” and “much” are used to talk about quantities, but while “many” is used with countable nouns, “much” is reserved for uncountable nouns.

I saw many cars pass the bridge, but she saw more. However, Adam saw the most of us.

They don’t have much water left. If you have more water, you should give them some. Susan has the most water in the village, but she won’t share it with anyone.

For two-syllable adjectives, it depends.

For many two-syllable adjectives, you can add the “-er” prefix, including most two-syllable adjectives that end in “y.”

 

Example:

A clever boy can become cleverer. And, a happy woman can become even happier. A narrow can get narrower, but a silly person should not become sillier.

 

Alternatively, some two-syllable adjectives always take “more” before them.

 

Example:

A bizarre story may turn even more bizarre. And, if someone is known to be steadfast, they can learn to be more steadfast with time.

 

So, how can you tell which two-syllable adjectives take the suffix “-er” and which ones take “more”?

Well, the best judge is experience here. You’ll just have to learn it the hard way, learning each individual word.

As for three-syllable adjectives, you always have to use “more.”

 

Example:

A difficult topic may become more difficult. And, a memorable moment may turn even more memorable.

 

It is worth pointing out that everything said about “-er” and “more” equally applies to “-est” and “most.”

 

Example:

The shy boy soon became the shiest boy in class, and the smart girl turned out to be the smartest one.

 

Alternatively, the aggressive player was the most aggressive individual on his team. Also, the confused referee was the most confused official I have ever seen.

 

How does the rule apply to “free”?

Seeing as “free” is a one-syllable adjective, the standard rule of thumb we’ve just seen says that the correct form is to add “-er” at the end of the adjective, making “freer” the correct grammatical answer.
 

The practical usage “freer” vs “more free”

Even though the rules say that we should use “freer,” people have been increasingly using “more free.” In fact, people have been using “more” with several one-syllable adjectives.

 

Example:

He enjoyed feeling more free than he had ever felt before.

The steep road was becoming even more steep.

 

This might sound off to many, but there are those who opt for this form. And, they aren’t necessarily wrong.

After all, the rules governing “-er” vs. “more” are closer to being guidelines than they would be hard and fast rules.

However, even the hard rules of grammar are sets of conventions that we all agree to follow, and should we decide to collectively change the rules, that means that the grammar would accordingly change.

More importantly, when comparing the degree of two adjectives, the use of “more” tends to be a sensible solution.

 

Example:

She’s more wise than smart.
 

So, what should you use “freer” or “more free”?

It’s entirely up to you, and whatever you choose will be a purely stylistic choice. That said, one option you might decide to go with is to use one in formal writing and use the other in informal writing and colloquial speech.

Again, it’s your call.