a very popular question. I get asked this all the time by students who are learning English:

是常被問到的問題，學習英文的學生總是問我：

when to use "-er", when to use "more" when we are comparing things, for example with

在比較事物時，何時使用“-er”，何時要用"more"，用形容詞來當例子

adjectives. When do I say "better", for example, or "happier" or "more expensive"? How do you

什麼時候會用"better"，"happier"，或者"more expensive"? 你怎麼

know which one to use? Okay? So it's very, very simple, okay? We're going to look at

知道該用哪個？這其實非常簡單，我們會看到

syllables. To use "-er", we use -- sorry. We use "-er"

音節。我們用"-er"的時機是

with words that have one or two syllables. We use "more" with words that have two or

遇到一個或兩個音節的字。當碰到有兩個或以上音節的字，我們會用"more"

more syllables. Now, before I explain that, what are syllables?

現在，在開始解釋文法前，什麼是音節呢？

"Syllables" are vowel sounds in a word, okay? They're not the number of vowels; they're

音節就是一個字裡的元音發音，了解嗎？這並非指母音的數量，他們

the number of vowel sounds. But first, what is a "vowel"?

是元音的數量，首先，什麼是母音

Just in case you're not familiar: A, E, I, O, U; these are the vowels in English. Consonants

假如你還不熟悉：A, E, I, O, U；這些是英文中的母音。子音

are B, C, D, F, G, and so on. Keep in mind "Y" is a consonant even though it sounds often

則是B, C, D, F, G, 等等。要留心，Y是子音，雖然它聽起來更

like a vowel. Okay, so back to syllables. So these are the

像母音。好的，回到音節。所以這些是

vowel sounds. So for example, the word "cat". How many vowel sounds are in the word "cat"?

元音。舉個例子，cat 這個字裡有幾個元音呢？

One: "ah" -- "cat". Keep in mind -- here's another one-syllable word: "leak". Two vowels,

一個："ah"-- "cat"。注意-- 這裡還有另外一個單音節的字："leak"。兩個母音，

one vowel sound, "leak", "eeee", okay? Can you think of a two-syllable word? How

一個元音發音，"leak"，"eeee"，對吧？你可以想看看有兩個音節的字嗎？

do you feel right now? I bet you feel "happy". I'm sure you feel happy because you're watching

你現在感覺如何？我敢說你一定很"happy"。因為你正在看

www.engvid.com, right? "Happy". The two vowel sounds: "ha", "py" -- sorry. My mistake. "Hap",

engvid，是吧？"Happy"，兩個元音，"ha"，"py" -- 不對，搞錯了，是"Hap"，

"py", "ah", "eeee", okay? How about a three-vowel sound word? How about

"py"， "ah"， "eeee"，懂了嗎？那麼三個音節的字呢？

three syllables? "Beautiful". Sorry. I'm not having the best day spelling today. "Beau",

"Beautiful"，抱歉啦，今天一直搞錯拼音。"Beau"，

"ti", "ful". Three syllables. How about four? "Ex", "cep", "tio", "nal"

"ti"，"ful"，三個音節。那麼四個音節的字呢？"Ex", "cep", "tio", "nal"，

-- "exceptional". Great. Very good. Okay. One more -- five. Very common word: "International".

-- "exceptional"，非常好。再來-- 五個音節。一個很常見的字： "International"

Can you divide them up into the syllables? Try it. "In", "ter", "na", "tio", "nal" -- "international",

你可以把它們用音節分割嗎？試試看， "In", "ter", "na", "tio", "nal" -- "international"，

five syllables. So now, here we go back. We see one or two

五個音節。現在，我們回到前面，我們看到一或兩個

syllables or two or more syllables. So now, you're thinking, "Okay, well if I have a two-syllable

音節，或者兩個以上的音節。現在你可能會想，如果我碰到兩個音節的

word, I still don't know which one to use, right?" Well, here is the answer. One or two

單字，我還是不知道該用哪個，對吧？答案就在這裡，一至兩個

syllables: If the word ends in "Y" -- I'll put it here. Sorry about the mess. If the

音節：如果單字以“Y”結尾--我寫在這，抱歉有點亂，如果這個

word ends in "Y", use "-er". So "happy" -- if you want to compare two things; who's happier?

單字以Y結尾，使用"-er"。所以"happy"，如果要比較倆人事物；誰比較開心？

Me or my friend? Then you drop the "Y"; then you put "ier". "Happier". Okay?

我還是我的朋友？你就去掉"Y"，加上"ier"，變成"Happier"，懂嗎？

If the word -- the two-syllable word -- ends in a consonant, okay, then you use "more".

如果這個兩音節的單字，是以母音結尾的，那麼就使用”more"

Okay? So "gentle" is technically a two-syllable word, but it ends in a vowel, so "gentler".

"gentle" 技術上來說是兩音節的字，但它是以母音結尾，所以是"gentler"

I'll think of an example of a consonant-ending word.

我會想出個以子音結尾的字

Now, there are, of course, exceptions. "Good" does not take "-er" or "more". "Good" becomes

當然，也有些例外。像"Good"就不用"-er"或者 "more"。"Good"變成

"better". "Bad" becomes "worse". "Far" becomes "farther". I'll write this one down. "Far"

"better"，而"Bad"成為"worse"。"Far" 改為 "farther"，我要把這個寫下來，"Far"

becomes "farther", so you have the extra addition here. "Much" becomes "more". "Little" becomes

變成"farther"，所以這裡加了些字。"Much"變成"more"，"Little"改成

"less", okay? Now -- oh, I put it twice. Sorry. Now, "fun" is a one-syllable word, but you

"less"，對吧？現在-- 喔我寫了兩個，抱歉。"fun"是單音節的字，但你

will never hear anybody say "funner". Why? Because it sounds like "funnier". So this

永遠不會聽到任何人說"funner"。因為這聽起來很像"funnier"，所以這

is an exception. We usually say "more fun". Now here's an example of a two-syllable word

也是個例外。我們通常會說"more fun"。現在看到兩音節單字的例子，

that ends in a consonant, so you think "cleverer". Now, some people will say "cleverer", but

以子音結尾，你可能會以為是"cleverer"，有些人是會用"cleverer"，但

because of the "r-r" ending, it's a little bit hard to say, so many people will say "more

因為 "r-r"結果很難發音，許多人會說成"more

clever". "He is more clever than she is", okay? For example. I still can't think of

clever"。"他比她來得更聰明"，對吧？舉例來說，我還是想不到

a word that ends in a consonant. "Feather". No. That's not -- it's a noun; I can't use

以子音結尾的子。"Feather"，不對，這不是-- 這是名詞；我不能用

that. Okay. It'll come to me. I'll put it on the comments on www.engvid.com.

我總會想到的，到時再將放上engvid的回應區

And if you want to practice more of these, go to www.engvid.com. There's a quiz there,

如果你想要練習更多，上engvid吧，那邊有更多測驗

and you can practice these and come back, and we'll do some more lessons. So don't forget

你也可以練習後再繼續收看，我們會有更多課程。別忘了

to check out my YouTube page and subscribe. See you then.

訂閱我的YouTube頻道，到時見