Should I use Quieter or More quiet? Here’s the answer + 10 examples

Using the comparative form can be confusing for many people. You can either add “more” to the beginning of a word or add “-er” to the end of it, but is one of those ways correct and the other incorrect, or is there more to it than that?

Is It Quieter Or More Quiet?

The correct version is both “quieter” and “more quiet,” but “quieter” is the much more common variation of the two. Both are the comparative form of quiet, though it’s more natural to our ear to hear “quieter,” and sometimes “more quiet” can sound strange. However, both phrases are used interchangeably and are entirely dependent on personal preference.

Is Quieter Or More Quiet Used Differently In American English And British English?

There is no real difference between “more quiet” and “quieter” in American or British English. The only thing that might change is the personal preference of each speaker. As we’ve said, it’s more common to hear or write “quieter,” as our brains are better at accepting it.

If it helps you remember the exact rule, you should know that we use “-er” as a suffix on one-syllable words, and “more” is added to the start of three or more syllables words. Yes, we haven’t yet covered two-syllable words. Unfortunately, these are more tricky, but more often than not, you’ll be able to add the “-er” suffix again, much like in “quieter,” if you’d rather. But again, either form works just fine.

If I Am Not From Either The UK Or The US – Should I Write Quieter Or More Quiet?

But what happens to this rule if you’re not from an English-speaking country? Well, the simple answer is that it still doesn’t matter! It’s entirely dependent on how you’ve learned the English language and how you prefer to hear it. Again, saying both “quieter” and “more quiet” is acceptable, but if you prefer one over the other, we encourage you to use that.

Because it’s the comparative form, it’s more common for people to learn about them from non-English speaking countries with the “more” word added before. However, that’s dependent on the teacher.

Does The Rule Also Apply To Most Quiet Or Quietest?

The rule also applies to “most quiet” and “quietest.” However, instead of looking at the comparative form of quiet, we’re now looking at the quiet superlative. Basically, the superlative form is used to show something of the highest quality. Both “most quiet” and “quietest” are interchangeable, but it’s most common to hear “quietest” being used.

5 Examples Of How To Use More Quiet In A Sentence

Let’s look at some examples of when to use “more quiet” in a sentence so you can get an idea of how it might work. As we said, you might not like the sound of these sentences too much because our brains prefer the delivery of “quieter,” but they’re still grammatically correct.

• The school is more quiet than usual.
• The theme park is more quiet than I’ve ever seen it.
• You’re more quiet around my friends.
• I’m more quiet in a group.
• The television is more quiet than normal.

5 Examples Of How To Use Quieter In A Sentence

Now, let’s look at the same examples above, but with “quieter” in the place of “more quiet.” You should see how much better it sounds to use “quieter” instead, and it might help you understand why we’ve transitioned “more quiet” out of our normal speaking vocabulary.

• The school is quieter than usual.
• The theme park is quieter than I’ve ever seen it.
• You’re quieter around my friends.
• I’m quieter in a group.
• The television is quieter than normal.

Alternatives To Quieter Or More Quiet

To finish off, we want to give you some alternatives that you can use instead. If you’re struggling with the comparative form or don’t like using it, then don’t worry! There are plenty of words out there for you to use that will help you and keep you away from any potential mistakes.

• Hushed

A soft way to say that something is “quieter.”

• Silent

This one is more direct than saying “quieter” and is usually reserved for the “most quiet” places or things.

• Lowered

A softer way to say something is “quieter” in volume.