Aug 25, 2001 08:08
22 yrs ago
14 viewers *
English term
Tork
Oftener or more often?
Non-PRO
English
Other
Sometimes simple things turn out to be a kind of a problem. Which is correct grammatically or can both be used? If so, which tends to be colloquial?
Thank you.
Tork
Thank you.
Tork
Responses
| 0 | Oftener / more often |
Flavio Ferri-Benedetti
|
| 0 | more often |
Irene Fried
|
Responses
5 mins
Flavio Ferri-Benedetti
Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland
PhD & Ita+Spa Native. Fast and precise.
Native in: Italian 
, Spanish
Works in: Spanish to Italian, Italian to Spanish, German to Spanish, and 7 more.
Selected
Oftener / more often
Dear Tork,
Michael Swan on page 122 of his "Practical English Usage" (Oxford)states this:
"Often" sometimes has comparative and superlative "oftener" and "Oftenest", but forms with "more/most" are more common.
So, both are correct, though "more often" is much more common than "oftener". I think you should use "oftener" if the text is very formal.
Hope it helps :)
Flavio
Michael Swan on page 122 of his "Practical English Usage" (Oxford)states this:
"Often" sometimes has comparative and superlative "oftener" and "Oftenest", but forms with "more/most" are more common.
So, both are correct, though "more often" is much more common than "oftener". I think you should use "oftener" if the text is very formal.
Hope it helps :)
Flavio
Reference:
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks a lot!"
13 mins
Irene Fried
Germany
Germany
Germany
Native in: German , Greek
Works in: English to German, Greek to German, French to German, and 6 more.
more often
Below please find two definitions for oftener:
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Often \Of`ten\, adv. [Compar. {Oftener}; superl. {Oftenest}.]
[Formerly also ofte, fr. oft. See {Oft}., adv.]
Frequently; many times; not seldom.
From WordNet (r) 1.6 [wn]:
oftener
adv : more often or more frequently
________
Although oftener seems also to be correct, I would use more often.
More often is also given by leo dict.(which also lists oftener), and by the PONS dictionary.
So I guess it's rather a style question and personal preference.
HTH,
Irene :-)
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Often \Of`ten\, adv. [Compar. {Oftener}; superl. {Oftenest}.]
[Formerly also ofte, fr. oft. See {Oft}., adv.]
Frequently; many times; not seldom.
From WordNet (r) 1.6 [wn]:
oftener
adv : more often or more frequently
________
Although oftener seems also to be correct, I would use more often.
More often is also given by leo dict.(which also lists oftener), and by the PONS dictionary.
So I guess it's rather a style question and personal preference.
HTH,
Irene :-)
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