'less' before comparative or superlative

Writers sometimes put less in front of a word that already shows degree (an -er form or more), creating a doubled degree marker: "less taller", "less more interesting." That sounds awkward and is ungrammatical.

Below: a quick rule, clear fixes, many natural wrong/right pairs, and short drills so you can correct sentences immediately.

Quick answer

Never use "less" together with a comparative ending in -er or with "more". Use the comparative alone (shorter, better), use "less" with the base adjective (less important), or rephrase with "not as ... as".

Wrong: He is less taller than his brother.
Correct (comparative): He is shorter than his brother.
Correct (less + base, rare): He is less tall than his brother. (Prefer: He is not as tall as his brother.)

Core explanation: the conflict in one line

Less lowers degree on a base adjective (less interesting). Comparatives mark relative degree with -er or more (taller, more interesting). Putting less in front of a comparative stacks two degree markers - drop one.

If you see less before a word ending in -er or before more, delete less or rewrite.
Choose one marker: less + base, comparative alone, or not as ... as.

Grammar rules you can use immediately

Keep these simple: one-syllable adjectives usually take -er, longer adjectives use more. Use less only with the base adjective to show a lower degree. Never combine less with -er or with more.

Comparative: adjective + -er OR more + adjective + than (taller than, more careful than).
Less: less + base adjective (less expensive, less noisy).
Rephrase: not as + adjective + as (not as clear as).
Fix double markers: "less taller" → "shorter" or "not as tall as".

Real usage: workplace, classroom, and casual examples

Common sentences you might write or hear. Each wrong sentence is followed by one or two natural corrections.

Wrong (work): Our candidate is less more experienced than the other. - Correct: Our candidate is not as experienced as the other candidate.
Wrong (work): The prototype is less better at handling load. - Correct: The prototype performs worse under load.
Wrong (work): She is less more reliable on tight deadlines. - Correct: She is not as reliable on tight deadlines.
Wrong (school): This draft is less better than your first version. - Correct: This draft is worse than your first version.
Wrong (school): He is less prepared for exams than last term. - Correct: He is less prepared for the exams than last term. / He is not as prepared as he was last term.
Wrong (school): Her essay is less more persuasive than mine. - Correct: Her essay is not as persuasive as mine.
Wrong (casual): The movie was less funnier than the trailer. - Correct: The movie was less funny than the trailer suggested.
Wrong (casual): I'm less hungrier than before. - Correct: I'm less hungry than before.
Wrong (casual): She's less taller than her sister. - Correct: She's shorter than her sister.

Rewrite help: quick fixes and examples

Mini-checklist for edits: spot "less + -er" or "less + more", decide which form you need, then apply the appropriate rewrite.

Remove less if the adjective already uses -er or more.
Use less + base when you mean a lower degree without direct comparison.
Use comparative + than or not as ... as for clear comparisons.

Wrong: "He is less taller than his brother." →
Correct: "He is shorter than his brother."
Wrong: "This phone is less more expensive than the old model." →
Correct: "This phone is not as expensive as the old model."
Wrong: "She is less happiest now." →
Correct: "She is less happy now." or "She isn't as happy as she was."
Wrong: "Our plan is less better than theirs." →
Correct: "Our plan is worse than theirs."
Wrong: "My laptop is less newer than yours." →
Correct: "My laptop is older than yours." or "My laptop isn't as new as yours."
Wrong: "His work is less more detailed than expected." →
Correct: "His work is less detailed than expected." or "His work is not as detailed as expected."

Examples: wrong/right pairs to internalize the pattern

Each wrong sentence stacks degree markers; the right sentence uses one clear structure.

Wrong: He is less taller than his brother. -
Right: He is shorter than his brother.
Wrong: She is less smarter than her classmates. -
Right: She is not as smart as her classmates.
Wrong: This solution is less better than the alternative. -
Right: This solution is worse than the alternative.
Wrong: The new phone is less more expensive than the old model. -
Right: The new phone is not as expensive as the old model.
Wrong: Mount Everest is less taller than K2. -
Right: Mount Everest is taller than K2.
Wrong: She is less happiest now. -
Right: She is less happy now.
Wrong: He's less funnier than before. -
Right: He's not as funny as before.
Wrong: The report is less more complete than expected. -
Right: The report is less complete than expected. / The report is not as complete as we expected.
Wrong: My schedule is less busier this week. -
Right: My schedule is less busy this week. / My schedule is not as busy this week.

Try your own sentence

Test the entire sentence, not just the phrase. Context usually shows whether you need a simple comparative, less + base, or not as ... as.

Memory trick: one line to remember

One degree marker only. If you use less, keep the base adjective. If you use -er or more, drop less.

Say it: "Less + base" OR "comparative alone". If both appear, remove one.
Quick check: See "less" next to -er or "more"? Delete less or rewrite as "not as ... as".

Similar mistakes to watch for

These errors behave the same way: pick one comparative strategy and stick with it.

less vs fewer: Use fewer for countable nouns (fewer emails), less for uncountable or degree (less noise, less time).
double comparatives: Don't use "more better" or "less smarter" - pick "better" or "smarter".
lesser: Means "of smaller importance" (the lesser issue) and does not fix "less + comparative".
superlatives: Don't write "less tallest" - use "shorter" or "not as tall as" depending on meaning.

Wrong: She made less mistakes this year. -
Correct: She made fewer mistakes this year.
Wrong: This is lesser better. -
Correct: This is worse. / This is of lesser quality.
Wrong: He is more taller now. -
Correct: He is taller now.

Hyphenation, spacing, and quick style notes

When less forms part of a compound modifier before a noun, hyphenate: less-than-ideal. After the noun, don't hyphenate: less than ideal.

Use "less-than-ideal" before a noun: a less-than-ideal outcome.
No spaces around hyphens: less-than-ideal (not less - than - ideal).
Comparatives with -er do not need hyphens: shorter report, slower process.

Practice drills: edit these sentences (answers provided)

Rewrite each wrong sentence using a clear comparative, less + base, or not as ... as. Answers follow each item.

1) Wrong: "My phone is less newer than yours." - Answer: "My phone is older than yours." or "My phone isn't as new as yours."
2) Wrong: "This semester is less harder than last semester." - Answer: "This semester is not as hard as last semester."
3) Wrong: "His answer was less more complete." - Answer: "His answer was less complete." or "His answer was not as complete."
4) Wrong: "She is less older than him." - Answer: "She is younger than him."
5) Wrong: "The design is less better than the previous one." - Answer: "The design is worse than the previous one."
6) Wrong: "I am less hungrier now." - Answer: "I am less hungry now."

FAQ

Can you say "he is less taller"?

No. Don't put less before a comparative ending in -er. Use "he is shorter" or "he is not as tall as..."

When should I use "less" before an adjective?

Use less with the base adjective to indicate a lower degree (less expensive, less experienced). Avoid combining it with another comparative marker.

Is "less smart" the same as "not as smart as"?

"Less smart" states a lower degree. "Not as smart as" explicitly compares two things and often sounds more natural for comparisons.

What about "less" vs "fewer" vs "lesser"?

Use fewer for countable nouns (fewer errors), less for uncountable or degree (less time, less careful), and lesser to mean "of smaller importance" (the lesser issue).

Quick trick for emails before sending?

Search your draft for "less" followed by an adjective that ends in -er or by "more". If you find any, delete "less" or rewrite as "not as ... as" or convert to a single comparative.

Need a fast second check?

Paste your sentence into a writing tool that flags "less + comparative" and suggests concise rewrites. It's a quick way to catch these errors in emails, reports, and essays.