Comparative: 'All the more' (Intensifier)

This grammar point functions by linking a result to a specific cause. Usually, we use all the more followed by a comparative adjective or adverb. For example, you might say someone is all the more determined. But why? The phrase demands a "why." You usually follow it up with because, as, or since. It highlights that a situation has changed or intensified due to a new piece of information. It’s not just a simple comparison like "I am taller than you." It’s a logical connection. You are saying, "Because of X, Y is now even more true." It’s a bit like a grammar traffic light. It signals to the listener that a big reason is coming up next. Yes, even native speakers get a little intimidated by this one, so mastering it puts you ahead of the curve.

1. 1Using this pattern is like following a recipe. You need the right ingredients in the right order. Here is how you build it:
2. 2Start with your subject and verb (e.g., The news was).
3. 3Add the magic phrase all the more.
4. 4Insert a comparative adjective or adverb (e.g., surprising, clearly).
5. 5Finish with the reason, usually starting with because, as, since, or for (e.g., because no one expected it).
6. 6Full sentence: The news was all the more surprising because no one expected it.
7. 7You can also use it with nouns, specifically the word reason. For example: That is all the more reason to leave early. This is a very common shortcut in daily conversation.

You should use all the more when you want to emphasize that a specific factor makes a situation even more intense. Imagine you are in a job interview. You tell the manager you have five years of experience. Then you add that you also speak three languages. The manager might say, "That makes you all the more qualified for this international role."

Here are a few real-world scenarios:

• Ordering Food: "The dessert looks all the more tempting now that I know it’s sugar-free."
• Asking Directions: "The map is all the more confusing because the street names are missing."
• Professional Praise: "Your hard work is all the more impressive since you finished the project ahead of schedule."
• Personal Growth: "The victory felt all the more sweet after so many failures."

It’s perfect for moments when you want to show that you understand the relationship between a cause and an effect. It adds a layer of logic to your emotions or observations.

Don't use all the more for simple, everyday comparisons where there is no specific "extra" reason. If you are just comparing two things, stick to more.

• Incorrect: "This apple is all the more red than that one."
• Correct: "This apple is redder than that one."

Also, avoid using it if you aren't going to provide a reason. If you just say, "She was all the more happy," your listener will be waiting for you to finish the sentence. It feels like a cliffhanger in a movie, but not the good kind. It’s also important not to use it with "absolute" adjectives. You can't be all the more dead or all the more unique. You’re either dead or you’re not. Grammar can be harsh like that!

One of the biggest traps is forgetting the comparative form. You must use a comparative word like better, faster, or more interesting.

• Mistake: It was all the more interesting because it was free. (Wait, this is actually okay, but all the more interesting is the comparative phrase itself).
• Real Mistake: It was all the more interest because... (Using a noun instead of an adjective).
• Another Mistake: It was all the more better. (This is a double comparative. Better is already comparative, so you don't need more inside it. Use all the better instead).

Think of it like a grammar seatbelt. You need to click it into the right place for it to work. If you say all the more harder, you’re basically wearing two seatbelts at once. It’s messy and unnecessary. Just say all the harder.

You might wonder how this differs from even more. They are very close cousins. Even more is general and can be used almost anywhere. All the more is more formal and specifically points to a logical reason.

• Even more: "I like you even more now."
• All the more: "I like you all the more because you are so honest."

There is also all the better. This is a specific version of our rule. You use it when a situation becomes better due to a circumstance. "If it rains, all the better—the plants need water!" It’s a bit more idiomatic and shorter.