より～ほうが / より～のほうが

A より B ほうが says that B is more of something than A: より goes after the one that loses, ほうが after the one that wins, and the adjective comes last with no change – there is no "-er" ending. After a noun, ほう needs の. After a verb or an い-adjective it follows directly, and a な-adjective keeps な.

• × 読むのほうが簡単です → 読むほうが簡単です
• × 静かほうがいい → 静かなほうがいい

A verb is compared in the dictionary form, with no の, and each side can be a whole phrase ending in one.

Which side takes より

English names the winner first – "trains are faster than buses" – and learners who keep that order put より on the winner. より always marks the one that comes out behind.

• × 電車よりバスのほうが速い → バスより電車のほうが速い

Asking which

To ask which of two things is more, list both with と and ask with どちら, or どっち in casual speech. The answer uses のほうが and drops the より half.

Either half first

The ほうが half can come first and the より half second. The meaning does not change.

When it is already clear what you are comparing with, the より half is left out: こっちのほうがいい, "this one is better". よりも in place of より adds weight and changes nothing else.

"Not as … as"

より〜ほうが only says which side has more. To say that one side has less, use ほど and a negative: A は B ほど〜ない.

きごう〜たほうがいい, "you had better", looks similar but gives advice rather than comparing two things, and takes the た-form. It is a separate point.