のほうが details
Examples
A is more … (than B) — puts the comparison's winner up front
犬と猫なら、猫のほうが好きだな。
inu to neko nara, neko no hou ga suki da na.
Between dogs and cats, I like cats better. casual
朝のほうが夜より集中できます。
asa no hou ga yoru yori shuuchuu dekimasu.
I can concentrate better in the morning than at night. neutral
メールよりお電話のほうが確実でございます。
meeru yori o denwa no hou ga kakujitsu de gozaimasu.
The telephone is more reliable than email. formal
doing X is more … — the plain verb attaches straight to ほうが, no の
バスを待つより歩くほうが早いですよ。
basu o matsu yori aruku hou ga hayai desu yo.
Walking is quicker than waiting for the bus. neutral
Formation
AのほうがBより…attaches to noun phrase (schematic)〜するほうが…attaches to plain clause
Related patterns
Similar
Same question-and-answer frame split by set size — a two-item どちら question is answered with のほうが, a set of three or more takes いちばん; 二人の中でいちばん is prescriptively wrong, and のほうが can never rank a whole set.
Two halves of one comparison frame — より marks the outdone standard, のほうが marks the winner; answers to どちらが questions take のほうが, and a bare より answer sounds clipped.
Lookalikes
The ほうが is the same word but the pattern is not — AのほうがB compares two things; たほうがいい recommends an action, and no comparison partner is on stage.