Core grammar for higher education − 4e druk 2017
Home | Docentenmateriaal > 25 The adjective 1
A
1 busier / more busy, 2 more famous, 3 nearer, 4 more profitable, 5 more difficult, 6 more common / commoner, 7 more modern, 8 wealthier / more wealthy, 9 narrower / more narrow
10 more useful, 11 more fragile, 12 more frequent, 13 more important, 14 dirtier / more dirty
15 more cruel / crueller, 16 more sincere / sincerer, 17 simpler / more simple, 18 unhappier / more unhappy, 19 more polite / politer, 20 more exact
B
1 further, 2 latest, 3 heavier, 4 more careful, 5 the most, 6 worse, 7 The last few months
8 latest, 9 worse
C
1 both, 2 both, 3 warmer, 4 more famous, 5 both, 6 both, 7 both, 8 two years older, 9 last novel (Dickens died in 1870), 10 more decent, 11 less and less, 12 both, 13 more correct
14 both, 15 driest, 16 both, 17 further, 18 both, 19 crueller, 20 more complex
D
1 Adjectives of one syllable take -er and -est. Adjectives of more than one syllable take more and most.
2 In ‘hotter’ the final consonant (t) is doubled because it is preceded by one stressed vowel (o). In ‘cheaper’ the final consonant is not doubled because it is preceded by two vowel letters (ea). (or: because it is not preceded by one stressed vowel).
3 When y is preceded by a consonant, it becomes i.
4 Less is used before uncountable nouns; in informal English it is also used before countable nouns. Fewer is used before countable nouns.
5 Farther can only be used with reference to distance. Further can be used with reference to distance and when the meaning is ‘additional’.
6 Elder / eldest are used to refer to the order of birth in a family. They are used before the words son, daughter, brother, sister and child.
7 His last novel: after this novel no more novels were written. His latest novel means his most recent novel.
E
1 less, 2 fewer, 3 less, 4 less, 5 fewer, 6 less, 7 less, 8 fewer, 9 fewer
F
1 little, 2 few, 3 fewer, 4 little, 5 little, 6 less
G
1 farther / further, 2 more important, 3 quieter / more quiet, 4 more expensive, 5 more difficult
6 more interesting
H
1 Today there is less wind than yesterday.
2 This method is not only more efficient but also cheaper.
3 My eldest / oldest sister is two years younger than me / than I (am).
4 (Over) The last few weeks the price of petrol / petrol price has risen / increased by 5 per cent.
5 She is always dressed in the latest fashion.
6 What is the best-known / most well-known tax haven in / of Europe?
7 Have you read his latest novel? It was published last week. / … appeared / came out last week.
8 Most families have a computer.
9 Can / Could you send us further particulars / details about the latest developments?
10 Last year fewer cars were sold. / Fewer cars … last year.
11 Fewer and fewer / Less and less people buy books.
12 In the last week of May the most shares were bought. / The most … in the last week of May.
13 There were no fewer / no less than thirty applicants.
14 Cannot you be politer / more polite?
15 The narrowest / most narrow part / stretch of the river is also the shallowest / most shallow.
16 I have (got) very little spare time / free time / leisure (time).
17 Today she is worse / more ill / sicker than yesterday.
18 (Over) The last few months we have had fewer complaints.
I
1 stronger: Adjectives of one syllable take -er and -est.
2 further: When the meaning is ‘additional’, only further can be used.
3 correct
4 many: Much is used with singular (uncountable nouns and many with plural (countable) nouns. Fewer instead of less before a countable noun: mistakes.
5 correct
6 most banks: The is not used before most when the meaning is ‘the greater part of’.
7 more complex: Adjectives of more than one syllable take more and most.
8 correct
9 correct
10 more frequent: Adjectives of more than one syllable take more and most.
11 correct
J
1 safest, 2 less, 3 least, 4 better, 5 more attractive, 6 riskiest / most risky, 7 worst, 8 more sensible / wiser
9 most aggressive, 10 most sensible / wisest