UNIT 105 Comparison (2)

A. Before comparatives you can use:

much, a lot, far (=a lot), a bit, a little, slightly (= a little)

* Let's go by car. It's much cheaper. (or It's a lot cheaper.)

* Don't go by train. It's a lot more expensive. (or It's much more expensive.)

* Could you speak a bit more slowly? (or ... speak a little more slowly?)

* This bag is slightly heavier than the other one.

* Her illness was far more serious than we thought at first. (or ... much more serious... or ... a lot more serious ... )

B. You can use any and no + comparatives (any longer/no bigger etc.):

* I've waited long enough. I'm not waiting any longer. (= not even a little longer)

* We expected their house to be very big but it's no bigger than ours. (or it isn't any bigger than ours.)

* Yesterday you said you felt ill. Do you feel any better today?

* This hotel is better than the other one and it's no more expensive.

C. Harder and harder/more and more/more and more difficult etc.

We repeat comparatives like this (... and ...) to say that something is changing continuously:

* It's becoming harder and harder to find a job.

* It's becoming more and more difficult to find a job.

* Your English is improving. It's getting better and better.

* These days more and more people are learning English.

D. The ... the better

Study these examples:

* 'What time shall we leave?' 'The sooner the better.' (= as soon as possible)

* 'What sort of box do you want? A big one?' 'Yes, the bigger the better.' (= as big as possible)

* When you're travelling, the less luggage you have to carry the better. (= it is best to have as little luggage as possible)

We also use the ... the ... (with two comparatives) to say that one thing depends on another thing:

* The warmer the weather, the better I feel. (= if the weather is warmer, I feel better)

* The sooner we leave, the sooner we will arrive.

* The younger you are, the easier it is to learn.

* The more expensive the hotel, the better the service.

* The more electricity you use, the higher your bill will be.

* The more I thought about the plan, the less I liked it.

E. Older and elder

The comparative of old is older:

* Tom looks older than he really is.

You can use elder (or older) when you talk about people in a family. You can say (my) elder brother/sister/son/daughter:

* My elder brother is a pilot. (or My older brother ...)

We say 'my elder brother' but we do not say that 'somebody is elder ...':

* My brother is older than me. (not 'elder than me')

For eldest, see Unit 107D.

EXERCISES

105.1 Use the words in brackets to complete the sentences. Use much/a bit etc. + a comparative form. Use than where necessary.

1. Her illness was _much more serious than_ we thought at first. (much/serious)

2. This bag is too small. I need something ---. (much/big)

3. I'm afraid the problem is --- it seems. (much/complicated)

4. You looked depressed this morning but you look ---now. (a bit/happy)

5. I enjoyed our visit to the museum. It was --- I expected. (far/Interesting)

6. You're driving too fast. Could you drive ---? ( a bit/slowly)

7. It's --- to learn a foreign language in the country where it is spoken. (a lot/easy)

8. I thought she was younger than me but in fact she's --- (slightly/old)

105.2 Complete the sentences using any/no + a comparative. Use than where necessary.

1. I'm fed up with waiting. I'm not waiting _any longer._

2. I'm sorry I'm a bit late but I couldn't get here ---.

3. This shop isn't expensive. The prices are --- anywhere else.

4. I must stop for a rest. I can't walk ---.

5. The traffic isn't particularly bad today. It's --- usual.

105.3 Complete the sentences using the structure in Section C (... and ...)

1. It's becoming _harder and harder_ to find a job. (hard)

2. That hole in your pullover is getting ---. (big)

3. My bags seemed to get --- as I carried them. (heavy)

4. As I waited for my interview, I became ---. (nervous)

5. As the day went on, the weather got ---. (bad)

6. Travelling is becoming ---. (expensive)

7. Since she has been in Britain, her English has got ---. (good)

8. As the conversation went on, he became ---. (talkative)

105.4 These sentences are like those in Section D. Use the word(s) in brackets (in the correct form) to complete the sentences.

1. I like warm weather. The warmer the weather, _the better I feel._ (feel)

2. I didn't really like him when we first met.

But the more I got to know him, ---. (like)

3 If you're in business, you want to make a profit.

The more goods you sell, ---. (profit)

4 It's hard to concentrate when you're tired.

The more tired you are, ---. (hard)

5. She had to wait a very long time.

The longer she waited, ---. (impatient/become)

105.5 Which is correct, older or elder? Or both of them?

1. My _older/elder_ brother is a pilot. (older and elder are both correct)

2. I'm surprised Diane is only 25. I thought she was _older/elder._

3. Ann's younger sister is still at school. Her _older/elder_ sister is a nurse.

4 Martin is _older/elder_ than his brother.

UNIT 106 Comparison (3)--as ... as/than

A. Study this example situation:

Shirley, Henry and Arthur are all millionaires. They are all very rich.

Shirley has 10 million pounds, Henry has 8 million pounds and Arthur has 2 million pounds. So:

Henry is rich.

He is richer than Arthur.

But he isn't as rich as Shirley. (= Shirley is richer than he is)

Some more examples of not as ... (as):

* Tom isn't as old as he looks. (= he looks older than he is)

* The city centre wasn't as crowded this morning as it usually is. (= it is usually more crowded)

* jenny didn't do as well in the exam as she had hoped. (= she had hoped to do better)

* 'The weather is better today, isn't it?' 'Yes, it's not as cold.' (= yesterday was colder)

* I don't know as many people as you do. (= you know more people)

You can also say 'not so. (as)':

* It's not warm but it isn't so cold as yesterday. (= ... it isn't as cold as ...)

Less ... (than) is similar to not as ... (as):

* I spent less money than you. (= I didn't spend as much money ...)

* The city centre was less crowded than usual. (= it wasn't as crowded ...)

B. You can use as ... as (but not 'so ... as') in positive sentences and in questions:

* I'm sorry I'm late. I got here as fast as I could.

* There's plenty of food. You can have as much as you like.

* Let's walk. It's just as quick as taking the bus.

* Can you send me the money as soon as possible, please?

Also: twice as ... as, three times as ... as etc.:

* Petrol is twice as expensive as it was a few years ago.

* Their house is about three times as big as ours.

C. We say the same as (not 'the same like'):

* Ann's salary is the same as mine. or Ann gets the same salary as me.

* Tom is the same age as George.

* 'What would you like to drink?' 'I'll have the same as you.'

D. Than me/than I am etc.

We usually say:

* You are taller than me. (not 'than I')

* He is not as clever as her. (not 'as she')

After than/as it is more usual to say me/him/her/them/us when there is no verb. Compare:

* You are taller than I am. but You are taller than me.

* They have more money than we have. but They have more money than us.

* I can't run as fast as he can. but I can't run as fast as him.

EXERCISES

106.1 Complete the sentences using as ... as.

1. I'm quite tall but you are taller. I'm not _as tell as you._

2. My salary is high but yours is higher. My salary isn't ---.

3. You know a bit about cars but I know more. You don't ---.

4. It's still cold but it was colder yesterday. It isn't ---.

5. I still feel a bit tired but I felt a lot more tired yesterday.

I don't ---.

6. They've lived here for quite a long time but we've lived here longer.

They haven't ---.

7. I was a bit nervous before the interview but usually I'm a lot more nervous.

I wasn't ---.

106.2 Rewrite these sentences so that they have the same meaning.

1. Jack is younger than he looks. Jack isn't _as old as he looks._

2. 1 didn't spend as much money as you. You _spent more money than me._

3. The station was nearer than I thought. The station wasn't ---.

4. The meal didn't cost as much as I expected. The meal ---.

5. I go out less than I used to. I don't ---.

6. Her hair isn't as long as it used to be. She used to ---.

7. 1 know them better than you do. You don't ---.

8. There were fewer people at this meeting than at the last one.

There weren't ---.

106.3 Complete the sentences using as ... as. Choose one of the following:

bad, comfortable, fast, long, often, quietly, soon, well, well-qualified,

1. I'm sorry I'm a bit late. I got here _as fast as_ I could.

2. It was a difficult question. I answered it --- I could.

3. 'How long can I stay with you?' 'You can stay --- you like.'

4. I need the information quickly, so please let me know --- possible.

5. I like to keep fit, so I go swimming --- I can.

6. I didn't want to wake anybody, so I came in --- I could.

In the following sentences use just as ... as.

7. I'm going to sleep on the floor. It's --- sleeping in that hard bed.

8. Why did he get the job rather than me? I'm --- him.

9. At first I thought you were nice but really you're --- everybody else.

106.4 Write sentences using the same as.

1. Sally and Kate are both 22 years old. _Sally is the same age as Kate._

2. You and I both have dark brown hair. Your hair ---.

3. I arrived at 10.25 and so did you. I ---.

4. My birthday is 5 April. Tom's birthday is 5 April too. My ---.

106.5 Complete the sentences with than... or as...

1. I can't reach as high as you. You are taller _than me._

2. He doesn't know much. I know more ---.

3. I don't work particularly hard. Most people work as hard ---.

4. We were very surprised. Nobody was more surprised ---.

5. She's not a very good player. I'm a better player ---.

6. They've been very lucky. I wish we were as lucky ---.

UNIT 107 Superlatives--the longest/the most enjoyable etc.

A. Study these examples:

What is the longest river in the world?

What was the most enjoyable holiday you've ever had?

Longest and most enjoyable are superlative forms.

B. The superlative form is ~est or most ... In general, we use ~est for short words and most ... for longer words. (The rules are the same as those for the comparative - see Unit 104.)

long -> longest, hot -> hottest, easy -> easiest, hard -> hardest

but most famous, most boring most difficult, most expensive

These adjectives are irregular:

good -> best, bad -> worst, far -> furthest

For spelling, see Appendix 6.

C. We normally use the before a superlative (the longest/the most famous etc.):

* Yesterday was the hottest day of the year.

* That film was really boring. It was the most boring film I've ever seen.

* She is a really nice person - one of the nicest people I know.

* Why does he always come to see me at the worst possible moment? Compare:

* This hotel is the cheapest in town. (superlative)

* This hotel is cheaper than all the others in town. (comparative)

D. Oldest and eldest

The superlative of old is oldest:

* That church is the oldest building in the town. (not 'the eldest')

We use eldest (or oldest) when we are talking about people in a family:

* My eldest son is 13 years old. (or My oldest son . )

* Are you the eldest in your family? (or . the oldest.

E. After superlatives we use in with places (towns, buildings etc.):

* What is the longest river in the world? (not 'of the world')

* We had a lovely room. It was one of the nicest in the hotel. (not 'of the hotel')

We also use in for organisations and groups of people (a class/team/company etc.):

* Who is the best student in the class? (not 'of the class')

We normally use of for a period of time:

* What was the happiest day of your life?

* Yesterday was the hottest day of the year.

F. We often use the present perfect (I have done) after a superlative (see also Unit 8A):

* What's the best film you've ever seen?

* That was the most delicious meal I've had for a long time.

G. Sometimes we use most + adjective to mean 'very':

* The book you lent me was most interesting. (= very interesting)

* Thank you for the money. It was most generous of you. (= very generous)

EXERCISES

107.1 Complete the sentences. Use a superlative (~est or most ... ) + a preposition.

1 It's a very nice room. It _is the nicest room in_ the hotel.

2. It's a very cheap restaurant. It's --- the town.

3. It was a very happy day. It was --- my life.

4. She's a very intelligent student. She --- the class.

5. It's a very valuable painting. It --- the gallery.

6. Spring is a very busy time for me. It --- the year.

In the following sentences use one of + a superlative + a preposition.

7 It's a very nice room. It _is one of the nicest rooms in_ the hotel.

8. He's a very rich man. He's one --- the world.

9. It's a very old castle. It --- Britain.

10. She's a very good player. She --- the team.

11. It was a very bad experience. It --- my life.

12. He's a very dangerous criminal. He --- the country.

107.2 Complete the sentences. Use a superlative (~est or most ...) or a comparative (~er or more ...).

1. We stayed at _the cheapest_ hotel in the town. (cheap)

2. Our hotel was _cheaper_ than all the others in the town. (cheap)

3. The United States is very large but Canada is ---. (large)

4. What's --- river in the world? (long)

5. He was a bit depressed yesterday but he looks --- today. (happy)

6. It was an awful day. It was --- day of my life. (bad)

7. What is --- sport in your country? (popular)

8. Everest is --- mountain in the world. It is than any other mountain. (high)

9. We had a great holiday. It was one of the --- holidays we've ever had. (enjoyable)

10. I prefer this chair to the other one. It's ---. (comfortable)

11. What's --- way of getting from here to the station? (quick)

12. Mr and Mrs Brown have got three daughters --- is 14 years old. (old)

107.3 What do you say in these situations? Use a superlative + ... ever ... Use the words given in brackets (in the correct form).

1. You've just been to the cinema. The film was extremely boring. You tell your friend: (boring/film/see) _That's the most boring film I've ever seen._

2. Your friend has just told you a joke, which you think is very funny. You say: (funny/joke/hear) That's ---.

3. You're drinking coffee with a friend. It's really good coffee. You say: (good/coffee/taste) This ---.

4. You are talking to a friend about Mary. Mary is very patient. You tell your friend about her: (patient/person/meet) She ---.

5. You have just run ten kilometres. You've never run further than this. You say to your friend: (far/run) That ---.

6. You decided to give up your job. Now you think this was a bad mistake. You say to your friend: (bad/mistake/make) It ---.

7. Your friend meets a lot of people, some of them famous. You ask your friend: (famous/person/meet?) Who ---?

UNIT 108 Word order (1)--verb + object; place and time

A. Verb + object

The verb and the object of the verb normally go together. We do not usually put other words between them:

I like children very much. (not 'l like very much children')

Did you see your friends yesterday?

Ann often plays tennis

Study these -examples. Notice how the verb and the object go together each time:

* Do you clean the house every weekend? (not 'Do you clean every weekend the house?')

* Everybody enjoyed the party very much. (not 'Everybody enjoyed very much the party')

* Our guide spoke English fluently. (not '...spoke fluently English')

* I not only lost all my money - I also lost my passport. (not 'I lost also my passport')

* At the end of the street you'll see a supermarket on your left. (not '...see on your left a supermarket')

B. Place and time

Usually the verb and the place (where?) go together:

go home, live in a city, walk to work etc.

If the verb has an object, the place comes after the verb + object:

take somebody home, meet a friend in the street

Time (when?/how often?/how long?) normally goes after place:

Tom walks to work every morning. (not 'Tom walks every morning to work')

She has been in Canada since April.

We arrived at the airport early.

Study these examples. Notice how time goes after place:

* I'm going to Paris on Monday. (not 'I'm going on Monday to Paris')

* They have lived in the same house for a long time.

* Don't be late. Make sure you're here by 8 o'clock.

* Sarah gave me a lift home after the party.

* You really shouldn't go to bed so ate.

It is often possible to put time at the beginning of the sentence:

* On Monday I'm going to Paris.

* Every morning Tom walks to work.

Some time words (for example, always/never/often) usually go with the verb in the middle of the sentence. See Unit 109.

EXERCISES

108.1 Is the word order right or wrong? Correct the ones that are wrong.

1. Everybody enjoyed the party very much. _RIGHT_

2. Tom walks every morning to work. _WRONG: to work every morning_

3. Jim doesn't like very much football. ---

4. I drink three or four cups of coffee every morning. ---

5. I ate quickly my dinner and went out. ---

6. Are you going to invite to the party a lot of people? ---

7. I phoned Tom immediately after hearing the news ---

8. Did you go late to bed last night? ---

9. Sue was here five minutes ago. Where is she now? ---

10. Did you learn a lot of things at school today? ---

11. I met on my way home a friend of mine ---

12. I fell yesterday off my bicycle ---

108.2 Put the parts of the sentence in the right order.

1. (the party/very much/everybody enjoyed) _Everybody enjoyed the party very much._

2. (we won/easily/the game) ---.

3. (quietly/the door /I closed) ---.

4. (Diane/quite well /speaks/German) ---.

5. (Tim/all the time television/watches) ---.

6. (again/please don't ask/that question) ---.

7. (football/every weekend/does Ken play?) ---.

8. (some money/I borrowed/from a friend of mine) ---.

108.3 Complete the sentences. Put the parts in the right order.

1. (for a long time/have lived /in the same house)

They _have lived in the same house for a long time._.

2. (to the bank every Friday /go) I ---.

3. (home/did you come/so late) Why ---?

4. (her car/ drives /everyday /to work) Ann ---.

5. (been/recently/to the cinema) I haven't ---.

6. (at the top of the page/your name/write) Please ---.

7. (her name/after a few minutes/remembered) I ---.

8. (around the town/all morning/walked) We ---.

9. (on Saturday night/didn't see you/at the party) I ---.

10. (some interesting books/found/in the library) We ---.

11. (the children/yesterday/to the zoo/took) Sally ---.

12. (opposite the park/a new hotel/are building) They ---.

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 2022