11 The comparative and superlative of adverbs.

Question 1

You’ll have to work harder if you want to pass the exam.
Let’s see who can shoot the straightest.
Tim got to work a few minutes earlier than usual.

Answer 1

Some adverbs have the same form as adjectives. They take er/est.

Question 2

If we all help, we’ll get the job finished sooner.

Answer 2

Soon also takes er/est.

Question 3

well

I find these pills work best.

Answer 3

Comparative: better
Superlative: best

Question 4

badly

My tooth was aching worse than ever.

Answer 4

Comparative: worse
Superlative: worst

Question 5

far

Answer 5

Comparative: farther/further
Superlative: farthest/furthest

Question 6

You’ll have to draw the graph more accurately than that.
The first speaker presented his case the most convincingly.
I wish we could meet more often.

Answer 6

Other adverbs take more/most. This includes almost all adverbs in ly.

Question 7

I got the bike fairly cheap.

I got the bike fairly cheaply.

Answer 7

Some adverbs can be with or without ly

Question 8

You’ve got more cassettes than me.

Answer 8

more (= a larger number)

Question 9

They play more music at weekends.

Answer 9

more (= a larger amount)

Question 10

You’ve got the most cassettes of anyone I know.

Answer 10

most (= the largest number)

Question 11

This station plays the most music.

Answer 11

most (= the largest amount)

Question 12

I buy fewer cassettes these days.

There are fewer cars on the road in winter.

Answer 12

fewer (= a smaller number)

Question 13

There’s less music on the radio at weekends.

Answer 13

less (= a smaller amount)

Question 14

You’ve got the fewest cassettes of anyone I know.

Answer 14

fewest (= the smallest number)

Question 15

This station plays the least music.

Answer 15

least (= the smallest amount)

Question 16

Most hotels are more comfortable than motels.
Some motels are as comfortable as hotels.
Some motels are less comfortable than a modern hotel.

Answer 16

We can say that something is:
greater than,
equal to
or less than something else.

Question 17

Motels are the same as hotels.
Motels are like hotels.
Motels are similar to hotels.
Motels are not very different from hotels.

Answer 17

We can make comparisons with same, like, similar and different.

Question 18

Paris is my favorite city.

Answer 18

(= I like it best.)

Question 19

Wood is superior to plastic as a material.

Wood is preferable to plastic as a material.

Answer 19

(= better)

Question 20

The car’s speed exceeded ninety miles an hour.

Answer 20

(= was more than)

Question 21

Motels are usually less expensive than hotels.
A motel will cost you less.
The subway is the least expensive way to get around New York.
We go out less often these days.

Answer 21

Less and least are the opposites of more and most.

Question 22

It’s cheaper/less expensive.

It’s more expensive/less cheap.

Answer 22

We use less with both long and short adjectives.

Question 23

It was cold in the house, but it was less cold than outside.

Answer 23

Whether we say, for example, warmer or less cold depends on our point of view.

Question 24

It was cold, but it wasn’t as cold as outside.

Answer 24

We choose less cold here because we are talking about how cold the house was, not
how warm it was.

Question 25

Many motels are as comfortable as hotels.

My sister is as tall as me.

Answer 25

We use a positive statement with as to say that things are equal.

Question 26

as hard as iron (= very hard)

Answer 26

We can use as in idiomatic phrases.

Question 27

as light as a feather (= very light)

Answer 27

We can use as in idiomatic phrases.

Question 28

The temperature is often as high as 40 degrees.

Answer 28

(= The temperature is often 40 degrees, which is very high.)

Question 29

Some motels are not as comfortable as a good hotel.

Some motels are not so comfortable as a good hotel.

Answer 29

In a negative statement we can use either as or so.

Question 30

The place isn’t as crowded in winter.

The place isn’t so crowded in winter.

Answer 30

In a negative statement we can use either as or so.

Question 31

I don’t drink as much coffee as you do.

I don’t drink so much coffee as you do.

Answer 31

In a negative statement we can use either as or so.

Question 32

This isn’t as comfortable a hotel as the last one we stayed in.
This isn’t such a comfortable hotel as the last one we stayed in.

Answer 32

Such replaces so in a phrase with a/an.

Question 33

Copper isn’t as valuable as gold.
I came as quickly as I could.
No one scored as many points as Laura did.

Answer 33

We use as (not so) with the second item in the comparison. After as we can use a phrase or clause.

Question 34

Gold is softer than copper.

Answer 34

NOT Gold-is softer as copper.

Question 35

Going out alone is more difficult for women than for men.

Answer 35

After a comparative we can use than with a phrase or clause.

Question 36

The motel was less expensive than I had expected.
Flying is a lot quicker than going by train.
There were more people in town than usual.

Answer 36

After a comparative we can use than with a phrase or clause.

Question 37

I’m not as tall as him/as tall as he is.

The other teams played better than us/better than we did.

Answer 37

Pronouns after as and than

Question 38

I liked the last hotel we stayed in. This one isn’t so comfortable.
Gold isn’t very suitable for making tools. Copper is much harder.
It’s more difficult to find your way in the dark.

Answer 38

Comparisons without as or than

Question 39

It’s going to be the most exciting pop festival ever.
Which is the tallest building in the world?
Titan is the largest satellite of all.
It’s the most marvellous painting I’ve ever seen.
Peter is the least aggressive person I know.

Answer 39

Patterns with the superlative

Question 40

Of all Saturn’s moons, Titan is the largest.

Answer 40

An of-phrase can come in front position for emphasis.

Question 41

This building is one of the tallest in the world.

Answer 41

We sometimes use a pattern with one of/some of.

Question 42

Gold is much softer than copper.
This is by far the best method.
I’ll need a lot more paper.

Answer 42

Much bigger

Question 43

Many motels are every bit as elegant as the most modern hotels.
Many motels are just as elegant as the most modern hotels.

Answer 43

Much bigger

Question 44

The plant grew taller and taller.
The roads are getting more and more crowded.
There’s more and more traffic all the time.
The problem is becoming worse and worse.

Answer 44

We use this pattern with and to express a continuing increase.

Question 45

The longer the journey (is), the more expensive the ticket (is).

Answer 45

We use this pattern with the and a comparative to say that a change in one thing goes with a change in another.

Question 46

The further you travel, the more you pay.

Answer 46

We use this pattern with the and a comparative to say that a change in one thing goes with a change in another.

Question 47

The older you get, the more difficult it becomes to find a job.

Answer 47

We use this pattern with the and a comparative to say that a change in one thing goes with a change in another.