B1 NEF unit 4-5 grammar

01 'just', 'yet', 'still' and 'already'

02 present perfect vs past simple

03 Indefinite pronouns

04 particple adejtives

05 comparatives adejtives and adverbs

05 superlative

06

B1 4A Past Perfect

01 'just', 'yet', 'still' and 'already'

01 Look at these examples to see how just, yet, still and already are used. I've just seen Sai. He's really enjoying his new job. We haven't decided what to do yet. I still haven't called Yumi to see how she is. I've already had lunch but I'll join you for coffee.

JUST

Just used with the present perfect means 'a short time before'. I've just seen Susan coming out of the cinema. Mike's just called. Can you ring him back, please? Have you just taken my pen?! Just comes between the auxiliary verb (have/has) and the past participle.

YET

Yet used with the present perfect means 'at any time up to now'. We use it to emphasise that we expect something to happen soon. Yet (in this context) is only used in negative sentences and questions. Have you finished your homework yet? I haven't finished it yet. I'll do it after dinner. A. Where's Sam? B: He hasn't arrived yet. Yet comes at the end of the sentence or question.

Still used with the present perfect means that something hasn't happened. We use it to emphasise that we expected the thing to happen earlier. Still (in this context) is only used in negative sentences. I've been waiting for an hour and the bus still hasn't come. They promised me that report yesterday but they still haven't finished it. She still hasn't replied to my email. Maybe she's on holiday. Still comes between the subject (the bus, they, etc.) and auxiliary verb (haven't/hasn't).

still

already

Already used with the present perfect means 'before now'. We use it to emphasise that something happened before something else or earlier than expected. I've already spent my salary and it's two weeks before payday. He wanted to see Sudden Risk but I've already seen it. The train's left already! Already can come between the auxiliary and the main verb or at the end of the clause.

EXERCISE

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 1 Tips

FCE Reading and Use of English Part 1 Tips

B1 4C

02 present perfect vs past simple

02 present perfect vs past simple

1. You must always use the present perfect when the time of an action is not important or not specified.
2. You must always use the simple past when details about the time or place that an action occured are given or requested.

There is also a difference in attitude between the two tenses, which is often an important factor in choosing which tense to use.

1. "What did you do at school today?" I use the simple past tense because the question is about activities, and the school day is considered finished.
2. "What have you done at school today?" I use the present perfect because the question is about results : « show me ». The time at which the question is asked is considered as a continuation of the school day.

02 present perfect vs past simple

Let’s conitnue with another example. Can you tell the difference between these two sentences? Sentence one: I saw the movie. Sentence two: I have seen the movie. Use the simple past to talk about a finished action that happened at a specific time. For example, “I went out with my friends last night.” The adverb “last night” is not required, but it does help clarify that the event happened at a specific time. That’s the easy part. Now let’s talk about the present perfect: You form the present perfect by using “have” or “has” followed by the past participle form of the verb. For example, “I have graduated from college.” The present perfect confuses English learners because it refers to a past action. It is also called “present perfect” because speakers use it to stress the importance of a past event in the present. The sentence “I have graduated from college,” emphasizes the present effect of a past event -- graduation. The exact time of the graduation is not important.

There are four more common situations that require the present perfect. First, it can express a repeated action. When an action happened more than one time in the past, use the present perfect. For example, “I have seen the movie three times”. Second, it is common to use the present perfect with the words “for” and “since.” “For” and “since” are adverbs that tell about the duration of an activity. They answer the question “how long?” For example, “I have studied English for a long time”. Third, the negative adverb “never” requires the present perfect. You can say, “I have never been to France.” You would not say, “I did never go to France.” Finally, when asking a question in the present perfect, use “ever,” as in, “Have you ever won the lottery?” Listen for the present perfect question in this song by the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. I wanna know have you ever seen the rain? I wanna know have you ever seen the rain Coming down on a sunny day?

02 present perfect vs past simple

02 present perfect vs past simple

In an informal situation, you can take out the word “have” in a present perfect question. Listen to actor Jack Nicholson playing the Joker in the 1989 movie Batman. Before the Joker takes his victims, he asks them an unusual question. Tell me something, my friend. You ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight? Here’s a tip: pay close attention to adverbs. Adverbs give hints, or clues, about which verb tense you should use.

02 present perfect vs past simple

EXERCISES A Choose the correct answer. 1. I’m really hungry. I (haven’t eaten / didn’t eat) yet. 2. They (arrived / have arrived) a week ago. 3. We (have worked / worked) here for three years. 4. They (didn’t recognise / haven’t recognised) me at yesterday’s meeting. 5. Our neighbour (was / has been) in hospital since Friday. 6. (Have you travelled / Did you travel) abroad many times?

02 present perfect vs past simple

B Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets. Use the Past Simple or the Present Perfect Simple.1. John ........................... (not call) me recently. 2. They ........................... (buy) a new car last month. 3. The teacher ........................... (not return) the tests yet. 4. How long ........................... she ........................... (know) about this problem? 5. ........................... you ever ........................... (hear) such an unbelievable story? 6. When I was a child, I ........................... (live) in England for two years. 7. He ........................... (buy) me a beautiful gift for my birthday. 8. I am so excited to have a dog. I ......................................... (always / want) one.

02 present perfect vs past simple

C Correct the error in each of the sentences.1. Have you ever eat Chinese food? ............................................................................ 2. She has moved to another city last year. ............................................................................ 3. They have sent out the invitations yet. ............................................................................ 4. Jack hasn’t seen Jill since she has graduated. ............................................................................ 5. Mr Brown already left the office. ............................................................................ 6. We haven’t been abroad since a year. ............................................................................ 7. The lesson has started ten minutes ago. ............................................................................ 8. Did she just leave? ............................................................................

02 present perfect vs past simple

D Complete the passage with suitable words.I 1.............................. always been very fit and healthy, and I have 2.............................. had a serious illness. However, a couple of weeks 3.............................. , I caught the flu. I must admit that until then, I 4.............................. not realised just how unpleasant the flu could be. I had a high temperature for nearly a week, and my whole body hurt. I don’t think I have 5.............................. felt so miserable. It’s taking me ages to get my strength back. It really bothers me that I haven’t had enough energy to play football 6.............................. I got ill. In fact, I have 7.............................. been to the doctor to ask if it’s normal to feel weak for so long. He says I’ll soon feel better. Apparently I’m lucky. For some people, especially the old and the weak, the flu can be very serious. Doctors have tried 8.............................. years to find a cure for the flu, but they haven’t found one 9............................... . Fortunately, researchers have developed a vaccine which gives effective protection against the disease. According to my doctor, most of his elderly patients have 10.............................. received their flu shots.

B1 4C

02 Indefinite pronouns

Words like 'something', 'everywhere', 'anybody' and 'no-one' are indefinite pronouns. We use them for people, things and places.

*We can use anybody or anyone - the meaning is the same. It's also true for someone, no-one and everyone.

Indefinite Pronouns : The indefinite pronouns point out objects less clearly or definitely than demonstratives do. Examples : each, every, either, both, neither, some, any, such, none, other, another, each other, one another. 1. Each has its merits. 2. Some are missing. 3. I cannot give you any. 4. Either is correct. 5. He knows neither of you. 6. I like both.

Most indefinites may be either pronouns or adjectives. But none is always a substantive in modern use and every is always an adjective. None may be either singular or plural. When it means distinctly not one, it is singular. In many instances either construction is permissible. 1. None of us has the key. 2. None was (or were) left to tell the tale.

EACH OTHER and ONE ANOTHER are regarded as compound pronouns . They designate related persons or things. 1. My neighbor and I like each other. 2. We must bear with one another. The relation indicated by these pronouns is that of reciprocity. Hence they are often called reciprocal pronouns . There is no real distinction between EACH OTHER and ONE ANOTHER. The rules sometimes given for such a distinction are not supported by the best usage. One (possessive one’s) is often used as an indefinite personal pronoun. Thus….

1. One does not like one’s [NOT his or their] motives to be doubted. The use of his (for one’s) to refer back to a preceding one is found in respectable writers, but is contrary to the best usage. All, several, few, many and similar words are often classed as indefinites . They may be used as adjectives or as substantives. Everybody, everything, anybody, anything, somewhat, aught, naught, etc., are called indefinite nouns .

Care should be taken in framing such sentences as the following. 2. Everybody has his [NOT their] faults. 3. If anybody wishes to go, he [NOT they] may. 4. If anybody objects, let him [NOT them] speak. 5. Every member of this class must hand in his [NOT their] composition to-day. 6. Each hurries toward his [NOT their] home. 7. Each of us must lead his [NOT their] own life.

In sentences of this kind, the personal pronoun (he, his, him) must be in the singular to agree with its antecedent (everybody, anybody, etc.). Note : When the antecedent is of common gender (as in the last example), the personal pronouns (he, his, him) may be regarded as of common gender also. In very precise or formal language, one may say he or she, his or her such as Each of us must lead his or her own life. But this form of expression is to be avoided unless the distinction is clearly necessary.

When used as adjectives, none of the indefinites have any forms of inflection. The same is true when they are pronouns, except as follows…. OTHERS is used as the plural of another. The possessive forms are singular - another’s plural – others’ The other (possessive - the other’s) has in the plural the others (possessive - the others’). Each other and one another add ’s in the possessive. One has a possessive ONE’S and the one becomes the ONES’ in the plural.

These are singular words, so we use a singular verb with them. Does anybody want cake? Everybody loves the new puppy. However, we can use 'they / them / their'. Anybody who wants cake should pass their plate. Nobody brought their bag. We can use these words on their own for a short answer. A: What do you want to eat? B: Nothing! We can use them at the beginning of a sentence as the subject or as the object of a sentence. Nothing was done. She did nothing.

'Some', 'Any', and 'No Article'

We can use some, any or 'no article' before plural or uncountable nouns. They all mean something similar to a/an before a singular noun. For example: Can I have a banana? [One banana, but any one is okay.] Can I have some bananas? [More than one banana, but any small group is okay.]

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOME AND 'NO ARTICLE':

Often, there isn't a big difference in meaning between 'no article' and some. However, we use some when we are talking about a limited number or amount (but we don't know or we don't want to say the exact quantity). Some means 'a certain number of' or 'a certain amount of'. We don't use some if we are talking about something in general or thinking about it as a category. When we use some, we don't say the exact quantity, but we could probably find it out if we needed to.

For example: Can you buy some milk? [We don't know exactly how much, but I'm talking about a certain amount of milk – I don't want all the milk in the world.] On the other hand, we use 'no article' when we aren't thinking about the quantity. It's used to talk about the noun as a category, rather than a certain amount of it: We need Ø milk to make pancakes. [I'm thinking about milk as a category. I'm not thinking about a certain amount of milk.] More examples: We need to buy Ø coffee [I'm talking about coffee as a category, not thinking about the amount]. Would you like some coffee? [I mean a certain amount of coffee, probably a cup.] I ate some bread [I mean a certain amount of bread]. I ate Ø bread [not pasta or rice].

Remember that often it doesn't make a big difference: Do you want Ø tea? [I'm not thinking about the amount.] Do you want some tea? [I'm thinking about the amount, but the meaning is really the same as the first sentence.]

Fill the gap with ‘some’ or ‘no article’ (Ø). 1. Can you buy ______ pasta? [I’m thinking of the amount we need for tonight.] 2. We need ______ mushrooms [I’m not thinking about the amount]. 3. John drinks ______ coffee every morning [coffee, not tea]. 4. Add ______ water to the soup if it’s too thick [a certain amount of water]. 5. I really want ______ tea – could you get me a cup? 6. We could have ______ rice for dinner [rice, not pasta]. 7. I ate ______ bread and two eggs for lunch [I’m thinking about the amount]. 8. She bought ______ new furniture [a certain amount of furniture]. 9. Did you get ______ carrots? [I’m not thinking about the amount.] 10. I’d like _______ tea, please! [Tea, not juice or coffee.]

The difference between some and any:

Generally, we use any in the same way as some: when we are thinking about a certain amount or number of something. Remember, usually both some and any can only be used with plural countable nouns or uncountable nouns, but not usually with singular countable nouns. We usually use some with affirmative (positive) sentences and any with negatives and questions: She bought some tomatoes [positive sentence]. She didn't buy any tomatoes [negative sentence]. Did she buy any tomatoes [question]?

The difference between some and any:

However, there are some exceptions to this. 1: Any can be used in a positive sentence to mean 'it's not important which one'. When we use any in this way, it's most often used with singular countable nouns: You can take any bus. Pass me any glass. Come over any Sunday. 2: Any can also be used in positive sentences that have a negative feeling, for example if they include never, hardly, without: She never eats any fruit. We hardly watch any television. Julia left the house without any money.

The difference between some and any:

3: Some can be used in questions when we expect that the answer will be 'yes'. This is very common in offers and requests: Would you like some coffee? Do you want some sandwiches? Could you give me some help? Could you pass me some sugar? Compare the following two sentences: Do you have any letters for me? [This is a real question. I don't know if you have any letters or not.] Do you have some letters for me? [I think you do, so I'm expecting that you will say 'yes'.]

exercise

Fill the gap with ‘some’ or ‘any’. 1. Have we got ______ bread? [A real question, I have no idea.] 2. ______ student will tell you that they don’t have enough money [it doesn’t matter which student]. 3. We’ve got ______ furniture, but we still need a table. 4. She bought ______ new clothes. 5. You can buy beer in ______ pub [it doesn’t matter which pub]. 6. Can I have ______ more juice? [I expect you will say ‘yes’.] 7. Did you buy ______ juice? [I have no idea, this is a real question.] 8. I can speak ______ French. 9. Would you like ______ tea? [An offer – I think you will say ‘yes’.] 10. In London in the winter there’s hardly ______ sunlight.

hw

Fill the gap with ‘some’ or ‘any’. 11. Go into ______ shop on the high street and ask [it doesn’t matter which shop]. 12. Would you like ______ more meat? [An offer – I think you will say ‘yes’.] 13. There’s ______ money in my handbag. 14. Did you buy ______ chicken? [I expect you will say ‘yes’, because we talked about it before.] 15. I don’t have ______ sunblock with me. 16. She never drinks ______ water. 17. Do you have ______ sugar? [I expect you will say ‘yes’, because usually you have sugar.] 18. It’s hard in a new city without ______ friends. 19. I didn’t find ______ problems. 20. Could you give me ______ paper? [A request – I expect you will say ‘yes’.]

someone / somebody / something / somewhere

We use someone / somebody / something / somewhere in the same way as some and we use anyone / anybody / anything / anywhere in the same way as any. We use somebody / something / somewhere mainly in positive sentences. We can find somebody who can help. There's something in the bag. Let's go somewhere this weekend.

someone / somebody / something / somewhere

We use anybody / anything / anywhere in the same way, but for questions and negative sentences. I can't find anybody who can help. Is there anything in the bag? We didn't go anywhere this weekend. We also use anybody / anything / anywhere with sentences that have a negative feeling. There is hardly anybody here. She ate hardly anything. We spent the weekend at home without going anywhere.

someone / somebody / something / somewhere anybody / anything / anywhere

We can use somebody / something / somewhere in questions when they are offers or requests or when we think the answer is yes.Are you looking for something? (= I think you're looking for something.) Would you like something to eat? We often use anybody / anything / anywhere after 'if'. If anybody would like a coffee, tell me now! If anything is wrong, you need to phone the reception. If there's anywhere that you don't want to go, please send me an email.

anybody / anything / anywhere

We also use anybody / anything / anywhere with the meaning 'it doesn't matter who / which / where'.Anybody can do this. I'd like to go anywhere! I just don't want to be here! She was so hungry that she ate anything.

No- Nobody = not anybody. No-Nothing = not anything. No-Nowhere = not anywhere.

I don't know anyone who's coming = I know nobody who's coming. There isn't anything here = there's nothing here. She doesn't want to go anywhere = she wants to go nowhere. Usually the sentence with 'no' is stronger and more emphatic. We don't usually use a negative verb with nobody / nothing / nowhere. Sometimes you hear this but it's not standard English. NOT: I don't know nobody.

Every- Everybody = all the people. Every- Everything = all the things. Every- Everywhere = all the places.

These can be used in positive sentences, negative sentences and questions. I think that she has been everywhere in Europe. He doesn't know everything. Do you know everybody here?

exercise

1. She wants to live ________________ by the sea (in a certain place). 2. She put ________________ in the box, all the things that she had. 3. Does ________________ have a phone charger? (I don’t know if a person has a charger or not.) 4. We went ________________ this weekend. We stayed at home. 5. She didn’t bring ________________ to the party. 6. Is there ________________ in the room? 7. A: What’s wrong? B: ________________, I’m fine. 8. ________________ lives in that house. It’s empty. 9. Would you like to go ________________ this weekend? (I don’t expect a particular answer.) 10. ________________ was really friendly, all the managers and even the CEO.

11. ________________ is going really well and so I’m really happy. 12. I know ________________ in this company. It’s my first day. 13. Did you go ________________ during the summer? (I don’t know if you did or not.) 14. She doesn’t want ________________ to help her. 15. She loves ________________. She’s a really kind person. 16. I must have left my keys ________________! 17. They looked ________________ for the money. They looked in all the places in the house. 18. Would you like ________________ to drink? (This is an offer, not a real question.) 19. ________________ in the UK has hot weather today. It’s cold all over the country. 20. ________________ unusual happened. It was a very ordinary day. 21. I gave the children ________________ to eat because they were hungry. 22. I wish ________________ would clean this mess up! 23. ________________ came to the door earlier but I don’t know who it was. 24. I’d love to travel ________________ – all over the whole world!

hw

B1 4C

03 Participle Adjectives

Some participles (like 'bored' or 'boring') can be used as adjectives. These are used in a slightly different way from normal adjectives. We usually use the past participle (ending in -ed) to talk about how someone feels: I was really bored during the flight (NOT: I was really boring during the flight). She's interested in history (NOT: She's really interesting in history). John's frightened of spiders (NOT: John's frightening of spiders).

We usually use the present participle (ending in -ing) to talk about the person, thing, or situation which has caused the feeling: It was such a long, boring flight (so I was bored). I read a really interesting book about history (so I was interested). Many people find spiders frightening (so they're frightened when they see spiders).

Be careful! 'I'm boring' is very different from 'I'm bored'! 'I'm boring' means I cause other people to be bored. This is not good! Here are some examples of when one person causes a feeling in another person:

1. I was talking to such a boring guy at the party. He talked about himself for an hour!
2. She's a really interesting woman. She's lived all over the world and speaks five languages.
3. My maths teacher at school was really frightening! He was always shouting at the students.

These participle adjectives make their comparative by using 'more' (not -er) and their superlative by using 'most' (not -est): I was more frightened of dogs than spiders when I was a child. That book is more boring than this one. I think Dr Smith's lesson was more interesting than Dr Brown's. For 24 hours on the flight to Australia, I was the most bored I've ever been. I think this is the most interesting talk we've heard today. It was the most frightening film that he'd ever seen.

1. My nephew was (amusing / amused) by the clown. 2. It’s so (frustrating / frustrated)! No matter how much I study I can’t seem to remember this vocabulary. 3. This lesson is so (boring / bored)! 4. I’m feeling (depressed / depressing), so I’m going to go home, eat some chocolate, and go to bed early with a good book. 5. I thought her new idea was absolutely (fascinated / fascinating). 6. This maths problem is so (confusing / confused). Can you help me? 7. The teacher was really (amusing / amused) so the lesson passed quickly. 8. The journey was (exhausting / exhausted)! Twelve hours by bus. 9. The plane began to move in a rather (alarming / alarmed) way. 10. He was (frightening / frightened) when he saw the spider.

exercise

11. I was really (embarrassing / embarrassed) when I fell over in the street. 12. That film was so (depressing / depressed)! There was no happy ending for any of the characters. 13. I’m sorry, I can’t come tonight. I’m completely (exhausting / exhausted). 14. We are going in a helicopter? How (exciting / excited)! 15. Don’t show my baby photos to people, Mum! It’s so (embarrassing /embarrassed)! 16. It’s okay, it’s only me. Don’t be (alarming / alarmed). 17. My sister is so (exciting / excited) because she is going on holiday tomorrow. 18. I hate long flights, I’m always really (boring / bored). 19. She looked very (confusing / confused) when I told her we had to change the plan. 20. John was (fascinated / fascinating) by Mandarin when he first started learning languages. He decided to study more and now he can speak it fluently.

hw

B1 5A

04 Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

To make the comparative form of adjectives (like 'bigger' or 'more expensive') and the superlative form (like 'biggest' or 'most expensive'), first we need to know how many syllables are in the adjective. Adjectives with one syllable Usually if an adjective has only one syllable, we add 'er' to make the comparative form. We add 'est' to make the superlative form.

clean → cleaner / cleanest cold → colder / coldest small → smaller / smallest young → younger / youngest tall → taller / tallest

There are some spelling changes. If there is one vowel followed by one consonant at the end of the adjective, we often double the consonant.

wet → wetter / wettest big → bigger / biggest hot → hotter / hottest thin → thinner / thinnest If the adjective ends in 'y', this often changes to 'i'. dry → drier / driest If the adjective ends in 'e', we don't add another 'e', just 'r'. nice → nicer / nicest large → larger / largest Even when the adjective has only one syllable, it's still not wrong to use 'more' or 'most'. It's possible to say 'more wet' or 'most tall'. This isn't incorrect.

There are a few adjectives that we have to use 'more' or 'most' with, even though they only have one syllable. We CAN'T add 'er' or 'est'. fun → more fun / most fun (NOT funner / funnest) real → more real / most real (NOT realer / realest) right → more right / most right (NOT righter / rightest) wrong → more wrong / most wrong (NOT wronger / wrongest)

For adjectives with two syllables we generally use 'more' or 'most'. careful → more careful / most careful bored → more bored / most bored But some two syllable adjectives can take 'er' or 'est'. It's also fine to use 'more' (for the comparative) or 'most' (for the superlative). clever → cleverer / cleverest simple → simpler / simplest narrow → narrower / narrowest quiet → quieter / quietest Adjectives with two syllables that end in 'y' usually can add 'er' or 'est' (y generally changes to i). It's also fine to use 'more' or 'most'. dirty → dirtier / dirtiest pretty → prettier / prettiest happy → happier / happiest ugly → uglier / ugliest

Adjectives with two syllables

Adjectives with more than two syllables can only make their comparative by using 'more' and their superlative by using 'most'. beautiful → more beautiful / most beautiful intelligent → more intelligent / most intelligent interesting → more interesting / most interesting expensive → more expensive / most expensive Irregular adjectives There are also some irregular adjectives. We just need to learn these forms. good → better → best bad → worse → worst far → further → furthest little → less → least much → more → most

Adjectives with more than two syllables

try an exercise

Comparative structures: things or people that are the same First, we can use 'as ... as' with a normal adjective (not a comparative) to say two things are the same: John is as tall as Luke (= they are the same height). The red shirt is as expensive as the blue shirt (= they are the same price). We can use 'not as ... as' to say that two things are not the same. Lucy is not as tall as Helena (= Helena is taller than Lucy). Paris is not as big as London (= London is bigger than Paris). Comparative Structures: one thing or person is more than another thing or person We can say that something is more than another thing by using a comparative adjective with 'than'. France is bigger than Scotland. Luke is taller than Lucy. Your book is more interesting than my book.

Using Comparative Adjectives

We can make the comparison stronger by using 'far' or 'much' or 'a lot' before the adjective. We can make it less strong by using 'a little' or 'a bit'. Canada is far bigger than Scotland. Your book is much more interesting than my book. Amanda is a lot younger than Julie. This exercise is a little more difficult than that exercise. We can say that one thing or person is less than another thing by using 'less ... than': Scotland is less big than France. Lucy is less tall than Luke. My book is less interesting than your book. To show something is changing, we can use 'comparative and comparative' or 'more and more adjective'. That child is getting taller and taller. The climate is getting hotter and hotter. This city is becoming more and more crowded.

Using Comparative Adjectives

We use modifiers of comparisons to intensify the degree of adjectives and adverbs. Some of the most common modifiers are: a bit to refer to a small portion or degree; a little to refer to small in size; a lot to refer to a large number/amount; far to refer to a considerable degree; much to refer to great in degree; not much to refer to not great in degree; rather to refer to a certain extent; slightly to refer to in small measure.

Using Comparative Adjectives

We can use much, so much, a lot, even or far with comparative adjectives.

• Sales in July were a lot higher than sales in June.
• He was far less experienced than the other applicant.

We can use nowhere near with as … as.

• The interview was nowhere near as difficult as the written exam.

We can use very, really, completely or totally with different from.

• They may be twins, but they're completely different from each other

Using Comparative Adjectives Showing big differences

We can use slightly, a little, a bit, a little bit or not much with comparative adjectives.

• The number of registrations has been slightly lower than we expected.
• Houses in my city are not much more expensive than flats.

We can use almost, nearly, not quite, roughly, more or less or about with as … as and the same as.

• She's almost as old as I am.
• The figures for May are more or less the same as the figures for June.

We can use very or really with similar to.

• My son looks really similar to my father when he was that age.

Using Comparative AdjectivesShowing small differences

The results were ___ better than predicted.

1. totally
2. even
3. nowhere near

Profits this year are ___ the same as last year.

1. a bit
2. a little
3. roughly

She's ___ as demanding as our last manager.

1. nowhere near
2. completely
3. so much

I'm ___ less organised than you.

1. very
2. much
3. more or less

exercise11

Comparatives Using as….as Make your own comparisons using the words provided and the structure as…as. Ex. My apartment/ large/ yours My apartment is as large as yours. My car /expensive/ your car My car isn’t as expensive as your car. 1. biology/ interesting/ history ________________________________________________________________ 2. train/ fast/ airplane _______________________________________________________________________ 3. algebra/ difficult/ geometry _________________________________________________________________ 4. Batman / popular/ Superman _______________________________________________________________ 5. lemon/ sweet/ orange ______________________________________________________________________ 6. morning/ warm/ afternoon __________________________________________________________________ 7. robin / big/ eagle _________________________________________________________________________ 8. my neighbor/ friendly/ yours ________________________________________________________________

exercise1

Could you be ___ more specific about what the problem is?

1. a little bit
2. almost
3. just

I think being kind is ___ as important as being honest.

1. slightly
2. a little bit
3. just

The film was ___ similar to the book that it's based on.

1. far
2. so much
3. very

Technology in the future will be ___ different from technology today.

1. even
2. totally
3. nearly

exercise11

Use the correct adjective

bad - bored - dry - far- good - keen - loose - pretty - real - scared - wet wrong

exercise111

1 And now we come to the award for ....................... actor in a leading role. 2 It’s been raining non-stop. I think this will be ....................... July on record! 3 The authenticity of dialogue and setting often makes low-budget films seem ....................... the somewhat artificial version of reality in Hollywood movies. 4 In medieval times people rarely travelled far. For most peasants, ....................... destination would be the local market town. 5 This skirt’s much too tight on the hips. I need something with a ....................... fit. 6 The pianist was awful! I think that’s ....................... performance I’ve ever heard.

bad - bored - dry - far- good - keen - loose - pretty - real - scared - wet wrong

7 I don’t mind the Mediterranean summer because it’s a ....................... heat than you find in the tropics. 8 I like all Mozart’s operas but I think Don Giovanni is the one I am ....................... on. 9 We’ve inherited two paintings. Of the two, I’d say the landscape is ....................... . 10 I know all theft is wrong, but don’t you agree that it’s ....................... to steal from an individual than from a company? 11 ....................... I’ve ever been was when Joe and I were flying over the Himalayas and we hit a storm; it was absolutely petrifying. 12 That play was so tedious. I was ....................... watching that than I was when I spent three hours trapped in that lift last year

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We use a superlative to say that a thing or person is the most of a group. When we use a superlative adjective ('the tallest student') before the noun, we generally use it with 'the'. This is because there's only one (or one group) of the thing we are talking about. There is one student who is the tallest in the class, and because it's clear to the listener which one we mean, we usually use 'the': She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. It's the best café in London. John and Lisa are the most intelligent students here. This bowl is the biggest one. Remember, we don't use 'the' when there is a possessive: He's my best student. That's our most important goal.

Using superlative Adjectives

It's possible to drop 'the' when the adjective is used later in the sentence, rather than directly before the noun. We can choose either 'the' or 'no article', with no change in meaning: She is (the) most beautiful. This café is (the) best. John and Lisa are (the) most intelligent. This bowl is (the) biggest. This is not possible when the adjective comes directly before the noun: He is fastest swimmer.

Using superlative Adjectives

Try an exercise about superlatives with 'the' here.

With superlative adverbs, we can also choose to use 'the' or 'no article'. Luke reads (the) fastest. I like vanilla ice cream (the) best. She can speak six languages, but she speaks Spanish (the) most confidently. These examples all compare one person or thing with other people or things. However, sometimes we compare a person or thing in one situation with the same person or thing in a different situation. In this case, when the superlative adjective or adverb is later in the sentence, we usually don't use 'the'. Compare these two sentences: I'm most productive early in the morning [I'm more productive in the morning than I am in the afternoon or the evening]. I'm the most productive early in the morning [I'm more productive than the other people in my office first thing in the morning].

Using superlative Adjectives

Using superlative Adjectives

More examples: Julie does swimming, running and cycling. She's always most tired after cycling. John types most quickly when he's drunk a lot of coffee! Tea is˜ best when you drink it very hot. London is most depressing in January.

Try another exercise about using 'the' with superlatives here.

Using superlative Adjectives

More examples: Julie does swimming, running and cycling. She's always most tired after cycling. John types most quickly when he's drunk a lot of coffee! Tea is˜ best when you drink it very hot. London is most depressing in January.

Try another exercise about using 'the' with superlatives here.

Comparatives and Superlatives – Adjectives and Adverbs Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the adjective or adverb, comparative orsuperlative of the words provided. 1. This is ___________________________ (fancy) dress I own. 2. In my opinion, a deer moves ____________________ (graceful) of all the animals. 3. The politician spoke ________________ (loud) than was necessary. 4. When we travel, my suitcase is always _______________ (heavy) than my husband’s. 5. January is _____________________ (cold) month of the year. 6. Mrs. Pedrido speaks _______________________(fluent) than her husband, but her daughter speaks _______________________ (fluent) of the whole family. 7. December 21 is the ________________(short) day of the year. It is ______________ (short) than any other. 8. Andrew is __________________ (fast) runner on the team. 9. This apartment is __________________(convenient) of all the apartments I have seen. 10. Annie usually gets up ________________(early) than her sister.

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04Present Perfect with Superlatives

This is an advanced grammar point that is used a lot by native speakers. We learned in the previous lessons, that the present perfect is used in two ways. Experiences and finished actions – Remember that we do not use a specific time Unfinished actions – Things that started in the past, but are not finished We can combine the present perfect with superlative sentences to talk about both experiences and unfinished actions.

Present Perfect with Superlatives

Present Perfect with Superlatives

Here are a few examples. A) What is the most beautiful country that you have visited? B) Thailand is the most beautiful country that I have visited. A) What is the best book that you have read? B) The best book that I have read is The Last Lecture.

The best way to learn this kind of sentence is to see many examples and to practice making your own sentences.

Present Perfect with Superlatives

Batman is the best movie that I have seen. Korean beef is the best meat that I have eaten. This book is the worst book that I’ve read. She is the nicest teacher I have had. We can also switch the order of the sentence. The best movie that I have seen is Batman. The best meat that I have eaten is Korean beef. The worst book that I have read is this book. The nicest teacher I’ve had is her.

Remember the word “that” in these sentences is optional. He is the tallest man that I’ve seen. (=He is the tallest man I’ve seen.) We can ask about recent experiences and life experiences. It is the best movie that I have seen recently. It is the best movie that I have seen. (whole life) It is the best movie that I have seen in my life.

Present Perfect with Superlatives

We can add the word “ever” to emphasize. It just makes our sentence stronger. We can only use “ever” when talking about our whole life experiences. It cannot be used to talk only about recent experiences. He the most handsome man that I have ever seen. It is the biggest waterfall that I’ve ever seen. The best singer that I have ever seen in concert is Adele. We usually use the present tense “be verbs” in this sentence, but sometimes people use past tense “be verbs”. To be honest, it is not really that important and you should not worry about it. It was the most interesting movie I have ever seen. It is the most interesting movie that I have ever seen. The two sentences above have the same meaning.

Present Perfect with Superlatives

Now, let’s look at how to make questions with the present perfect and superlatives. What is the best country that you have ever visited? What is the worst country that you have been to? What is the most beautiful country that you’ve visited? We can also ask yes/no questions. Is this the worst typhoon that you have ever seen? Is this the most snow that you have seen? Are these the best cookies that you have ever tried? These are advanced sentences and it might take you some time to master them, but if you do then you will sound like a natural English speaker.

Present Perfect with Superlatives

Now, let’s look at how to make questions with the present perfect and superlatives. What is the best country that you have ever visited? What is the worst country that you have been to? What is the most beautiful country that you’ve visited? We can also ask yes/no questions. Is this the worst typhoon that you have ever seen? Is this the most snow that you have seen? Are these the best cookies that you have ever tried? These are advanced sentences and it might take you some time to master them, but if you do then you will sound like a natural English speaker.

Present Perfect with Superlatives