elder, eldest imply seniority rather than age. They are used for comparison within a family:
my elder brother
But! Elder is not used with than, so we use older: Hes older than I am.
We use eldest for people only, but oldest we use for both people & things.
Before the comparative we should use a bit, a little, slightly, much, a lot, far:
English is a bit/ a little/ slightly/ much/ a lot/ far more easier than German.
Constructions with comparisons
Positive form => + as as; - not as/not so as.
He was as white as a sheet.
Your coffee is not as/so good as the coffee my mother makes.
The new building is twice as high as the old one. 2
Comparative form => than.
Hes stronger than I expected = I didnt expect him to be so strong.
Superlative form => the in/of:
This is the oldest theatre in London.
Superlative form + present perfect:
This is the worst film I have ever seen.
Note! most+adjective without the means very:
Youre most kind = Youre very kind.
the + comparative the + comparative:
Thesmaller the house is, the less it will cost us to heat it.
Comparatives joined by and:
The weather is getting colder and colder.
like + noun & as + noun:
He worked like a slave. (very hard indeed)
He worked as a slave. (He was a slave)
than/as + pronoun+auxiliary
I earn less than he does. (=less than he earns)
than/as+I/we/you+verb = omit the verb.
Im not as old as you (are).
than/as is followed by he/she/it + verb, we normally keep the verb: Youre stronger than he is.
But we can drop the verb and use him/her/them:
I swim better a him.
Adjectives + one/ones
One/ones = previously mentioned noun:
I lost my old camera; this is a new one.
first/second can be used with or without one/ones:
Which train did you catch? ~ I caught the first (one).
Adjectives of colour can sometimes be used as
pronouns:
I like the blue (one) best.
as as with twice , three times , etc., half , a third , etc.:
Japans car exports are twice as high as Britains. Rice-growing is only half as important as it used to be.
Note Present and Past Participles can be used as adjectives: Present Participles describe the quality of a noun / annoying behaviour / (what kind of behaviour)
Past Participles describe how the subject feels / annoyed teacher / (How does the teacher feel)
Proverbs & Sayings
As dumb as a wooden Indian
As easy as ABC
As silent as a grave
As fit as a fiddle
As white as a sheet
As stubborn as a mule
,
ͳ,
'
,
,
As old as the hills
Like bull in a China shop
To sleep like a log
To smoke like a chimney
To sell like hot cakes
, .
,
,
The best is the enemy of the good. (Walter Scott)
Its much easier to be critical than to be correct. (Disraeli)
The Adverb
Adverb is a part of speech which describes verbs, adjectives, other adverbs or the whole sentence.
Formation
Adverbs are formed with adjectives + -ly: quick quickly, calm calmly
Adj. ending in le drop le & add ly: irritable irritably, reliable reliably
Adj. ending in e add ly: false falsely, BUT: whole wholly, true truly
Adj. ending in ly (cowardly, elderly, fatherly, friendly, lively, lonely, motherly, silly, ugly etc) form their adv. with in a(n) way (manner):in a motherly manner, in a lively way etc.
