Note 3: There is a group of so called limit adjectives which already have a very strong meaning:
exhausted = very tired
delicious = very tasty.
For this reason, it sounds odd to say ‘very exhausted’ or ‘very delicious’. Limit adjectives are described by extreme modifiers – intensifying adverbs: absolutely huge, completely terrified, quiet perfect, utterly ridiculous, totally blind.
Some modifiers and adjectives go together, and some do not. It takes time to practice to learn which are used together. If you are in doubt, use ‘absolutely’, which can go with all limit adjectives.
Note 4. . More, most with short adjectives
a) Sometimes more/most are used with adjectives that normally have –er / -est. This can happen, for example, when a comparative is not followed immediately by than. Forms with -er are also possible.
The road’s getting more and more steep. (or ... steeper and steeper.)
b) When we compare two descriptions (saying that one is more suitable or accurate than another), we use more. Comparatives with -er are not possible.
He’s more lazy than stupid, (not He’s lazier than stupid.)
In a rather formal style, most can be used with adjectives expressing approval and disapproval (including one-syllable adjectives) to mean ‘very’.
Thank you very much indeed. That is most kind of you.
Real, right, wrong and like always have more and most.
She’s more like her mother than her father.
Note 5. Substantivized Adjectives.
Sometimes adjectives become substantivized. In this case they have the functions of nouns in the sentence and are always preceded by the definite article. Substantivized adjectives may have two meanings:
They may indicate a class of persons in a general sense (e.g. the poor = poor people, the dead = dead people, etc.) Such adjectives are plural in meaning and take a plural verb.
The old receive pensions.
The young are always romantic, aren’t they?
The blind are taught trades in special schools.
Some adjectives denoting nationalities (e.g. English, French, Dutch) are used in the same way:
The English are great lovers of tea.
If we wish to denote a single person we must add a noun: The old man receives a pension.
Exercises
Exercise 1. Read and translate the following sentences. Comment on the choice of degrees of comparison.
1. Universities try to select the most able pupils. 2. Matilda was the brightest pupil in her class. 3. You know that everything looks better in the morning. So you must sleep on it. 4. The weatherman says that the weather is again changing for the worse. 5. She is talking into the smallest mobile phone. 6. He looked like the handsomest man she’d ever seen in her life. 7. It’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard. 8. I think that the less they know the less they have to worry about. 9. The sooner you forget it the better. 10. This is the oldest untruth in the book of Lies. 11. They had a late lunch with cheese, delicate blinis (блины) with the finest caviar. 12. The child behaved in the most impossible way. 13. I’m happier now than I’ve ever been in my life. 14. It’s more difficult to find a good job now than it was twenty years ago. 15. You are the cleverest man in Oxford and the laziest. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up in Parliament. 16. The grass is always greener on the other side of the road. («У других всегда всё лучше»). 17. The more I know people, the more I like dogs. (an English proverb)
Exercise 2.
A. Read and translate the sentences. Pay attention to the descriptions given in them.
1. Harry
looked nothing like the rest of the family. Uncle Vernon was large
and neckless, with an enormous black moustache; Aunt Petunia was
horse-faced and bony; Dudley was blond, pink and porky. Harry, on
the other hand, was small and skinny, with brilliant green eyes and
jet-black hair that was always untidy. He 
glasses,
and on his forehead was a thin scar. 2. Mrs. Reynolds was a tall,
striking woman in her late forties, with blond hair and a typical
pink English complexion. She had a friendly smile and an assertive
yet sympathetic way about her. 3. Tonight Samantha wore
well-tailored blue jeans, a white cotton shirt, a black gabardine
blazer, and highly polished black Oxfords with white socks. 4. I
shivered. It was a damp November night and quite cold, typical
English winter weather. 5. It was a radiant day, the sky was a high
blue and clear, and the sun was brilliant. 6. It was a blustery day.
There was a high wind that blew the new green leaves off the trees.
It was a chilly morning but the sky was a cerulean blue filled with
puffy white clouds that raced across the great arc of the sky.
(from «Harry Potter» by J.K. Rowling)
B. Describe:
a) the appearance of any person you like;
b) the weather on the day you are reading this.
Exercise 3.
A. Read the following and say how the same qualities in men and women are often described by adjectives, say whose descriptions are generous, and whose are loaded with negative connotations.
He is ambitious; she is pushy. He is firm; she is stubborn
He is tough-minded; she is ruthless. He is self-respecting; she is egoistical.
He is foresighted; she is calculating. He is persistent; she is nagging.
B. Write a letter of recommendation to your colleague or a friend. Make use of some of the words given below.
Efficient, diligent, helpful, creative, open-hearted, well-read, cultured, naive, thoughtful, slow, forgetful, choosy, demanding, bossy, cooperative, nosy, provocative, sophisticated, practical, businesslike, professional, well-organized, decisive, flexible, resilient, reliable, broad-minded.
Exercise 4.
A. State whether the following adjectives are qualitative or relative. Make up sentences of your own with them.
stone, stony; 2. silk, silken; 3. silver, silvery; 4.gold, golden, gilded; 5. wax, waxen; 6. wool, woolly, woolen; 7. snow, snowy; 8. wood, wooden; 9. brass, brazen; 10. sun, sunny.
B. Choose the right word given above to fill in the blanks.
1. a) The ... Age is the earliest known period of human history. b) The ground here had always been ... . c) There came ... silence. (stone, stony) 2. a) He was born with a ... spoon in his mouth. b) There is a ... birch under my window. c) Meryl was wearing a long ... dress. d) From the hall there came the ... chime of the old clock. (silver, silvery) 3. a) We need some ... candles. b) Old Nancy had a ... complexion. (wax, waxen) 4. a) Let’s built a ... man. b) We went to see him one ... day in London. (snow, snowy) 5. a) I worked ... - up to ... – down. b) You have a wonderful ... tan. c) It was a ... day. d) Bob has a ... disposition. (sun; sunny) 6. a) I think I’ll buy this ... scarf. b) This girl has ... lashes. c) Her hair was very long and ... . (silk, silky, silken) 7. a) There are ... daisies in the grass. b) He won a ... medal. c) Sue wore a tiny ... cross. d) These are ... rules. e) The princess was a beautiful girl with ... hair. f) They stopped before the ...altar. (gold, golden, gilded) 8. a) He was dressed in a good ... suit. b) My Granny knitted a pair of long ... socks for me. c) Betty had a ...cap on. (wool, woolly, woolen) 9. a) They have a ... house. b) He had a ... head. (wood, wooden) 10. a) There was a ... jug on the table. b) She is tired of her husband’s ... love affairs. (brass, brazen)
Exercise 5. Put the adjectives in the correct order.
1. Cycling is a(n) _____ activity. (useful, outdoor, popular) 2. Now I’m reading a _____ novel. (depressing, long, boring) 3. He had a _____ alarm clock. (digital, new, useful) 4. Have you heard of this _____invention? (Japanese, fantastic, new) 5. This family rents a ____ house. (furnished, large, old) 6. I’ve just bought a(n) _____ table. (beautiful, coffee, glass, oval). 7. Robert’s in the ____ car. (red, Italian, big) 8. Our students are using _____ dictionaries. (English, reliable, new, complete) 9. There was a ___ carpet on the floor. (soft, wonderful, woolen, Persian) 10. Andy gave Rosie a _____ box. (jewellery, velvet, small, square) 11. Stratford is a ____ town. (nice, small, quiet) 12. There are a lot of ____ pans in the shops. (frying, Tefal, non-stick, brand-new, French-made)
Exercise 6. Translate into English.
1. Я живу в новом девятиэтажном кирпичном доме. 2. Секретарь вручил ему толстый коричневый бумажный конверт. 3. Мы обедали за большим новым круглым деревянным столом. 4. Она надела свой лучший синий шерстяной костюм. 5. В этой фирме работает много молодых способных японских программистов. 6. Лиза купила новую модную красную шелковую блузку. 7. Старые узкие темные туманные улицы Лондона пугали ее. 8. На ковбое была большая яркая соломенная мексиканская шляпа. 9. Это был первый по-настоящему важный международный конгресс. 10. Как мне нравится эта венецианская зеленая стеклянная ваза! 11. Перед нами лежала песчаная равнина. 12. Спасибо, это золотой совет (мнение). 13. У сейфа свинцовая дверь. 14. Небо было свинцовое, оно не обещало ничего хорошего. 15. У чучела были стеклянные глаза. 16. Врачу не понравился его стеклянный взгляд. 17. Мне надоели твои наглые манеры.
Exercise 7. Choose the right words to fill in the blanks.
1) a) When Scott reached the ... Pole, he saw the Norwegian flag already there. b) Antarctica is in the ... Hemisphere. (south, southern) 2. a) This novel is based on a ... story. b) I think Linda is a ... person. (true, truthful) 3. a) It was a great, yes, it was a... change for the country. b) They played their part in the ... process. (historic, historical) 4. a) He rents a flat in ... London. b) These cliffs and grounds are in the ... Hemisphere. (north, northern) 5. a) This fish is so bony! I find it ...! b) These beautiful fungi are ... . They are poisonous. (uneatable, inedible) 6. a) — John is as ... as a girl. — Yes, he is very touchy. b) — On the other hand, he is a ... boy. —Yes, I would say he is intelligent. (sensible, sensitive) 7. a) The country is having great ... difficulties. b) This car is very... . It needs little petrol. (economic, economical) 8. a) This chronicle gives a ... presentation of events. b) The discovery of penicillin was a ... event. (historic, historical) 9. a) The handwriting was ..., but I recognized it as Mark’s. b) It may be a good novel, but I find it ... . (unreadable, illegible) 10. a) In our new flat we have an ... cooker. b) Accumulator gave off a sudden ... discharge. (electric, electrical)
Exercise 8. Name degrees of comparison of the following adjectives if possible.
А. Angry, fast, bad, shy, simple, dead, accurate, convenient, neat, sweet, aggressive, resilient, exciting, charming, perfect, tough, tidy, sour, right (left), common, thrilling, square, boring, loyal, lazy, white, tolerant, talkative, careless, unique, attractive, competent, little, cute, Persian.
B. Absent-minded, easy-going, fine-looking, good-natured, high-flown, high-heeled, kind-hearted, much-spoken, narrow-minded, old-fashioned, strong-willed, well-bred.
Exercise 9. Finish the following sentences.
1. The sooner ... . 2. The more you work, ... . 3. The harder you study, ... . 4. The longer I stay here, ... . 5. The less chocolate you eat, ... . 6. The faster the car, ... . 7. The warmer the weather, ... . 8. The longer the night, ... . 9. The busier he is ... . 10. The younger you are, ... . 11. The older you are, ... . 12. The bigger the house, ... . 13. The more money you earn, ... . 14. The heavier the traffic, ... . 15. The more knowledge you get, ... . 16. The more expensive the wedding, … . 17. The broader the outlook, … .
Exercise 10. Use the required form of the adjective:
He was the (amusing) lad you ever met. 2. He’s a far (intelligent) person than my brother. 3. She was the (practical) of the family. 4. When they told me I was cured and could go, I can tell you I was (afraid) than glad. 5. I wanted to ask you both what you thought of my (late) films if you saw them. 6. He is (talkative) than his sister. He won’t tire you so much. 7. He turned out to be (angry) than I had expected. 8. Today I’m no (wise) than yesterday. 9. This wine is the (good) I ever tasted. 10. Jack is the (clever) of the three brothers. 11. I don’t think it matters in the (little) which seat I choose. 12. He felt (bad) yesterday than the day before. 13. The (near) house is three miles away. 14. Of the two evils let us choose the (little). 15. He was the (late) man to come. 16. She waited until her silence became the (noticeable) thing in the room. 17. The (near) item on the program is a piano sonata. 18. He is the (tall) of the two. 19. She is (amusing) in a small company. 20. Uncle Nick was the (old) son of the family.
Exercise 11. Read and translate the following colourful and unusual comparisons. Make up sentences with them.
1. as different as chalk and cheese; 2. as scarce as hen’s teeth; 3. as dark as inside of a wolf; 4. as happy as a pumpkin in a sunny patch; 5. as ugly as home-made soap; 6. as black as two o’clock in the morning; 7. as happy as a dog with two tails; 8. as nervous as a brick wall; 9. as brave as the first man who ate an oyster; 10. as cold as an ex-wife’s heart; 11. as big as the little end of nothing; 12. as noisy as two skeletons dancing on a tin roof.
Exercise 12. Use ‘as’ or ‘than’.
1. The test isn’t ____ difficult ____ it seems. 2. He doesn’t earn ____ much money _____ she does. 3. She earns more ____he does. 4. He is more lucky ____I am. 5. I’ve known them longer ____ you. 6. Moscow is bigger____ St. Petersburg. 7. She doesn’t know English ____ well ____ he does. 8. This site is more interesting ____ that one. 9. Better late ____ never. 10. I don’t know business ____ well ___ they do. 11. You eat more ____is necessary for you. 12. The weather is worse today ____ it was yesterday. 13. The film isn’t _____ good ____ the book. 14. We don’t travel_____ often ____ our friends. 15. My life is ____ more interesting now ____ it was some years ago. 16. People in Italy ____ live longer ____ anywhere else in the world.
Exercise 13. Use the right degree of comparison of the adjectives in brackets.
1. He laughs (good), who laughs last. 2. He who laughs last, laughs (long). 3. Of two evils, choose the (little). 4. My aunt is the (old) of the four sisters. 5. Cats are (clean) than monkeys, though monkeys are (intelligent) than cats. 6. He is the (well-known) of that crew. 7. Put your (good) foot forward. 8. He had rarely listened to a (an) (absurd) proposal. 9. The kids had never eaten a sausage that was (big, red, hot). 10. Thank you, you are (kind) today than you were yesterday. 11. Socrates was (wise) Greek of all. 12. Get there first with (much) — that is the fundamental principle of tactics. 13. Which lie seems (good)? 14. Christopher is (friendly) than Ted. 15. Donald is (well-off) than either of his brothers. 16. Ben is (wealthy) of the three brothers. 17. Edwin was (nice) of the two sons.
Exercise 14. Translate the following sentences into English.
1. Из двух проектов второй более перспективный. 2. Из пятерых претендентов они выбрали самого знающего. 3. Какой из этих двух аппаратов более надежный? 4. Это был самый печальный опыт в моей жизни. 5. Для нее нет ничего более важного, чем ее карьера. 6. Чем скорее он перестанет проматывать деньги, тем лучше. 7. Для меня существуют два самых замечательных дня в году - мой день рождения и Новый год. 8. Чем меньше ты говоришь и, фактически, чем меньше ты знаешь, тем это безопаснее для меня и для моих друзей. И в конечном счете для тебя тоже. 9. Вода - самый сильный напиток. Она приводит в движение (to drive) мельницы. 10. Чем образованнее человек, тем более он склонен страдать от головных болей. 11. Самые лучшие повара - мужчины. 12. «Извините» - самое трудное слово. 13. Чем больше я читаю о налоговой реформе, тем меньше я ее понимаю.
Exercise 15. Read the sentences and translate them into Russian, paying special attention to the adjectives.
l. Good – better - best. Never rest. Till «good» is «better» and «better» is «best». 2. A bad excuse is better than none. 3. A silent tongue and a true heart are the most admirable things on earth. 4. It is better to be the best of a low family than the worst of a noble one. 5. The symphony was a half-baked, splashy, cacophonous mess. 6. The film will be released in the first half of the following year at the earliest. 7. Broken hearts stain pillows with bitter tears. 8. Much to Mary’s further surprise, her mother was nowhere to be seen. 9. He is going to buy the latest golfing accessories. 10. Whom we love best, to them we can say least. 11. Learning makes a good man better and a bad man worse. 12. Now let’s have lunch and you can tell me about all your latest lady friends and the exciting parties you’ve been to. 13. Many famous artists died in bitterest poverty. 14. The positive hotel experience is a smooth arrival.
Exercise 16. Fill in the required form of the adjective.
A. Late.
1. These are ... books and current magazines. 2. Are you getting off at ... stop? 3. He turned up ... than he had promised. 4. Let’s discuss ... news a little bit ..., shall we? 5. We have two managers at the office: Igor and Svetlana. ... is thirty, ...is twenty-eight. 6. Will you repeat ... sentence, please. 7. This illustrated magazine shows photographs of ... fashions. 8. Last week my students passed ... exam. 9. I am ..., but not ... . 10. We need ... telephone directory.
B. Near
1. There’s no one ... to me than you. 2. Excuse me, where is ... metro station? 3. ... time think before you speak. 4. Are you getting off at ...stop, sir? 5. Who lives ... to the school, children? 6. ...week you’ll have to write ... essay according to our plan. 7. Who is going to be ... to do the talking?
С. Old
1. My
roommate is as ... as I. 2. Of the four children Tony is .... 3. My
... brother is a loving family man. 
4.
— Who is ... here? — Mr. Stone is, though he is the youngest man
here. 5. Have you ... brother or sister?
D. Far
1. She is one of those who will go ... . 2. How ... is your native place from here? 3. Billy lived at ... end of the village. 4. She never went ... than school. 5. Do you think they will get any ... in this tricky matter? 6. A ... calculation shows that these figures are incorrect. 7. I live .. from the city centre than you do. 8. They are waiting for ... news from home.
Exercise 17. Translate the following sentences into English.
1. Последний поезд прибывает в полночь. 2. Моя старшая сестра на два года старше меня. 3. Наш директор — старейший и наиболее уважаемый сотрудник этого предприятия. 4. Этот текст гораздо труднее, чем тот, который мы переводили на днях. 5. Комната хорошая, но всё же не такая хорошая, как мне бы хотелось. 6. Я не так молод, как Вы. 7. У вина волшебный аромат, а на вкус оно ещё лучше. 8. Этот мальчик — старший сын моего старейшего друга. 9. Скажите, пожалуйста, где ближайшая остановка автобуса. 10. Ждите дальнейших распоряжений. 11. Эта проблема не так серьезна, как Вам кажется. 12. Ваша сестра очень талантлива. Пожалуй, самая талантливая из молодых художников. 13. Сибирь — один из самых богатых полезными ископаемыми районов нашей страны. 14. Нам нужен стол поменьше, так как комната небольшая. 15. Вам нужны обои посветлее, тогда Ваша комната будет не такой мрачной. 16. Я читала обе статьи. Первая значительно занимательнее второй. 17. Ей столько же лет, сколько мне, хотя она и выглядит значительно моложе. 18. Он сидел в самом дальнем углу комнаты, и оттуда наблюдал за всеми входящими. 19. Я никогда не встречал ребенка более терпеливого, доброго и душевного. 20. Чем больше Вы будете гулять, тем лучше будет Ваше здоровье. 21. Чем внимательнее Вы будете выполнять задания, тем успешнее будет Ваша учеба. 22. Чем труднее задача, тем больше времени занимает решение ее. 23. Чем выше интеллект человека, тем больше его духовные потребности. 24. С каждым днем погода ухудшалась. 25. Музыка звучала всё более отчетливо с каждым нашим шагом по направлению к ложе. 26. Сегодня вдвое холоднее, чем вчера. 27. Этот ящик втрое тяжелее, чем предыдущий. 28. Эта комната в два раза больше, но, несмотря на это, я привык к моей старой квартире. 29. Все его приятели в два раза моложе его. 30. Эта машина в три раза дороже того, что я ожидал
Exercise 18. Work in pairs. Make up some short dialogues, using the pairs of adjectives and appropriate modifiers.
Model: A. That painting’s rather valuable isn’t it?
В Valuable! You’re joking! It’s absolutely priceless!
Cold – freezing; big-enormous; good – marvelous; wet-soaked; frightened – terrified; bad- revolting; difficult – impossible; hungry – starving.
Exercise 19. Translate the following sentences into English.
1. Ты обманула меня на прошлой неделе. И это последний раз, что я верю тебе. Так что в следующий раз думай, что ты говоришь. 2. Это последняя остановка. Автобус дальше не пойдет. 3. На следующей неделе у нас будет новое расписание. 4. Лучше поздно, чем никогда. 5. Почему у тебя кольца в носу? Это что, последняя мода? 6. — Сегодня последний день сессии. Прошлая неделя была очень тяжёлой. — Ну ничего, зато будем отдыхать на следующей неделе. 7. — Кто из вас старше — ты или Кристина? — Кристина на два года старше меня. 8. Не уходи далеко от дома, это небезопасно. И не приходи позже 10 часов. 9. — Чем занимается твой старший брат? — Он юрист, он работает в компании. 10. Это было последнее письмо, которое они получили от него. 11. Последние события нас не радуют. 12. Это последний раз, что я предупреждаю вас. 13. Я не думаю, что он зайдёт так далеко. 14. — Вы сходите на следующей остановке? — Нет, я схожу на последней остановке. 15. Чем дальше вы живёте от центра города, тем лучше воздух. 16. Чем больше мы учимся, тем больше мы знаем. Чем больше мы знаем, тем больше забываем. Чем больше мы забываем, тем меньше знаем. Зачем же тогда учиться? 17. В этом альбоме собраны все последние хиты. 18. В прошлое Рождество ты подарила мне свою любовь. В следующее Рождество мы поженимся. 19. — Кто отвечает следующим? — Я последний (по порядку), но не самый последний человек. 20. Они играют в шахматы уже несколько часов. Следующий ход делает Гарри. 21. Тебе лучше послушать её. Всё равно последнее слово будет за ней.
Exercise 20. Translate the following into English using various sentence patterns to express comparison.
1.Чем меньше ты будешь говорить, тем лучше. 2. К сожалению, я не смог прийти так рано, как обещал. 3. Кошка упала с крыши, но чувствует себя нисколько не хуже от этого. 4. Комната хорошая, но все же не такая хорошая, как бы мне хотелось. 5. Чем больше человек имеет, тем больше ему хочется. 6. Я не так молод, как вы. 7. Погода меняется к лучшему. 8. Окно узкое, как дверь. 9. Суп хорошо пахнет, а на вкус он еще лучше. 10. Как пройти к ближайшей почте? 11. Если, он поможет нам, тем лучше. 12. Если он не делает уроков, тем хуже для него. 13. Чем скорее ты сделаешь это, тем лучше. 14. Он становился все слабее и слабее.15. На этот раз у вас меньше ошибок.
Exercise 21. Read and translate the sentences. Find and comment on the substantivized adjectives.
1. Haven is where the police are British, the cooks are Italian, the mechanics are German, the lovers are French, and all is organized by the Swiss. Hell is where the cooks are British, the mechanics are French, the lovers are Swiss, the police are German and all is organized by the Italians. 2. Mr. Alexander is writing a book on fundamentals of English Grammar. 3. The prospect of a new business deal gave her a high. 4. His illustrated talk presented the highs and lows of his journey. 5. The place was deserted; all the locals had left with the summer residents. 6. The rest had done him good, he knew that. 7. Another thought struck Ursula all of a sudden. 8. Why do you ignore the obvious? 9. The navy was in the thick of the fighting. 10. She always tries to see the best in people. 11. The authorities are very much concerned with the number of the homeless on London streets. 12. He was a German through and through. 13. It’s a possible. I’ll think about it later. 14. From the sublime to the ridiculous there is only one step.
Exercise 22. Translate the following into English using substantivized adjectives where possible:
1. Слепых обучают ремеслам, чтобы они могли работать. 2. Нужны медсестры для ухода за ранеными. 3. Доктор хочет осмотреть раненого. 4. После отъезда сына они перестали приглашать молодежь. 5. Молодежи нравится все делать по-своему. 6. Англичане любят чай. 7. В гостинице было много англичан. 8. Больной попросил воды. 9. Он считал своим долгом помочь бедняку. 10. Работа по спасению пострадавших продолжалась до глубокой ночи. 11. Ты говоришь как неграмотный человек. 12. Он всегда навещал больных два раза в день. 13. Он надеялся застать юношу дома. 14. Для безграмотных были организованы вечерние занятия. 15. Шестерых из пострадавших было разрешено взять домой.
Exercise 23. Talk on the suggested topics.
1. Your proudest achievement. 2. Your most important decision. 3. Your biggest inspiration. 4. Your most memorable dream. 5. Your biggest business risk. 6. The best year of your life. 7. The thing that interests you most in people. 8. Your greatest regret or disappointment. 9. The worst job you’ve ever had. 10. The greatest help you ever received. 11. The strangest coincidence in your life. 12. The three most important principles you follow. 13. The biggest crisis in your life. 14. Your strongest belief.