Exercise 4 . Compare the following, replacing the adjective in bold with the seven adjectives below.
1 –
Proficiency Sınavı
(
Proficiency Sınavı
için Bireysel – Özel Ders )
2 –
Proficiency Sınavı
(
Proficiency Sınavı
için 4 kişilik Gruplarla Ders )
Proficiency sınavına iştirak etmek isteyen adayların çalışmak zorunda olduğu konulardan biri olan ” comparison clauses” konusu üzerinde yazılmış olan bu makale proficiency sınavına hazırlık çalışmalarında sizlere yardımcı olacaktır. Proficiency sınavına bireysel derslerle yada 4 kişilik gruplarla garantili öğrenci hazırlanır.
Exercise 1. Fill in the blanks in the passagewith the right wordfrom the box to make different type clauses you have learnt so far.
but/because/due to/despite/how/that/who/which/with the result that
………………………………………………………………………
Of all natural disasters,the eartquake is probably the one……………..is most feared byhumanity.We like to think………..the ground underneath us is solidand reliable……..people….live in eartquakezones will be quick to tell you…………very unsatablethe earth can be. The frightening thing about eartquakes is that,……..the advances made by meteorological science in forecastingother natural disaster like hurricanes and typhoons,the earthquakedefeats scientists with its completely unpredictable nature.Earthquakes strike unexpectedly ….there is often heavy loss of life.Casualties usually ocur……….buildings have collapsed as a result of the violent movement of the earth’s crust……..takes place during a quake. Strict enforcement ofmodern building regulationsnow helps to reduce the number of the deaths……the earthquake remains complately beyond the control of people…………..even their graetest efforts are often wasted.
Turkey has always been threatened by earthquakeas . It is recorded……….in 17 AD twelve cities dis appeared overnight in a series of earthquakes.In 557 AD İstanbul,……….was then called Constantinople,was partly destroyed.. The fallen columns………..litter the groundall over Turkey are usually………….movement of the earth’s crust…………..the earthquakeas………devastaded the ancient Grek and Romanteples provided the successors to those civilisations with aready supply of building materials.
Exercise 2. Answer these questions from the passage.
1. Is Erol taller or shorter than Erdal ?
2. Who weighs more ?
3. Who has bigger feet ?
4. Who cooks the best chocolate cake ?
5. Who gets better marks at school ?
6. Which twin is cleverer ?
Rules of comparatives and superlatives
1. a) long longer longest
b) -y sunny sunnier sunniest
-le simple simpler simplest
-ow yellow yellower yellowest
-er clever cleverer
-ure mature maturer maturest
fat fatter fattest
2. a) useful
expensive more expensive most expensive
interesting more interesting most interesting
amusing more amusing most amusing
boring more boring most boring
educated more educated most educated
balanced more balanced most balanced
As seen, one-syllable adjectives (1.a) and two-syllable adjectives ending in -y, -le, -ow, -er, ure (1.b) can be proceeded by -er or -est.
Two-syllable adjectives not ending in -y, -le, -er, or -ure and ones with more than two syllabes are proceeded by more or the most (2.a). Present participle used as adjectives (2.b), and past participle used as adjectives take more or te most (2.c).
NOTE :
1. If the adjective ends in -e, -r or -st is added such as pure , purer, the purest.
2. Adjectives ending in -y, change to -ier -iest (1.b)
3. One – syllable adjectives ending in vowel + consonant, for example red, slim, sad, etc. double the last consonant : red / redder / reddest , slim / slimmer slimmest, sad / sadder saddest etc.
Irregular comparative forms
good better best
bad worse worst
far further furthest
The following adjectives having two syllables can be formed in two ways : adding -er, est or using more, most :
common commoner commenest
more common most common
clever cleverer cleverest
more clever most clever
The other adjectives which can be formed in both ways as above :
cruel gentle quiet funny polite stupid friendly
Exercise 2 b .. Write the comparative and superlative forms of the adjective below.
1 sunny 2 polite 3 much 4 many 5 interesting 6 good 7 bad 8 rude 9 bitter 10 big 11 far 12 shallow 13 little 14 worrying
15 hard-working 16 uneducated
Study the use of the comparatives in bold in the dialogue.
Arzu and Betül are discussing their new teacher.
Arzu Do you like our new English teacher ?
Betül Yes, she’s more interesting than Mrs Brown but she’s not us funny as her.
Arzu That’s true, she’s more intelligent but she’s not as kind.
Betül She’s much stricter and more serious than Mrs Brown but we work as hard as before. Mrs Brown was nicer, though.
Arzu Mr Brown’s lessons were easier too and the class was bigger.
Betül Yes, but you’re lazier than me. I’m a much better student!
Exercise 3.. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the adjectives or adverbs in brackets in the dialogue.
Teacher and student
Teacher Your work is not ……….. 1…………… (good) it used to be.
Student I know, I’m ………… 2 ……………… (busy) at home now than I was before.
Teacher Do you study ……………. 3 ……………… (little) now than before ?
Student Yes, I’m much ……………. 4 …………….. (lazy) at school than I was.
Teacher You’re …………….. 5 ……………….. (intelligent) and …………… 6 ………………. (able) than the others.
Student Thank you, but it’s not ……………… 7 ……………… (easy) ……………… it used to be.
Teacher I will be …………. 8 ………………. (happy) if you give your report in …………. 9 ……………. (early) than you did last week.
Sudent I know, the ……………. 10 ……………. (soon) the …………….. 11 ………………. (good).
Exercise 4 . Compare the following, replacing the adjective in bold with the seven adjectives below.
A plane is bigger than a helicopter.
1. expensive A plane is more expensive than a helicopter.
2. fast
3. important
4. useful
5. heavy
6. complicated
7. noisy
Exercise 5 . Answer these questions from the passage.
1. Where does Mollie go to school ?
2. What kind of school does she go to ?
3. What does she miss most when she’s at school ?
4. Are Mollie’s parents rich ?
5. Why does Mollie sometimes feel under a lot of pressure at school ?
6. What’s Mollie’s best subject ?
7. What’s one of the reasons that she likes this subject ?
8. What does Mollie think is the nicest thing about her school ?
9. Are the classes big in Mollie’s school ?
10. Does Mollie like her school ?
Comparisons decribing equality
Comparative clauses formed with as …………… as describe an equal comparision :
A kg of tomatoes costs 50.000 TL. One kg of cucumbers cost 50.000 TL.
Tomatoes are as expensive as cucumbers.
Tomatoes and cucumbers cost the same.
Tomatoes are the same price as cucumbers.
Negative form of the comparasion
A kg of eggplants cost 90.000 TL. A kg of beans cost 60.000 TL.
Beans are not as expensive as eggplants.
Eggplants are not the same price as beans.
Beans are not so expensive as eggplants.
I am not as young as I used to be.
I am not as slim as I used to be.
Comparasions describing inequality
Comparative clauses which begin with than describe an unequal comparison.
A sandwich costs 25.000 TL. A coke costs 15.000 TL.
A sandwich costs more than a coke.
A coke costs less than a sandwich.
Exercise 6 . Fill in the blanks with not as …………. / not so …………………. as or than to make a comparison clause .
1. The sun is larger than the moon.
2. Buses are ……………. expensive ……………….. taxis.
3. Dried beans and lentils are ……………….. nourishing ………………… meat.
4. Erol can cook Menemen …………….. well ………………… Erdal.
5. İstanbul is ………………….. cold …………………… London in the winter.
6. Telephoning abroad is …………………
7. Donkeys aren’t ………………. stupid …………………… people think they are.
8. Gold is more valuable ………………… silver.
9. A taxi is more comfortable ………………….. a bus.
10. A computer isn’t ……………….. clever ……………….. a human being.
11. Her face was …………………. white ………………. a ghost.
12. Sakıp Sabancı said he could do more work in a day …………… his wife could do in three.
Exercise 7 . Rewrite these sentences, using as ………………. as or not so / as ………………. as.
1. He is younger than I (am)
He isn’t as old as I (am).
2. An old person is less active than a young one.
An old person isn’t as active as young one.
3. Your composition is worse than Susan’s.
4. A helicopter is smaller than a plane.
5. A chair is less comfortable than an armchair.
6. Neşe is slimmer than Fatma.
7. A second – hand car is cheaper than a new one.
8. An elephant is bigger than a cow.
9. The Sakarya river is shorter than the Kızılırmak.
10. A car with four doors is more convenient than a two-door car.
11. Hasan has got fewer books than Özgür.
12. A Murat car isn’t more expensive than a Mercedes car.
13. Other Islamıc countries are less developed than Turkey.
14. We are slower in learning English than you.
Exercise 8 . Rewrite these sentences, using less instead of not so / as …….. as.
1. Living in a big city isn’t as comfortable, in some cases, as living in a village.
Living in a big city is less comfortable, in some cases, than living in a village.
2. A Murat car isn’t as expensive as a Doğan car.
3. For me, learning Arabic as a second language is not as important as learning English.
4. Washing up isn’t as interesting as cooking.
5. Walking is not as energetic as dancing.
6. In my opinion, solving family problems is not as easy as overcoming economic problems.
7. There isn’t as much air pollution in villages as in cities.
8. Travelling by car is not as safe travelling by train.
9. Making a journey by car is not as economic as travelling by bus.
10. Begging is not as honourable as working for money.