Устойчивые словосочетания

A change for the better (for the worse) – перемена к лучшему (худшему).

So much the better (the worse) – тем лучше (хуже).

At (the) best – в лучшем случае.

To go from bad to worse – становиться все хуже и хуже.

Grammar Practice

Ex.1. Form the adjectives using suffixes -able, -ful, -ic, -ive, -ant, -ible, -(i)an, -ish, -ly, -ous, -ing, -less, -al.

To attract, to manage, to run, to agree, to value, beauty, wonder, care, energy, economy, history, Victory, practice, humour, fool, red, long, friend, interest, help, response, danger, profession, harm, use.

Ex.2. Give the antonyms using prefixes dis-, un-, im-, in-, il-, ir-.

Human, honest, possible, regular, legal, imaginable, agreeable, moral, interesting, capable, practical, different, usual, responsible, advantageous, comfortable, patient, pleased, convenient, literate, tidy.

Ex.3. Rewrite the following sentences using compound adjectives.

1. The girl is two years old. 2. The meeting lasted three hours. 3. The journey takes ten days. 4. The bag weighs five kilos. 5. My engine is two litres. 6. The tunnel is sixty kilometres. 7. It’s a note for fifty pounds.

Ex.4. Put each group of words into the right order.

1. French a handmade cupboard large; 2. wooden square two tables; 3. red a dress silk beautiful; 4. cottage stone small old a; 5. winding road country long a; 6. a swivel nice wooden chair; 7. cotton long a skirt yellow; 8. of trousers a blue American modern pair; 9. cold juice a fresh glass orange of; 10. boots some old football dirty.

Ex.5. Write a letter of recommendation to your group-mate, colleague or a friend. Make use of some words given below.

Efficient, diligent, helpful, creative, open-hearted, well-read, cultured, naïve, thoughtful, slow, forgetful, choosy, bossy, demanding, cooperative, provocative, flexible, sophisticated, practical, businesslike, professional, well-organized, decisive, reliable, broad-minded, ambitious, foresighted, firm, stubborn, persistent.

Ex.6. Choose the right form of the adjectives.

1. Bob is a (tall / taller) boy. 2. Today is (warmest / warmer) than yesterday. 3. It is (the more impressive / the most impressive) play I have ever seen. 4. Smolensk is much (older / elder) than Rostov. 5. She is (younger / the youngest) in the family. 6. This dress is as (modern / more modern) as that one. 7. She is twice as (young / younger). 8. I am six years (older / elder) than you. 9. Liz is as (tall / taller) as Rachel. 10. The poster is (colourful / more colourful) than the one in the hall. 11. Jane is (less / least) athletic of all the women. 12. Diana is (shorter / the shortest) of the three sisters. 13. These shoes are (cosier / the cosiest) of all. 14. It is (the most funny / the funniest) story I’ve ever heard.

Ex.7. Form the degrees of comparison.

Simple, deep, fat, merry, large, pretty, happy, pleasant, long, little, warm, smart, useful, light, heavy, sweet, bad, white, late, friendly, red, different, young, old, narrow, dirty, nice, short, shallow, new, free, miserable, good, active, far, thin, thick, near, tidy, clean, slim, stingy, imaginative, clever, few, important, high, energetic, usual.

Ex.8. Fill in the table.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
loving
		narrowest
	elder
		busiest
	easier
		least
useful
fat
	better
far
		largest
	thicker
bad
active

Ex.9. Use the correct form of the adjectives.

1. Health and happiness are (important) than money. 2. I prefer this armchair. It’s (comfortable) than the other one. 3. The hotel was surprisingly cheap. I expected it to be much (expensive). 4. She is a very (intelligent) student. She is (intelligent) student in our group. 5. This hat is too small for me. I need a (big) size. 6. The station wasn’t as (near) as I had thought. 7. Her illness was (serious) than we at first thought. 8. My salary isn’t so (high) as yours. 9. This furniture is too expensive for me. I would like to buy (cheap) furniture. 10. It’s too noisy here. Can we find a (quiet) room? 11. He is (famous) singer in the country. 12. There were no people at the bus stop. It was (early) than usual.

Ex.10. Add “the”, “than”, “of”, “in ” where necessary.

Two weeks ago I went to the shop to buy a birthday present for my (1)___ (old) sister. You couldn’t meet a (2)___ (wonderful) person (3)___ her. She is one (4)___ (5)___ (charming) and (6)___ (funny) women I know. She is also (7)___ (generous) person I’ve ever met. (8)___ (bad) thing is that she has a (9)___ (quick) temper (10)___ me. Mother says she could also be a bit (11)___ (tidy) (12)___ she is. Anyway, the present I wanted to buy had to be (13)___ (good) I could afford. It was (14)___ (nice) scarf I had ever seen. It was (15)___ (long) (16)___ the one she already had and much (17)___ (colourful). Imagine my disappointment when I discovered the next day that Mother had bought her exactly the same scarf.

Ex.11. Complete each sentence.

1. ___ (far) we are from the city, ___ (quiet) it is. 2. ___ (near) we got to the city centre, ___ (busy) the roads became. 3. ___ (long) I had to queue at the bank, ___ (impatient) I became. 4. ___ (much) the child was naughty, ___ (angry) the mother became. 5. ___ (tall) the boy is, ___ (successful) volleyball player he is. 6. ___ (late) fashion of the dress is, ___ (expensive) it is.

Ex.12. Find and correct the mistakes.

1. This magazine is the best than that one. 2. The university is as farther as the shop. 3. Her sports car is different than Mary’s. 4. The Empire State Building is the taller than the Statue of Liberty. 5. His bike is three times more expensive than mine. 6. This road is two kilometres as long as that one. 7. The difficult the task is, the interesting it is. 8. His test is the worse in the group. 9. The new computer is much efficienter than the old one. 10. Phil is a happy person I have ever known.

Ex.13. Use the right form of the degrees of comparison.

1. The Trans-Siberian railway is (long) in the world. 2. The twenty-second of December is (short) day of the year. 3. Iron is (useful) of all metals. 4. The Neva is (wide) and (deep) than the Moskva River. 5. Elbrus is (high) peak in the Caucasus. 6. His plan is (practical) than yours. 7. London is (large) city in Europe. 8. Silver is (heavy) than copper. 9. His idea is (bad) than mine. 10. It was (hot) day this summer. 11. He isn’t as (old) as he looks. 12. This street is as (wide) as that one. 13. This coat is (warm) than that one. 14. Her bag is 10 dollars (expensive) than mine. 15. Our room is twice as (small) as theirs. 16. That road is 6 kilometres (short) than this one. 17. The Italian film is much (interesting) than the American one. 18. I’m disappointed because the exhibition is (entertaining) than I expected. 19. This is (bad) TV programme we have ever watched. 20. Jupiter is (far) from the Earth than the Moon. 21. This exercise is much (difficult) than the rest. 22. Your test isn’t so (hard) as hers. 23. That skyscraper is one of (big) buildings in the world. 24. Most planes go a lot (fast) than trains.

Ex.14. Write 10 sentences of comparison, using the words of two columns.

Young people, old people The Sun, the Moon English, Chinese English, German, Japanese Rome, London, Babylon Dogs, cats Cathedral, church Motorway, path Horse, bicycle, car Children, grown-ups

Big easy hot narrow curious ancient friendly difficult sceptical fast

Ex.15. Use the correct form of the adjectives in brackets.

1. Who was (late) person to leave the office yesterday? 2. (Near) train for London leaves in an hour. 3. They realized their plan without (far) difficulties. 4. Nell is three years (old) than her husband. 5. Her (old) brother is a pianist. 6. The car was parked in (far) corner of the yard. 7. You’ll get (far) instructions in a few days. 8. It is (bad) weather we’ve had for a long time. 9. Can you tell me the way to (near) bookstore? 10. Hilda is (old) in the family. 11. What do you think of his (late) play? It’s (good) play I’ve ever seen this year. 12. I’m looking forward to his (near) letter. 13. Who is (good) player in the team? 14. Mercury is (near) to the Sun and Pluto is (far). 15. Are there any (far) questions? 16. Other students had poorer results. He isn’t (bad) student in his group.

Ex.16. Do the multiple choice test.

1. Rita is … pianist in the class.

A. good B. the best C. better

2. His job is … interesting than his brother’s.

A. more B. the most C. as

3. That report is … impressive of all.

A. the least B. less C. little

4. This is the family’s … photo.

A. eldest B. elder C. oldest

5. The … news is sensational.

A. latest B. least C. last

6. Your driving is … than mine.

A. bad B. worst C. worse

7. This picture is … exciting in the exhibition.

A. the most B. more C. as

8. The weather is much … today.

A. foggiest B. foggy C. foggier

9. Your shoes are … than Bob’s.

A. dirtier B. dirty C. the dirtiest

10. We have no … information.

A. further B. farther C. far

11. The … the dog is, the … it is.

A. youngest, most playful B. young, more playful

C. younger, more playful

12. Nobody is … than Martha.

A. happier B. happy C. the happiest

13. Sam wears the same shirt … his team mates.

A. than B. as C. so

14. Jerome has half … CDs as I had last year.

A. as many B. as the most C. many

15. It’s … task I’ve ever done.

A. complicated B. the most complicated C. more complicated

16. Your flat is twice … hers.

A. bigger B. big C. as big as

17. This flower is 20 centimetres … than the one on the shelf.

A. higher B. as high as C. high

18. Chicago was the fourth … city in the USA.

A. largest B. larger C. large

19. Helen has … apples than Christine.

A. few B. the fewest C. fewer

20. Her English is … of all.

A. more fluent B. the most fluent C. fluent

21. The chair is far … than the other.

A. comfortable B. more comfortable C. the most comfortable

22. It’s … advice we’ve ever heard.

A. less useful B. more useful C. the most useful

23. This book is … as yours.

A. as interesting B. more interesting C. interesting

24. Her … son is in the army now.

A. older B. elder C. oldest

25. A watermelon is much … than a lemon.

A. sweet B. the sweetest C. sweeter

26. His drawings are … as his instructor’s.

A. as perfect B. more perfect C. the most perfect

Ex.17. Translate from English.

1. Темза не такая длинная, как Северн, но она глубже и более важная. 2. Одежда детей мокрая и грязная. 3. Кто эта молодая стройная женщина? – Младшая сестра господина Смита. 4. Посмотрите на карту России. Это – крупнейшая страна в мире. Ее территория в десять раз больше территории Франции. 5. Это самые легкие упражнения, которые я когда-либо выполнял. 6. Декабрь – последний и самый холодный месяц года. 7. Его старшая сестра работает в нашей компании. 8. У меня есть две книги этого автора. Последняя из них – более увлекательная. 9. Сегодня погода намного хуже, чем вчера. 10. Этот семестр для нас – самый трудный. 11. Она ждет дальнейших объяснений от вас. 12. Фред такой же сильный, как мой брат. 13. Вот кратчайший путь до озера. 14. В журнале есть несколько статей о последних достижениях в информатике. 15. Моя комната наполовину меньше твоей. 16. В самом дальнем углу парка есть фонтан. 17. Новый дом на шесть этажей выше нашего. 18. Английский – второй по популярности язык после китайского. 19. Ее чемодан наполовину легче моего. 20. Чем ближе к городскому парку ты находишься, тем чище воздух. 21. Киев – более древний город, чем Москва, это один из древнейших городов мира. 22. Ватикан – самое маленькое государство в Европе. 23. Эта проблема не так серьезна, как вам кажется. 24. Купи обои посветлее для своей спальни. Она не будет выглядеть такой мрачной, как сейчас. 25. Этот прибор работает в три раза быстрее старого. 26. Погода становится все хуже. 27. Его последний роман менее увлекательный, чем предыдущий. Мне кажется, что это самая скучная книга, которую я читал в последнее время. 28. Я с нетерпением жду дальнейших известий от Виктора.