Adjectives : Common Errors(1)

1. (W) He has read almost each book of the college library.

(R) He has read almost every book of the college library.

2. (W) Every one of the two pencils is missing.

(R) Each one of the two pencils is missing.

Note:- “Each” -- each one (of two or more) taken separately one by one.

“Every” is always used for more than two things, considered as a group. But both

“each” and “every” are invariably singular. E. g.,

‘Every (each) one of the nine apples was rotten’.

3. (W) You must secure at least possible marks.

(R) You must secure at least pass marks.

Note:- The word “possible” has another meaning altogether – it means “tolerable

good”. For Marks sufficient to pass and examination we must say “pass marks”, not

“passing marks”, another common error.

4. (W) He is suffering from a strong cold.

(R) He is suffering from a bad cold.

Note:- Also a “bad headache”, a “bad stomach”.

5. (W) I am forty years.

(R) I am forty years old.

Note:- Either drop the word, “years” and simply say “ I am forty”, or use the complete

expression: “I am forty years old”, or “I am forty years of age”.

6. (W) He brought me milk, butter and honey, the later being Indian.

(R) He brought me milk, butter and honey, the last being Indian.

Note:- “Later” is used only where two things are mentioned.

7. (W) This feat was marvellous well performed.

(R) This feat was marvellously well performed.

Note:- Don’t use an adjective to qualify as adverb.

8. (W) This car is superior than that.

(R) This car is superior to that.

Note:- Always use the preposition “to” after “superior” or “inferior”. Similarly say “preferable to”,

not “preferable than”.

Adjectives : Common errors(2)

Few and a few, Little and a little

9. (W) A few people will admit their faults.

(R) Few people will admit their faults.

10. (W) We can always rely on few people.

(R) We can always rely on a few people.

Note:- “Few” means not many and emphasizes the smallness of the number. It is

distinguished from “A Few”, which means at least some.

11. (W) There are just few apples left.

(R) There are just a few apples left.

12. (W) We have only little money.

(R) We have only a little money.

Note:- F. T. Wood says: “Adverbs such as only and just can be used before a few and a

little, but not before few and little.

13. (W) The patient slept a little and felt no better.

(R) The patient slept little and felt no better.

14. (W) He slept little and felt better.

(R) He slept a little and felt better.

Note:- “Little” means not much and emphasizes the smallness of the amount. It is distinguished from “a little” which means at least some.

Adjectives : Common Errors(3)

Elder, eldest; elder, older, oldest

15. (W) This boy is elder than that one.

(R) This boy is older than that one.

16. (W) My older brother is called John.

(R) My elder brother is called John.

17. (W) This boy is eldest of all.

(R) This boy is oldest of all.

18. (W) My oldest brother is not here.

(R) My eldest brother is not here.

Note:- “Older” and “Oldest” are applied to both persons and things; while “elder” and

“eldest” are applied to persons only, and most frequently to related persons.

Warning:- elder cannot be followed by than; as

“Jane is older than her sister”. Not elder.

19. (W) Have you some lessons to prepare?

(R) Have you any lessons to prepare?

20. (W) I haven’t some lessons to prepare.

(R) I haven’t any lessons to prepare.

Note:- “any” (not “some”) must be used in interrogative and negative sentences. “Some” is generally used in.

Adjectives : Common Errors(4)

Less, Fewer

21. (W) They have less books than I have.

(R) They have fewer books than I have.

Note:- “Less” denotes amount, quantity, value or degree; “fewer” denotes

number.

Thus, we may have less water, less food, less money, less education; but fewer books,

fewer letters, fewer friends.

22. (W) She came to school latter than I.

(R) She came to school later than I.

Note:- “Later” refers to time, “Latter” refers to order and means the second of two

things just mentioned; as

Alexandria and Cairo are large cities; the latter has a population of over a million.

Note:- The opposite of ‘latter’ is ‘former’.

23. (W) This sari is the best of the two.

(R) This sari is the better of the two.

Note:- The superlative form should not be used with reference to two things or

persons. Here the comparative form should be used.

24. (W) Kolkata is bigger than any city in India.

(R) Kolkata is bigger than any other city in India.

Note:- We should not compare a noun to itself.

Kolkata is one of the cities in India.

Any city refers to Kolkata, too. It cannot be larger than itself.

25. (W) The climate of Mysore is better than Hyderabad.

(R) The climate of Mysore is better than that of Hyderabad.

Note:- We should not compare two nouns that cannot be compared.

26. (W) He is senior than my brother.

(R) He is senior to my brother.

Note:- The Latin comparatives, superior, inferior, senior, junior, prior, are

followed by to, not than.

27. (W) This book is more preferable than that one.

(R) This book is preferable to that one.

Note:- The word “preferable” cannot be modified by more or most, and is followed

by to, not than.

28. (W) He brought pencil, rubber and paper, the latter being foolscap.

(R) He brought pencil, rubber and paper, the last being foolscap.

Note:- “Latter” is used only where two things are mentioned.

Adjectives : Comparison(1)

Adjectives change in form to show comparison. This applies to Descriptive Adjectives and some Adjectives of Quantity or Number.

There are three Degrees of Comparison.

(i) An Adjective is said to be in the Positive Degree when no comparison is involved. (ii) It is said to be in the Comparative Degree when two things or persons are compared.

(iii) It is said to be in the Superlative Degree when it is used to compare more than two things or persons.

Positive: Krishnan is a rich man.

The first problem is difficult.

Comparative: Johan is richer than Abraham.

The second problem is more difficult than the first (one).

Superlative: Kennedy is the richest man in the village.

The third problem is the most difficult of all.

An Adjective in the Comparative Degree is normally followed by than and an Adjective in the Superlative Degree is normally preceded by the.

There are a few adjectives which are not generally used in the comparative and superlative degrees.

e. g., chief, major, perpetual, unique, unanimous, impossible etc.

Adjectives : Comparison(2)

1. Formation of the Degrees of Comparison:-

The Comparative and Superlative degrees are formed either by using more and most before the positive, or by adding er and est to the positive.

The general pattern of change may be stated as follows:-

a) Adjectives of one syllable and er and est to the Positive.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Long longer longest

Young younger youngest

Sweet sweeter sweetest

Bold bolder boldest

Kind kinder kindest

Tall taller tallest

b) Adjectives of three or more syllables put more and most before the positive.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Interesting more interesting most interesting

Difficult more difficult most difficult

Beautiful more beautiful most beautiful

Courageous more courageous most courageous

Expensive more expensive most expensive

c) Adjectives of two syllables ending in er, y, or ly usually add er and est.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Clever cleverer cleverest

Pretty prettier prettiest

Lovely lovelier loveliest

d) Adjectives of two syllables ending in ful and re usually take more and most.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Hopeful more hopeful most hopeful

Obscure more obscure most obscure

e) Many other adjectives of two syllables also take more and most.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Honest more honest most honest

Splendid more splendid most splendid

Adjectives : Comparison(3)

f) When the positive ends in e, only r and st are added.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Wise wiser wisest

Easy easier easiest

Merry merrier merriest

Wealthy wealthier wealthiest

g) When er and est are added, adjectives ending in y, and preceded by a consonant change the y into i.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Pretty prettier prettiest

Dry drier driest

Happy happier happiest

Heavy heavier heaviest

Easy easier easiest

h) Adjectives of one syllable and one vowel ending in a single consonant double the consonant when er and est are added.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Fat fatter fattest

Thin thinner thinnest

Sad sadder saddest

Red redder reddest

Big bigger biggest

Hot hotter hottest

i) Some common adjectives have irregular forms of comparison.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Good better best

Bad (ill) worse worst

Little less least

Many (much) more most