Cat in Chinese pronunciation. Conversational Chinese phrases to help you relax and enjoy your conversation
Today we will analyze the structure “the more…, the less” V English language to help us express our thoughts "the more, the less …" and so on.. Let's start with an interesting example - one of the most famous jokes ...
The more I study, the more I know.
The more I learn, the more I know.
The more I know, the more I forget.
The more I know, the more I forget.
The more I forget, the less I know.
The more I forget, the less I know.
The less I know, the less I forget.
The less I know, the less I forget.
The less I forget, the more I know.
The less I forget, the more I know.
So why then study?!
So why study?
rule
Most likely, many of you have already been able to formulate the rule for the formation of a comparative construction “than ..., so ...” using the above examples. So let's recap:
The + comparative degree of the adjective, the + comparative degree of the adjective.
More examples:
The bigger the fish is, the happier I am. The bigger the fish, the happier I am.
The higher they get - the harder they fall. The higher they rise, the harder they fall.
NB note that union "what, that" very unusual. Word the there is not certain . It was originally form demonstrative pronoun ye(meaning by that much). - (Swan 139.5)
Comparative constructions with adjectives - Comparative constructions with adjectives
Comparative constructions with adjectives in English are used in all degrees of comparison.
Positive degree
1. as ... as; the same ... as (the same ... as; the same ... as). Express the identity of the qualities of two objects.She is as beautiful as her mother. She is as beautiful as her mother.
Ashley has got the same marks as Brandon. Ashley got the same grades as Brandon.
2. not so ... as; not as ... as (not like ... like; not like ... like). This construction expresses the different qualities of the two objects.
Emma is not as graceful as Olivia. Emma is not as graceful as Olivia.
Thomas is not so reachable as Joseph. Thomas is not as rich as Joseph.
3. is [number of times] as ... as. It is used if, when comparing, one of the objects exceeds the other by a certain number of times. If the second object is not mentioned in the sentence, then the construction is used is [number of times] as ...
Emily's wardrobe is twice as capacious as Kimberly's. Emily's closet is twice as big as Kimberly's.
Ethan is twice as young. Ethan is twice as young.
Comparative degree
1. than (than). This union is located after the adjective in the comparative degree.Jason has got more points than Steven. Jason scored more points than Steven.
2. much / far (significantly / much / much); by far (certainly/much); even (even); still (still). These words reinforce the meaning of the comparative construction in the sentence.
Patrick sees into the computers much better than his friend. Patrick is much more computer savvy than his friend.
This movie is far longer than the previous one. This film is much longer than the previous one.
She is greater by far than everyone at this party. She is by far the most gorgeous at this party.
This story is even more tangled than I thought. This story is even more complicated than I thought.
This forest is still denser. This forest is even thicker.
3. the ... the ... (than ..., the ...). This design indicates the causal nature of the compared qualities.
The longer we stay here the farther he leaves. The longer we stay here, the further he goes.
Superlative degree
the; the ... in; the ... of. These constructions are used to highlight an object that is superior in quality to all others. Usually one object is compared with many.It is the most beautiful place I "ve ever seen. This is the most a nice place that I have ever seen.
William is the best racer in this bout. William is the best rider in this race.
David is the most reliable person of them all. David is the most reliable person of them all.
Usually, when it comes to comparing adjectives and adverbs, the first thing that comes to mind is degrees of comparison of adjectives and adverbs , in particular comparative and superlative degrees. And few people realize that the positive degree of comparison, that is, the original form of an adjective or adverb, can also be used in comparison. The positive degree is used in comparative constructions as...as,notso...as.
as ... as
This structure corresponds to the Russian formulations "the same ... as ...", "so ... as far as" or just comparison using the union "How". Thus, this construction is used to express equality or inequality two objects. For a comparative design as… as the following patterns of use are typical:
first object + verb +as + adjective +as + second object |
|
His flat is as big as your flat. |
His apartment is as big as yours. |
This flat is as good as anyone can get for this price. |
This apartment is about as good as you can get for the price. |
first object + verb +as + adverb +as + second object |
|
Tom doesn't drive as well as he told us. |
Tom doesn't drive as well as he told us. |
We came as quickly as we could. |
We arrived as quickly as we could. |
first object + verb +as + quantity expression +as + second object (in this case, the translation “as much ... as ...”, etc. is typical) |
|
They don't really have as many cars as they told you. |
They don't really have as many cars as they told you. |
There is as much money in this case as you promised me. |
This case contains as much money as you promised me. |
If with expression object equality everything is more or less unambiguous (by the way, constructions confirming equality are not so common in speech), then the expression of inequality should be considered separately.
Grammatical structure and meaning of the construction not so … as
As can be seen from the table above, the design as...as occurs in both affirmative and negative sentences. However, there is another structure responsible for expressing inequality, that is, comparison using a positive degree of comparison in negative sentences - notso…as. This construction means not like… like”, “not quite like… like” and is used only in negative sentences:
George is not so tall as his sister Kate. |
George is not as tall as his sister Kate. |
Tom is not so good at mathematics as I am. |
Tom is not as good at math as I am. |
Since in modern English, due to the globalization of its use, there are tendencies towards simplification, and the construction as...as can be used in all types of sentences, including negative ones, then the use of the structure notso…as observed less and less.
Expression of inequality: adjectives
To show that two objects are not the same in one or another quality or property, you can use the structure notas + adjective +as or notso + adjective +a s. In this case, the first of the compared objects "to a lesser extent" exhibits one or another characteristic. The order of the compared objects is reversed than when comparing using comparative adjective +than. Compare:
not as + adjective + as /not so + adjective + as |
comparative adjective + than |
This bag isn't as heavy as that one. /This bag is not as heavy as that one. |
That bag is heavier than this one. /Ta bag heavier, how this. |
Jennifer is not so tall as Jane. /jennifer Not such high, How Jane. |
Jane is taller than Jennifer. /Jane higher, how jennifer. |
If the predicate in such a negative sentence is expressed using verb to be , then it is permissible to use both an abbreviated construction (two types) and a complete one.
It isn't as old as…
It's not as old as…
It isnot so old as…
Inequality expression: verb + adverb
The structure can be used to compare unequal actions verb ++as + adverb +as or verb ++so + adverb +as. The order of compared objects (actions) here will also be reversed compared to the construction than. Compare:
verb + not+ as + adverb + as/ verb+ not + so + adverb + as |
adverb in comparative degree + than |
Tom doesn't’ t paint as well as we’ d hoped. /Tom doesn't draw as well as we hoped. |
We’ d hoped Tom would paint better than he does. / We hoped that Tom draws better than in reality. |
Alice didn't come so early today as she did yesterday. /Alice Not came Today So early, How yesterday. |
Yesterday Alice came earlier than she did today. /Yesterday Alice came earlier, how Today. |
Inequality: quantity expression
Constructions not as...as,notso...as often used to express inequalities in scores with words such as much And many .
not+ as + much/many… +as ornot + so + much/many… +as |
more … +than |
This gadget doesn't have as many options as the other one. / This device Not It has So a lot of options, How another. |
The other gadget has more options than this one. / Another device It has more options, how this. |
I don't earn as much money as you do. / I don't make as much money as you. |
You earn more money than me. / You make more money than me. |
such + phrase with noun + as
Sometimes instead as/so applied such(such). This happens if there is a phrase with a noun inside the "comparative frame":
Harry doesn't have such an interesting job as Paul. |
Harry doesn't have such interesting work Floor. |
The excursion to the outdoor museum never takes such a big amount of time and money as the excursion to the art gallery does. |
An excursion to an open-air museum never requires as much time and money as excursion to the art gallery. |
Strengthening and weakening equality / inequality using adverbs nearly, quite, just, nowhere near
When we want to show that the differences between the compared objects are significant or, conversely, very small, then the comparative constructions described in this article are supplemented with adverbs nearly - almost, at all; quite - quite, practically; just - exactly; nowhere near - not at all, by no means, by no means.
nearly |
My town is nearly as old as Moscow. Great Britain isn't nearly as big as Canada. |
My city is almost as old as Moscow. The UK is not as big as Canada. |
My flat is quite as big as yours. Tom doesn't play chess quite as well as George does. |
My apartment is almost as big as yours. Tom doesn't play chess quite as well as George. |
|
His bicycle is just as expensive as mine. |
His bike is exactly as expensive as mine. |
|
nowhere near |
My town is nowhere near as big as Moscow. |
My city is by no means as big as Moscow. |
Expressing various degrees of quality inherent in the subject, the name of which is determined by this adjective or adverb. These degrees are positive(positive degree) comparative(Comparative Degree), excellent(Superlative degree).
Positive degree (interesting - interesting) adjectives is called their basic form, not expressing the degree of comparison.
comparative(more interesting - more interesting)(comparative) adjectives. The comparative degree allows you to compare things.
If the adjective consists of the 1st syllable is added ending -er: nice - nicer; big - bigger. If there are two syllables and the ending of the verb in the main form -y, the ending changes to -ier: heavy - heavy; early - earlier. If the adjective is long (consists of 2/3/4 syllables), the word more is used - more: expensive - more expensive.
Superlatives (the most interesting - the most interesting)(superlative) adjectives. The superlative degree of adjectives in English is necessary to indicate the quality to which the word "most" can be added.
Don't forget to add the article the! If the adjective consists of the 1st syllable, the ending the …-est is added: nice - the nicest; big - the biggest. If two syllables and the ending of the verb in the main form -y, the ending changes to the ... -iest: heavy - the heaviest; early - the earliest. If the adjective is long (consists of 2/3/4 syllables), the word most is used - the most (most): expensive - the most expensive.
positive degree | comparative | Superlatives |
---|---|---|
cold - cold | cold er | the cold est |
hot - hot | hot ter | the hott est |
sunny - sunny | sunn ier | the sunn iest |
dangerous - dangerous | more dangerous | the most dangerous |
Exceptions: | ||
good/well - good | better - better | (the) best - the best, the best |
bad / badly - bad / ill - sick, unhealthy (about a person) | worse - worse / in the worst state of health (about a person) | (the) worst - the worst, worst / in the most difficult condition (about a person) |
little - little, small | less - less | (the) least - the least, the smallest, the smallest |
many, much - a lot | more - more | (the) most - most of all. largest (in number, size, degree) |
far - distant, distant | farther ["fɑːðə], further ["fɜːðə] - further: further news = any more news | (the) farthest, furthest - the farthest |
old - old | older (about age) / elder (about seniority) - older: elder brother - older brother | (the) oldest/eldest - the oldest |
late - late | later - later | (the) last |
After adjectives in superlatives need to use in with cities, buildings, etc. exceptions: of my life, of the year. For example, It "s one of the oldest castles in Britain. - It is one of the oldest castles in Great Britain. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. - It was one of the worst experiences of my life.