Comparatives & Superlatives

Comparatives are adjectives used to compare one object to another object. Superlative also compares the object with another object or a group of objects, but shows the highest or the greatest form of adjective compared to the others. People tend to know what it is; the adding of -er or more to the form of adjective for comparative, and the adding of -est or most to the form of adjective for superlative. However, it is often difficult when to use the -er/-est at the ending or use more/most + adjective.

Here is the trick:

1. For 1 syllable use the -er (or just -r or the last consonant + -er). However, pay atttention to the irregulars.

Examples:

- bigger
- good --> better (irregular)
- larger
- hotter
- colder
- warmer

2. For 3 syllable words use more + initial adjective

- reasonable --> more reasonable
- expensive --> more expensive

3. 2 syllable words must be paid attention to: Generally we use more + adjective, except adjectives ending with -er, -y, -ow we must use the -er form.

Example:

shallow --> shallower
lively --> livelier
clever --> cleverer
handsome --> more handsome

Plural forms

Plural form is used for objects more than one. To make a singular object plural:

1. Add -s in general

- computer --> computers
- handphone --> handphones
- pen --> pens
- pencil --> pencils
- apple --> apples

2. Add -es for words ending in ch, sh, x or s

- box --> boxes
- match --> matches
- loss --> losses

3. With words ending in a -y with a consonant before, change the -y to -ies

- baby --> babies
- body --> bodies
- boy --> boys (remember o before the y is not a consonant)

4. There are some irregular form of plural, and some which is always singular such as:

- fish --> plural = fish
- man --> plural = men
- woman --> plural = women
- person --> plural = people
- bread --> also bread (because bread is uncountable)
- water --> also water (uncountable)
- wine --> also wine (uncountable)

Adverbs and Adjectives

The use of adjectives and adverbs is used to add more explanation to the words that come before or after it.

Adverbs are generally used to describe a verb. It is also used to let the user know about the intense of the verb. Usually adverbs ends with -ly. Two other important adverbs are also well and badly (as opposed to good/bad which is an adjective)

Examples:

- The number of people increased erratically --> Describes the verb rise that is unstable
- The boy speaks English fluently --> Describes the intensity of speaking
- The victim reported the event directly to the police --> Describes the time event of doing the report

Adjectives are used to describe nouns or pronouns, and comes usually before the noun itself.

Examples:

- There is a cubical wooden toy --> Describes about the toy (noun) that has a cubical shape and made from wood.
- There is an erratic increase in the number of people --> Erratic here describes the increase (noun) not the verb "is".
- I bought an orange colored orange --> An orange (fruit) that has an orange color.

Adverbs can also be used to describe adjectives (which in turn describes the noun).

Examples:

- You are extremely annoying --> Extremely is an adverb, that describes the adjective word "annoying". Annoying describes the person "you". It can be made clearer by adding words up to complete the sentence such as: You are an extremely annoying person.
- He is really gentle --> Same as above really is an adverb, describing the word gentle (adjective), which in turn describes about the person's character (noun).

Short but powerful basic explanation. Hope that this explanation can make you understand the difference between adverbs and adjectives.

Common mistakes using past tense I

Everybody knows the past tense, and the structure of simple past tense (verb + past participle). However, two of the mistakes people use are quoting and common facts.

1. Quoting.

When we quote from someone, we must use the correct sentence at that moment, which is usually the present tense. We must use the exact words the person says at that moment. For example: "Today was my birthday," she said yesterday. That is not a correct form of grammar since she said it in the present form on yesterday. Therefore it should be "Today is my birthday," she said yesterday.

2. Common facts.

Common facts are something that doesn't change and is generally believed as true, therefore must always be used in the present form. The earth is round, 4+4=8, a dog is an animal. However, facts that can change should take the appropriate time form.

For example:
- She asked last week why cheese is a dairy product.
- The man didn't believe that the earth is round, when I told him yesterday.

However, opinions should take the the correct time, since they can change. e.g I found a computer yesterday that was only $50. It is a fact that the computer costs $50, however, it can change its price in the future and therefore not a common fact.

So, a final example comprehending the correct sentences regarding the matter above :

- Everybody asked yesterday why 5+5 is 10. I could not answer the question, and asked back why the earth is round. "Those are just common facts," I replied.
- I bought strawberry jam which is made from strawberries because it was on sale for $1.

Pronoun

Subjects and Objects are part of a sentence. These functions can be replaced by the use of pronouns. Pronouns are words such as I, me, him, he, you, they etc.

There is a difference between the use of I and me. The correct usage of pronoun is something like "I go to the market" instead of "Me go to the market". What's the difference? The answer lies on the type of pronoun. In general, there are 3 types of pronouns.

1. Subject pronoun.

Subject pronoun is used to replace the subject in a sentence. Some of these pronouns are I, he, she, it, we, they and who.

Some examples of this:

a. The boy goes to the market --> He goes to the market
b. The employees are having a break --> They are having a break

2. Object pronoun.

Object pronoun is used to replace the object in a sentece. Some of these pronouns are me, him, her, it, us, them and whom.

Some examples of this:
a. The boy was talking to the tall man --> The boy was talking to him
b. The police asked the crowd to go home --> The police asked them to go home

This also answers the problematic use of to whom, since whom refers doing something to the object, not the subject. "To whom are you talking to?"

3. Reflexive pronoun.

This type of pronoun is used to reflect on the subject, usually adding the -self letters.

Some examples of this:
a. I have baked the cakes myself.
b. You have done this to yourself.
c. They washed themselves several times after the incident.

Hopefully, this explain the usage of pronouns in short.