ADJECTIVES+AND+ADVERBS


 * FAIRLY / RATHER / QUITE / PRETTY **

These adverbs can all mean **moderately**, **to some extent** or **not very** ( in Spanish, we translate them by bastante) and are used to alter the strength of adjectives and adverbs. **Fairly** is the weakest and **pretty** is the strongest and most informal, but their effect is very much influenced by intonation. Generally, the more any of these adverbs is stressed, the more negative the sentence sounds.


 * When **rather** or **pretty** is used with a positive quality, it can sound enthusiastic: //a rather/pretty good play//. With a negative or variable quality they express disapproval: //It's rather/pretty small.//
 * **Fairly** is mostly used with positive qualities: //fairly tidy, spacious, friendly...//
 * Only **rather** can be used with comparative expressions and **too**: //the house is rather bigger tahn we thought. These shoes are rather too small.//
 * **Rather** and **quite** can precede the indefinite article when followed by an **adjective + noun**: //rather / quite a nice day.//
 * **Quite**, in British English, can have different meanings partly depending on the intonation.
 * If **quite** carries the //main stress// when used with gradable words (ie. Those describing qualities which can be of different strengths or degrees) it has a negative meaning such as //“not very”//: //He is QUITE handsome.//
 * If **quite** receives //secondary stress or no stress// the sentence expresses more approval and possibly surprise: //I was quite PLEASED.//
 * When **quite** is used with a word expressing an absolute quality, it means completely and does //not// usually carry the //main stress: it was quite WONDERFUL. I quite AGREE with you (I entirely agree with you)//

*** Some notes about** COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES.

 * Apart from what you know about comparative and superlatives, you should bear in mind the following facts: **

COMPARATIVES ** Ex: It's much cheaper to go by car. Ex: Do you feel any better today? Ex: Your English is getting better and better. (Tu inglés va mucho mejor) Ex: The warmer the weather, the better I feel (cuanto mejor es el tiempo, mejor me siento) ; The sooner we leave, the better (cuanto antes nos vayamos mejor)
 * Before comparative you can use: **much, a lot, far (=a lot), a bit, a little, slightly (=a little)**
 * You can use **any** and **no + comparatives** (any longer / no bigger...)
 * **Harder and harder / more and more / more and more difficult...** we repeat comparatives to say that something is changing continuously.
 * T**he … (comparative), the ... (comparative):** we use two comparatives to say that one thing depends on another thing.
 * **Older and elder**. The comparative of old is older (Tom is older then Mike); we can use elder when talking about people and family. We can say: my elder sister / brother / uncle... ( My elder brother is a pilot)

Ex: What is the longest river in the world? What was the happiest day of your life? Ex: Thank you for the money. It was most generous of you (=very generous)
 * SUPERLATIVES **
 * After superlatives we use **IN** with **places** (towns, buildings...) and **OF** for a period of **time**.
 * We often use the //present perfect after a superlative:// What's the best film you have ever seen in your life?
 * Sometimes we use **most+ adjective** to mean **very**.

**.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-**    =** Time to practice!!! **=
 * Now have a look at these exercises and practice with them. Try not to look at the key just to check your answers,ok?

1. What does quite mean in these sentences? Tick the right meaning.


 * || more than a little, less than very || completely ||
 * 1. It's quite cold. You'd better wear a coat. ||  ||   ||
 * 2. “Are you sure”? “Yes, quite sure”. ||  ||   ||
 * 3. I couldn't believe it. It was quite incredible. ||  ||   ||
 * 4. My bedroom is quite big. ||  ||   ||
 * 5. The people I work with are quite friendly. ||  ||   ||

2. Complete the sentences using quite with one of the following:

amazing – different – impossible – right – safe – sure – unnecessary – true
1. I didn't believe her at first, but in fact what she said was ........................................ 2.You won't fall. The ladder is ......................................... 3. I'm afraid I can't do what you ask. It's ............................................. 4. I couldn't agree with you more. You are ............................................. 5. You can't compare two things. They are ............................................ 6. You needn't have done that. It was ..................................................... 7. I think I saw them go out but I'm not .................................................... 8. I couldn't believe what had happened. It was ................................................

3. Complete the sentences using repetitive comparative (harder and harder)

1. It's becoming ............................................to find a job (hard) 2. That hole in your pullover is getting ............................................. (big) 3. My bags seemed to get ........................................... (heavy) as I carried them. 4. Travelling is becoming .............................................. (expensive)

4. Now use the structure the + comparative, the + comparative. Use the words in brackets to complete your sentences.

1. I like warm weather. The warmer the weather, ................................................... (feel) 2. I didn't really like Jim when we first met. But the more I got to know him, ................................................................ (like) 3. She had to wait a very long time. The longer she waited, .................................................................... (impatient / become)

5. Which is correct, older or elder? Both?

1. My **older / elder** brother has just arrived in Rio de Janeiro. 2. I'm surprised Paul is only 35. I thought he was **older / elder** 3. Maggie's younger brother is still at school. Her **older / elder** sister is a pilot. 4. Mauren is **older / elder** than her sister.

6. Complete the sentences using comparative or superlative.

1. We stayed at .............................................................. (cheap) hotel in town 2. The USA is very large but Canada is ........................................................... (large) 3. It was an awful day. It was ............................................. (bad) day of my life. 4. I prefer this chair to the other one. It's .......................................................... (comfortable) 5. Mr and Mrs Brown have got three daughters..................................................... (old) is 14 years old.