English Alphabet for Kids
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THE RAIN
Superlative degree
One-syllable adjectives and adverbs, as well as the two-syllable ones ending in -er, -ow, -y, -le, form their superlative degree by addition of the suffix -est to their main (positive) form: long> longest; big> biggest (one-syllables with a short vowel double the last consonant); clever> cleverest; narrow> narrowest; happy> happiest (-y after a consonant changes to -i); simple> simplest (a mute -e is dropped). All other English adjectives and adverbs form their superlative degree by addition of the word 'most' or 'least'
Example
sensitive> most sensitive
interesting> most interesting
difficult> most difficult
passive> least passive, etc
When forming the superlative degree of English adjectives and adverbs, one has to remember the following exceptions from the rules stated above
Exceptions
good, well> best
bad, badly> worst
many (or 'much' for uncountable nouns)> most
little> least; far> farthest (distance) or furthest (distance or time)
late> latest (time) or last (order)
near> nearest (distance) or next (order)
old> oldest (age) or eldest (seniority)
Comparative degree
One-syllable adjectives and adverbs, as well as the two-syllable ones ending in -er, -ow, -y, -le, form their comparative degree by addition of the suffix -er to their main (positive) form: long> longer; big> bigger (one-syllables with a short vowel double the last consonant); clever> cleverer; narrow> narrower; happy> happier (-y after a consonant changes to -i); simple> simpler (a mute -e is dropped). All other English adjectives and adverbs form their comparative degree with the help of the word 'more' or 'less'
Example
Sensitive> more sensitive; interesting> more interesting; difficult> more difficult; passive> less passive, etc
When forming the comparative degree of English adjectives and adverbs, one has to remember the following exceptions from the rules stated above
Exceptions
good, well > better
bad, badly > worse
many (or 'much' for uncountable nouns, see> more
little > less; far > farther (distance) or further (distance or time)
( late > later (time) or latter (order); old >older (age) or elder (seniority)
Function in the sentence
In an English sentence adjectives can have two functions
Modifier
Component of a complex predicate
Example
I saw an open door
Those are fresh flowers
Their house is large and clean
The flower smelled good
I find her attractive
Adverbs play in a sentence the role of modifiers similar to that of the adjectives. But while adjectives modify nouns, adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, or a whole sentence
Example
He will do it easily
This year we had an amazingly warm summer
She ate everything very quickly
Fortunately, they knew everything ahead of time
Gender, Number and Case
English adjectives have neither gender, nor number, nor case. The same adjective can be used with any form of a noun
Example
I put on an old hat
The old man's shoes wore through
Many old buildings surround the park
Adverbs, too, are unchangeable
General
Adjective is a part of speech that defines a characteristic of an object or concept. Adjectives usually answer the question 'what kind of?oooooo
Example
black; big; lazy; old
Adverb is a part of speech describing character or circumstances of an action. Adverbs usually answer the questions 'how? in what way? when? where?', etc
Example
Simply; very; slowly; lately; fast
Some English adjectives and adverbs do not differ in their form. The same word 'fast' can be an adjective or an adverb depending on whether it modifies a noun or a verb
Example
This is a fast car. The car goes fast
Since adjectives and adverbs function as modifiers to other parts of speech, they are often treated together as a group of modifiers
The policeman on the beat moved up the avenue impressively. The impressiveness was habitual and not for show, for spectators were few. The time was barely 10 o'clock at night, but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had well nigh depeopled the streets Trying doors as he went, twirling his club with many intricate and artful movements, turning now and then to cast his watchful eye adown the pacific thoroughfare, the officer, with his stalwart form and slight swagger, made a fine picture of a guardian of the peace. The vicinity was one that kept early hours. Now and then you might see the lights of a cigar store or of an all-night lunch counter; but the majority of the doors belonged to business places that had long since been closed When about midway of a certain block the policeman suddenly slowed his walk. In the doorway of a darkened hardware store a man leaned, with an unlighted cigar in his mouth. As the policeman walked up to him the man spoke up quickly "It's all right, officer," he said, reassuringly. "I'm just waiting for a friend. It's an appointment made twenty years ago. Sounds a little funny to you, doesn't it? Well, I'll explain if you'd like to make certain it's all straight. About that long ago there used to be a restaurant where this store stands--'Big Joe' Brady's restaurant "Until five years ago," said the policeman. "It was torn down then." The man in the doorway struck a match and lit his cigar. The light showed a pale, square-jawed face with keen eyes, and a little white scar near his right eyebrow. His scarfpin was a large diamond, oddly set "Twenty years ago to-night," said the man, "I dined here at 'Big Joe' Brady's with Jimmy Wells, my best chum, and the finest chap in the world. He and I were raised here in New York, just like two brothers, together. I was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty. The next morning I was to start for the West to make my fortune. You couldn't have dragged Jimmy out of New York; he thought it was the only place on earth. Well, we agreed that night that we would meet here again exactly twenty years from that date and time, no matter what our conditions might be or from what distance we might have to come. We figured that in twenty years each of us ought to have our destiny worked out and our fortunes made, whatever they were going to be "It sounds pretty interesting," said the policeman. "Rather a long time between meets, though, it seems to me. Haven't you heard from your friend since you left "Well, yes, for a time we corresponded," said the other. "But after a year or two we lost track of each other. You see, the West is a pretty big proposition, and I kept hustling around over it pretty lively. But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he's alive, for he always was the truest, stanchest old chap in the world. He'll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door to-night, and it's worth it if my old partner turns up." The waiting man pulled out a handsome watch, the lids of it set with small diamonds"Three minutes to ten," he announced. "It was exactly ten o'clock when we parted here at the restaurant door "Did pretty well out West, didn't you?" asked the policeman. "You bet! I hope Jimmy has done half as well. He was a kind of plodder, though, good fellow as he was. I've had to compete with some of the sharpest wits going to get my pile. A man gets in a groove in New York. It takes the West to put a razor-edge on him The policeman twirled his club and took a step or two. "I'll be on my way. Hope your friend comes around all right. Going to call time on him sharp?" "I should say not!" said the other. "I'll give him half an hour at least. If Jimmy is alive on earth he'll be here by that time. So long, officer "Good-night, sir," said the policeman, passing on along his beat, trying doors as he went There was now a fine, cold drizzle falling, and the wind had risen from its uncertain puffs into a steady blow. The few foot passengers astir in that quarter hurried dismally and silently along with coat collars turned high and pocketed hands. And in the door of the hardware store the man who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment, uncertain almost to absurdity, with the friend of his youth, smoked his cigar and waited About twenty minutes he waited, and then a tall man in a long overcoat, with collar turned up to his ears, hurried across from the opposite side of the street. He went directly to the waiting man "Is that you, Bob?" he asked, doubtfully "Is that you, Jimmy Wells?" cried the man in the dooroooooooooo
"Bless my heart!" exclaimed the new arrival, grasping both the other's hands with his own. "It's Bob, sure as fate. I was certain I'd find you here if you were still in existence. Well, well, well! --twenty years is a long time. The old gone, Bob; I wish it had lasted, so we could have had another dinner there. How has the West treated you, old man "Bully; it has given me everything I asked it for. You've changed lots, Jimmy. I never thought you were so tall by two or three inches"Oh, I grew a bit after I was twenty "Doing well in New York, Jimmy "Moderately. I have a position in one of the city departments. Come on, Bob; we'll go around to a place I know of, and have a good long talk about old times."The two men started up the street, arm in arm. The man from the West, his egotism enlarged by success, was beginning to outline the history of his career. The other, submerged in his overcoat, listened with interest. At the corner stood a drug store, brilliant with electric lights. When they came into this glare each of them turned simultaneously to gaze upon the other's face. The man from the West stopped suddenly and released his arm. You're not Jimmy Wells," he snapped. "Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change a man's nose from a Roman to a pug." It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one, said the tall man. "You've been under arrest for ten minutes, 'Silky' Bob. Chicago thinks you may have dropped over our way and wires us she wants to have a chat with you. Going quietly, are you? That's sensible. Now, before we go on to the station here's a note I was asked to hand you. You may read it here at the window. It's from Patrolman Wells."The man from the West unfolded the little piece of paper handed him. His hand was steady when he began to read, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished. The note was rather short. "Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar I saw it was the face of the man wanted in Chicago. Somehow I couldn't do it myself, so I went around and got a plain clothes man to do the job. JIMMYoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo."
English Idioms |
Idioms are fun and useful expressions that usually cannot be understood by defining the separate words. For example, if your host mother says, "I think it's time to hit the hay", she means, "I think its bed-time"! You would not be able to understand her by looking up the words hit and hay. Like phrasal verbs, these expressions need to be memorized as a whole. Try visualizing them or drawing pictures when you study them. For example, draw a picture of a cow sleeping in some hay. The idiom out of the blue means "unexpectedly". Your teacher or home stay family will call you one smart cookie if you come up with an idiomatic expression like that when they least expect it!zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Most idioms don't seem to make any sense because their origins are so old. Some of them come from ancient literature or even classic films. Learning the background of idioms can help you to remember them. Try checking your dictionary or asking a teacher or native speaker if they know the origin. Remember, not all idioms are considered Standard English. Some English-speaking regions use specific idioms that other native English speakers have never heard before. You can find information about most expressions by looking them up online.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Try studying these idioms by learning one list at a time. Or, use these lists to help you when you come across an idiom you don't understand. One important thing to remember is that the subject of the idiom doesn't usually relate to the meaning.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
After you study the idioms, try writing your own sentences with them. If you have studied hard enough, you will find that the quizzes are a piece of cake.
