English Advanced Grammar Exercises – Adjectives 3

A. Write the adjectives under the correct headings.

B. Complete the sentences, using the comparative or superlative forms of the words in brackets.

1   China and India have …………………. populations in the world by far. (high)

2   Paris and Barcelona are among …………………. European cities. (visited)

3   The USA is a little …………………. In area than China. (big)

4   Russia is far …………………. than any other country in the world. (large)

5   Mexico City is one of …………………. cities in the world. (busy)

6   Asia contains far and away …………………. cities on Earth. (fast-growing)

7   The Pitcairn Islands have by far …………………. capital in the world. (small)

8   Mongolia has quite a lot …………………. people per km² than any other country. (few)

9   Monaco is easily …………………. country. (crowded)

10   Tokyo is …………………. city in the world to live in. (expensive)

C. Complete each sentence b so that it means the same as sentence a, using no more than five words including the word in brackets.

1   a   Penny’s cat is much younger than ours. (not)

      b   Our cat is ……………………………………. Penny’s.

2   a   Despite the weather forecast, it wasn’t such a bad day. (as)

      b   It wasn’t ……………………………………. the weather forecast had predicted.

3   a   These onions are sufficiently soft now, so you can add the rice. (enough)

      b   These onions are now ……………………………………. to add the rice.

4   a   Often, if you try to do something more quickly, you end up taking more time to do it. (longer)

      b   Often, the more quickly you try to do something, ……………………………………. to do it.

5   a   The least expensive time to visit the city is in winter, which is the quiet season. (cheapest)

      b   Visiting the city ……………………………………., which is the quiet season.

6   a   Cristoph is no more likely to get the job than Marina. (as)

      b   Marina ……………………………………. Cristoph is to get the job.

7   a   This box weighs so much that it’s just impossible to pick it up. (too)

      b   This box is just ……………………………………. .

8   a   Some people say university courses are less difficult now than they were in the past. (so)

      b   Some people say university courses ……………………………………. they used to be.

9   a   Guernica is probably the Picasso painting which people have heard of most. (famous)

      b   Picasso’s ……………………………………. Guernica.

10 a   Many snakes are poisonous, but sea snakes are more poisonous than any others. (most)

      b   Sea snakes ……………………………………. all snakes.

D. Complete the sentences, using comparative expressions made from the words in brackets.

1   ……………………. people have, ……………………. they often are. (money / satisfied)

2   ……………………. I get, ……………………. the years seem to pass by. (old / fast)

3   ……………………. you have to do something, ……………………. it takes you to do it. (time / long)

4   ……………………. you go to bed, ……………………. you will feel in the morning. (late / refreshed)

5   ……………………. he eats, ……………………. he will be. (fast food / healthy)

6   ……………………. you do before an exam, ……………………. the chance of passing it. (preparation / great)

7   ……………………. people do, ……………………. they tend to become. (travelling / open-minded)

8   Some people think that ……………………. children are when they start to learn a second language, ……………………. they will find it. (young / easy)

9   ……………………. you have to travel to work, ……………………. you should set off in the morning. (far/ early)

10   ……………………. you eat now, ……………………. you’ll be at dinner time. (biscuits / hungry)

E. Complete the sentences, using appropriate comparative or superlative forms.

1   Computers were by far ………………………………………… .

2   The moon is not as ………………………………………… .

3   This year we didn’t have such ………………………………………… .

4   Maths and Science are far and away ………………………………………… .

5   Tomorrow will be one of ………………………………………… .

6   This soup is much too ………………………………………… .

7   Doing exercise is as ………………………………………… .

8   In 20 years’ time, the world will be far ………………………………………… than ………………………………………… .

9   Travelling by public transport is ………………………………………… .

10   The more work you do now, ………………………………………… .

F. Write three or four sentences to answer each question, using different comparative or superlative forms from the unit.

How is your life now different from five years ago?

……………………………………………….

……………………………………………….

……………………………………………….

How would you like your life to be different five years from now?

……………………………………………….

……………………………………………….

……………………………………………….

G. Circle the correct option.

1   By the time I finally went to bed I think I was ………… tired I have ever been.

      a the more     b most    

      c the most

2   Science City is one of Europe’s ………… campuses.

      a the most famous

      b the more famous

      c most famous

3   The more you read in English, ………… your vocabulary will become.

      a better     b the better

      c the best

4   The amount of electricity used by Science City is ………… high as in many other universities.

      a nothing like

      b nothing as

      c nothing like as

5   It was too far ………… all the way in one day, so we stayed in a hotel overnight.

      a to drive     b to driving

      c for driving