Analyzing Syntax & Semantics Workbook

CHAPTER 17 Comparatives

192 CHAPTER 17 Comparatives Exercise 38 1. Underline the comparative and superlative forms of the adjectives and adverbs and specify the degree as comparative (C) or superlative (S). a. My schoolwork is much harder than it was last year. b. Lloyd speaks more intelligibly than Willa. c. Please be a little quieter. d. The baby had a worse cold than Sherry did. e. Of the three, universities, Harvard has the largest endowment. f. Gayle is the most efficient secretary in the pool. g. This tool is really more versatile than the other. h. That movie was not the best one on TV last night. i. Which container holds less gas? 2. Indicate with A where the optionally deleted word would go and write the word in the blank. a. Bill exercised more strenuously than Jerry. b. A television as old as that one shouldn't work. c. Electricians make as much money as doctors. d. We want dogs larger than our neighbors'. e. Movies as dull as those shouldn't be shown. 3. Underline the expanded adverbial or adjective and identify it as an adverbial (Adv) or an adjective (Adj). a. This class is not as interesting as the other. b. The white paint gets used up more quickly than the blue. c. The sunrise could not have been more beautiful than it was this morning. d. More sWiftly than a fleeting deer, Bob sped across the field. e. I've never seen hair more lovely than Mary's. f. This material looks more durable than that you're holding. g. A car as defective as Mary's is not safe to drive around the corner. h. Jean works the least efficiently in the late afternoons. 4. Underline the complete noun phrases containing comparative constructions. a. I tell as few secrets as possible to Amy. b. You should keep jewelry as valuable as that in the safest place in the house. c. Fewer boys than anticipated came, so we had more girls than we needed. d. As frequently as possible, Mother goes to the best beauty salon in town. e. Dick eats twice as many calories as any of us, but he is the least overweight member of the team. f. We will work for as many days as we can. g. The more active of the children have been involved in the fewest accidents. 5. Analyze the sentences by marking off and labeling the constituents. a. A boy with a nose as large as Billy has should be a good sleuth. b. Our cat looks as fierce as a lion when she's stalking a mouse. c. As boldly as a brave warrior, David walked to the stage. d. A man that has as much incentive as Mr. Allen should hold a job more successfully than he does. e. As talented a singer as Abby could have been in the contest that we had last week. f. The most beautiful cars in the lot may not be the most practical. 193 194 6. Identify only the listed complexities in each sentence. Elaborations: 1. adjective modifier 2. comparative 3. relative clause 4. prep phr modifier Transformation: 5. deletion a. If you work as hard as you can, you could win the highest prize in the contest. b. As smart a boy as Ken should get higher grades than he does. c. The girl who was the lightest player on the team played more roughly than the others. d. The engine runs more smoothly than before, but it sounds about as bad as it did. e. Jean has more friends than Jill, but she changes friends more often than Jill does. Exercise 38: Answers 1. a. harder, C 6. a. 2,5, 1,2,4 b. more intelligibly, C b. 2, 1, 5, 1, 2, 5 c. quieter, C c. 3, 1,2,2,5 d. worse, C d. 2,5,2,5 e. largest, S e. 2,5,2,5 f. most efficient, S g. more versatile, C h. best, S i. less, C 2. a. than Jerry A (exercised or did) b. than one A (is) c. doctors A (make or do) d. neighbors' A (dogs or are) e. dull as those A (are) 3. a. as interesting as the other, Adj b. more quickly than the blue, Adv c. more beautiful than it was this morning, Adj d. more SWiftly than a fleeting deer, Adv e...