AN INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH GRAMMAR & LANGUAGE
     * Adjectives of more than two syllables, and many of              Every one of these chairs is broken.
those with two, form the Comparative by using the adverb               Leap year falls in every fourth year.
more with the Positive Form and the Superlative by using
                                                                       He can to see us every five days.
the adverb most with the positive from.
                                                                       It rained every day during my vaction.
     Positive          Comparative      Superlative
                                                             3. Little, a Little and the little
     Beautiful         More beautiful Most beautiful
     Splendid          More splendid Most splendid                     Little means not much (i.e. hardly any).
     Difficult         More difficult   Most difficult                 Thus, Little has a negative meaning.
     Proper            More Proper      Most Proper                    For example, There is little hope of his recovery.
     Learned           More learned     Most learned                   He showed little concern for his cousin.
     Industrious       More industries Most industries                 He has little influence with his old followers.
     Courageous        More courageousMost courageous                  He showed little mercy to the culprit.
     * The Adjectives whose Comparative and Superlative                He has little appreciation of good poetry.
degrees are not formed from the Positive Degree.                 A little means some though not much. It has a positive
     Positive          Comparative      Superlative          meaning.
     Good              Better           Best                     For example,
     Bad               Worse            Worst                          There is a little hope of his arrival.
     Little            Less             Least                          A little thought would have saved the situation.
     Much              More             Most                           A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
     Many              More             Most                     The little means not much, but all what is.
     Late              Later            Latest                   For example,
     Old               Older            Oldest                   The little information he had might lead him to
     Far               Farther          Farthest             conclusion.
     Nigh              Nigher           Next                     The little knowledge of astrology that he had possessed
     Fore              Former           Formost              stood him in great stead.
     In                Inner            Innermost            4. Few, a few and the few
     Up                Upper            Upmost                         Few means not many, hardly any.
     Out               Outer            Utmost                         Few has a negative meaning.
                                                                 For example,
          CORRECT USE OF SOME ADJECTIVES
                                                                       Few persons can keep a secret.
1. Some, any
                                                                       Few people are so rockless as gamblers.
     Some is used to express quantity or degree in
                                                                       Few college in India have scientific libraries.
affirmative sentences while, any is used to express the
same in negative or interrogative sentences.                           Few men are free from faults.
     For example,                                                      Fewmen reach the age of a hundred years.
          I shall buy some books.                                A few means some. It has a Positive meaning and is
                                                             apposed to ‘none’.
          I shall not buy any books.
                                                                 For example,
          Have you bought any books?
                                                                   A Few of the members were present in the meeting.
     But, some is also used in questions which actually
express – commands or requests.                                    A few words of love will cheer her up.
     For example,                                                  A few Europeans have their offices in Delhi.
                                                                   A few days rest is all that is needed.
          Will you please lend me some money?
                                                                   A few words spoken in earnest will convince line.
          Bring me some sweet to eat.
                                                                 When I met him after a few years, he looked old and
2. Each, every
                                                             haggard.
          Each and every are similar in meaning, but every
                                                                       It is a question of spending a few rupees.
is a stronger word than each.
                                                                       The few means not many, but all there are.
          Each is used in speaking of two or more things.
Each is used only when the number in the group is limited        For example,
and definite.                                                    The few friends that he has are all very poor.
          Every is used in speaking of more than two things.     The few poems he has written are all of great
Every is also used when the number is indefinite.            excellence.
     For example,                                                The few remarks that he made were very suggestive.
          Every seat was taken.                                  The few days that are left to him he spends in solitude.
          Five girls were seated on each bench.                  The few clothes they had were all tattered and torn.
                                                         SEE–33