Practical Exercises in English Part 38

97. The hotel is situated ---- near the sea.

SCARED, AFRAID.

98. She was badly ---- when her horse ran away.

99. Harry is ---- of tramps.

100. Helen was ---- of the cows in the meadow.

EXERCISE LXXIV.[128]

_Ill.u.s.trate by original sentences the correct use of each of these words:_ --Both, each, every, aggravating, liable, likely, apt, mutual, partially, quite, average, bound, continual, continuous, deadly, deathly, decided, decisive, dumb, apparently, evidently, extant, funny, healthy, healthful, wholesome, human, humane, latest, last, lengthy, mad, novel, verbal, pitiable, pitiful, practicable, practical, prominent, eminent, real, really, scared, grand, gorgeous, awful, splendid, elegant, lovely, magnificent.

USE of the COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE.--The comparative degree is preferable when two things or sets of things are compared, the superlative when three or more are compared.

To say "Iron is more useful than _any_ metal" is clearly incorrect, because iron is included in "any metal," and of course iron is not more useful than itself. We must in thought set iron off in a cla.s.s by itself, which we can do by inserting "other" after "any." "Iron is more useful than _any other_ metal" is correct. After comparatives accompanied by "than," the words "any" and "all" should be followed by "other."

To say "Iron is the most useful of _any_ (or, _any other_) metal" is also clearly incorrect, because we mean that iron is the most useful, not of "one metal (no matter which)" or of "some metals (no matter which)," but of all metals. We should therefore omit the word "any," saying simply "Iron is the most useful of (all) metals." It is also incorrect to say "Iron is the most useful of all _other_ metals," for iron is not one of the "other metals." Beware of using "any" or "other" with superlatives followed by "of."

[128] See note To the Teacher, p. 41.

EXERCISE LXXV.

_Which of the italicized forms is preferable?_-- 1. Of London and Paris, London is the _wealthier (wealthiest)._ 2. Of two evils, choose the _less (least)._ 3. The _older (oldest)_ of the three boys was sent to college.

4. Which can run the _faster (fastest),_ your horse or mine?

5. Of the two Latin poets, Virgil and Horace, the _first (former)_ is the _better (best)_ known.

6. Which is the _better (best)_ of the two?

7. Which is the _farther (farthest)_ east, Boston New York, or Philadelphia?

8. There is no doubt about _him (his)_ being the _better (best)_ in the little group of friends.

9. Which is the _larger (largest)_ number, the minuend or the subtrahend?

EXERCISE LXXVI.

_Explain and correct the errors in the following sentences:_--

1. This picture is, of all others, the one I like best.

2. This engraving of mine I like better than any picture I have.

3. London is more crowded than any city in Great Britain.

4. London is the most crowded of any city in Great Britain.

5. She of all other girls ought to be the last to complain.

6. Our grammar lessons are the hardest of any we have.

7. St. Peter's is larger than any church in the world.

8. St. Peter's is the largest of any church in the world.

9. Noah and his family outlived all the people who lived before the flood.

10. Solomon was wiser than all men.

11. This State exports more cotton than all the states.

12. A cowboy is the most picturesque of any men.

13. Tabby has the worst temper of any cat I know.

14. He thinks Gettysburg has the prettiest girls of any town of its size.

15. The proposed method of Mr. F.G. Jackson, the English arctic explorer, appears to be the most practical and business-like of any yet undertaken for exploring the polar regions.

EXERCISE LXXVII.

_Construct sentences comparing the following things, using first a comparative, then a superlative form:_--

1. The large population of China; the smaller populations of other countries.

EXAMPLE.--China has a larger population than any other country. Of all countries, China has the largest population in the world.

2. John, who is very mischievous; other boys, who are less mischievous.

3. Eve, who was exceedingly fair; her daughters (female descendants), who are less fair.

4. Smith, the best athlete; the other boys in the school.

5. Mary's recitations; the poorer recitations of her cla.s.smates.

6. The population of London; the population of the other cities in the world.

7. The circulation of the "Star;" the smaller circulation of other newspapers in the county.

8. Ethel's eyes; the eyes of her playmates, which are not so bright.

9. The examination papers of Professor A.; the easier papers set by other teachers.

10. Philip; his cla.s.smates, who are less bright.

11. Solomon, the wisest king; other kings.

12. Samson, the strongest man; other men.

13. Jacob's love for Joseph; his love for his other children.

14. Youth; the other periods of life, which are less important.

15. Demosthenes; the other and inferior orators of Greece.

16. The books read by Fannie; the fewer books read by her cla.s.smates.

17. This shady grove; other groves I know, which are less shady.

18. The reign of Louis XIV.; the shorter reigns of other French kings.

19. Shakespeare; other English poets, all of whom are inferior to him.

20. The Falls of Niagara; other falls in the United States.

ADJECTIVES and ADVERBS INCAPABLE OF COMPARISON.[129]-- Some adjectives and adverbs have meanings which do not vary in degree: as, _dead, perfect, wooden._ Such adjectives cannot properly be compared or modified by the words "more," "most," "so," "too," and "very."

[129] "Foundations," p. 135.

EXERCISE LXXVIII.

_Which of the following adjectives and adverbs do not vary in degree?_-- Absolutely, brave, cloudless, cold, conclusively, continually, entirely, essentially, extreme, faultless, French, fundamental, golden, happy, impregnable, inaudible, incessant, incredible, indispensable, insatiate, inseparable, intangible, intolerable, invariable, long, masterly, round, sharp, square, sufficient, unanimous, unbearable, unbounded, unerring, unique, universally, unparalleled, unprecedented.

MISPLACED ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS.[130]--A word, a phrase, or a clause used as an adjective or an adverb should come next to the word, or words, which it modifies.

The word _only_ requires special care. Observe how the position of _only_ affects the meaning in the following sentences: "Only he lost his hat;"

"He only lost his hat;" "He lost only his hat," or "He lost his hat only;"

"He lost his only hat."

[130] "Foundations," p. 136.

EXERCISE LXXIX.

_Correct the errors of position in the following sentences_:--