EngQuizzitive-25 (grammar) : Answers

Silver Jubilee : 25th Quiz

This week's EngQuizzitive was the concluding quiz on adjectives and adverbs.The topic for dicussion was Degrees of Comparison.
There are three of them:

• Positive
• Comparative
• Superlative

Positive degree is used to compare two equal things.
Pointers: as adj/adv as structure / while indicating negation : not so adj/adv as
eg. Her pendant is as good as mine.
     Her pendant is not so good as mine.
Comparative degree is used to compare two unequal things
Pointers : requires a than/to eg. Her pendant is better than mine.
               should be used while comparing only two things
               two comparative forms of the word cannot be used eg Her pendant is more better than mine.
Superlative degree is used to compare more than two unequal things.
Pointers : always requires the usage of the article 'the'
               should be used while comparing more than two things
               two superlative forms of an adjective cannot be used together
 
Answers
 

1. Even though her salary is more than her husband she is quite modest. [incorrect]/Even though her salary is more than that of her husband she is quite modest. [error of comparison : we cannot compare apples and mangoes]
2. Written communications are attended to by them while verbal ones are often ignored. [incorrect]/Wriiten communicationss are attended to by them while oral ones are often ignored. [verbal means using words and does not indicate the medium]
3. She looks cuter than beautiful.[incorrect]/She looks more cute than beautiful.[since we are comparing two qualities in the same individual]
4. It is funnier to go out with your friends than with your parents. [incorrect]/It is more fun to go out with your friends than with your parents. [funnier means hilarious;here the meaning conveyed is that of enjoyment hence more fun]
5. He said that the incident had occurred prior than his arrival. [incorrect]/He said that the incident had occurred prior to his arrival. [words ending in -ior take a 'to' in the comparative degree and not than]

 I would like to thank few people on the 25th Engquizzitive.Here are few of them :

• Kavitha (Sr. Counsellor TIME Borivli for helping me collate all the mail ids of the Borivili students)
• Chandana (Councellor TIME Andher for taking the initiative of mailing this quiz regularly to the Andheri students)
• Gautam (Mkthg Manager TIME Mumbai,for conceptualizing the quiz)
• Aditya Ranade (Stdt TIME Dadar for giving me the name and logo for this quiz)

And of course all the students who have been taking this quiz on regular basis
.Do give your feedback and suggestions on the quizzes and the other initiatives that we take on this blog to help you with your preparation.