Gramática Esencial de Inglés: Comparativos, Cuantificadores y Tiempos Verbales
1. Comparatives and Superlatives
| Adjective Type / Example | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| 1-syllable adjective: small | adjective + -er than (smaller than) | the + adjective + -est (the smallest) |
| Special spelling (C + V + C): big (double the final consonant) | bigger than | the biggest |
| Adjectives ending in -e: nice (don't add an extra -e) | nicer than | the nicest |
| Adjectives ending in -l: cruel (double the l) | crueller than | the cruellest |
| Adjectives ending in -y: sexy (-y changes to -i) | sexier than | the sexiest |
| 2 syllables or more: interesting | more + adjective + than (more interesting than) | the most + adjective (the most interesting) |
Irregular Forms
- Comparative: better than | Superlative: the best
- Comparative: worse than | Superlative: the worst
- Comparative: further / farther than | Superlative: the furthest / farthest
- Comparative: less than | Superlative: the least
Inferiority, Equality, Excess, and Sufficiency
Less ... than
Meaning: menys … que (comparatiu d'inferioritat).
Structure: less + adjective + than
(+) The film is less interesting than the book.
The least
Meaning: el que menys (superlatiu per expressar inferioritat).
Structure: the least + adjective + noun
(+) This is the least busy place in the area.
As ... as
Meaning: tan .... com (comparatiu d'igualtat).
Structure: as + adjective + as
(+) She is as tall as me.
(Not) as ... as
Meaning: no tan .... com (usant el verb en forma negativa).
Structure: (not) as + adjective + as
(-) My father is not as funny as my uncle.
Too ...
Meaning: massa (expresses excess / too much).
Structure: too + adjective
(+) Too good to be true.
... enough
Meaning: suficientment o prou.
Structure: adjective + enough
(+) He's old enough to walk home alone.
(Not) ... enough
Meaning: no suficientment o no prou (verb en forma negativa).
Structure: (not) + adjective + enough
(-) He isn't fit enough to be a policeman.
2. Countable and Uncountable Nouns
- Countable nouns: Nouns that you can count.
Examples: a sandwich, a teacher, a pen... - Uncountable nouns: Nouns that you cannot count.
Examples: water, rice, shampoo, oil, wine...
Attention!
An uncountable noun can be counted by using containers (glasses, bottles, cartons/bricks), units of measurement (litres, kg, ml), etc.:
- A bottle of shampoo
- A glass of water
- Two cartons/bricks of milk
3. Determiners and Quantifiers
Determiners: a / an, some, any, the
- A / an (un / una): Singular countable nouns.
a + consonant sound: a planean + vowel sound: an apple
- Some / any: Plural countable nouns and singular uncountable nouns.
- Some (+): Affirmative sentences.
I have got some pens. / I bought some coffee. - Any (- / ?): Negative sentences and questions.
(-) I haven't got any pens. / I didn't buy any coffee.
(?) Have you got any pens? / Did you buy any coffee?
- Some (+): Affirmative sentences.
Much, Many, and A Lot Of
Affirmative sentences (+): A lot of
- Uncountable nouns in singular (molt / molta):
I have got a lot of homework to do.
There's a lot of smoke. - Countable nouns in plural (molts / moltes):
There are a lot of people at the party.
I have got a lot of pens in my pencil case.
Negative (-) and interrogative (?) sentences: Much and Many
- Uncountable nouns in singular:
- (-) Gaire o no massa:
I haven't got much money left.
I haven't got much homework to do today. - (?) Molt / molta:
Have you got much money left? → Yes, I have. / No, I haven't.
- (-) Gaire o no massa:
- Countable nouns in plural:
- (-) Gaires o no molts / moltes:
I haven't got many coins left.
I haven't got many exercises to do today. - (?) Molts / moltes:
Have you got many coins left? → Yes, I have. / No, I haven't.
Have you got many exercises to do today? → Yes, I have. / No, I haven't.
- (-) Gaires o no molts / moltes:
Too much and Too many (= massa)
- Too much: Used before uncountable singular nouns.
I've got too much homework to do. (= massa deures) - Too many: Used before countable plural nouns.
I've got too many exercises to do. (= massa exercicis)
Questions: How much ...? / How many ...?
- How much: Uncountable nouns in singular (quant / quanta).
How much money have you got in your pocket? - How many: Countable nouns in plural (quants / quantes).
How many friends have you got?
4. Verb Tenses: Present
Verb to be in the Present Simple (ser / estar)
- (+)
Subject + am / is / are + complements - (-)
Subject + am / is / are + not + complements - (?)
[Wh- word] + am / is / are + Subject + complements?
Verb have got in the Present Simple (tenir)
- (+)
Subject + have / has + got + complements - (-)
Subject + have / has + not + got + complements - (?)
[Wh- word] + have / has + Subject + got + complements?
Present Simple
- (+)
Subject + verb in present (-s/-es for he/she/it) + complements - (-)
Subject + do / does + not + verb in infinitive + complements - (?)
[Wh- word] + do / does + Subject + verb in infinitive + complements?
Present Continuous
- (+)
Subject + am / is / are + verb-ing (gerund) + complements - (-)
Subject + am / is / are + not + verb-ing (gerund) + complements - (?)
[Wh- word] + am / is / are + Subject + verb-ing (gerund) + complements?
5. Verb Tenses: Past
Verb to be in the Past Simple: Was / Were (ser o estar en passat)
- (+)
Subject + was / were + complements - (-)
Subject + was / were + not + complements - (?)
[Wh- word] + was / were + Subject + complements? - There was / There were: Hi havia... (singular & plural)
Past Simple: Regular and Irregular Verbs
- (+)
Subject + verb in past (-ed ending for regular / 2nd column for irregular) + complements - (-)
Subject + did + not + verb in infinitive + complements - (?)
[Wh- word] + did + Subject + verb in infinitive + complements?
Past Continuous
- (+)
Subject + was / were + verb-ing (gerund) + complements - (-)
Subject + was / were + not + verb-ing (gerund) + complements - (?)
[Wh- word] + was / were + Subject + verb-ing (gerund) + complements?