by R. S. Karunaratne

Learn something about 'more'

The simple word 'more' can be used as a determiner, pronoun and an adverb.'More' can mean a large or extra number or amount.

Can you make me some more copies of this document?

The weatherman has predicted more rain this week.

The hospital has no accommodation for any more patients.

More people like to live in the city.

Some students waste more time watching TV.

He is more of a politician than a lawyer.

Give me some more, more the better.

This is very tasty, would you like some more?

Any more questions?

. 'More' is used to say that the real number or amount is bigger.

There were more than a million people at the political meeting.

The bottle is more than half full.

She looked more beautiful than before.

. 'More' is used to show the process of change.

Colombo is becoming more crowded.

The examination is over. Now I am growing more and more impatient to know the results.

. 'More' is very often used to make comparisons.

Laptops are more expensive than desktops.

Venus is more beautiful than Cleopatra.

Women drive more carefully than men.

. 'More' is often preceded by words such as 'some, any, no, many, much, a few, several, a bit, a lot, lots and numbers: one, two, three etc.

Give him some more money.

Are there any more students in the class?

We have no more problems.

Many more will come to meet him.

It's much more comfortable here.

I want a few more apples.

Several more houses will be built for tsunami victims.

Would you mind moving a bit more?

A lot more students are waiting to enter popular schools.

One more passenger would have sunk the boat.

Two more people can get into this vehicle.

Set phrases

More and more are visiting the exhibition.

The work is more or less (almost) over.

Will it rain today? More than likely. (very likely)

Sanduni is honest and reliable. What's more, she is quite pretty! (moreover)

. Activity

Put 'more' into the correct place.

1. The cup of tea needs sugar.

2. The stranger ordered three cups of tea.

3. How many of those biscuits are you going to eat?

4. You must drink water.

5. Do you need any books?

6. We are short of cash. Can you withdraw some?

7. Colombo is crowded than Kandy.

8. Swarna is very strict but her daughter is a bit lenient.

9. I can't follow you, can you speak slowly?

10. I'm looking for a job which gives me freedom.

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Key

1. more sugar

2. three more

3. many more

4. more water

5. any more

6. some more

7. more crowded

8. bit more

9. more slowly

10. more freedom

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Electric words

Words are wonderful raw material for making sentences. Those who know more words are at an advantage to speak fluently and write effectively. Here is a quiz to learn some new words. Refer to the key after doing it.

1. He was arraigned on charges of conspiracy to topple the government.

a) formally accused

b) discharged

c) paradoned

2. Some people in the Third World are in dire need of food.

a) rare

b) very serious

c) clear

3. We were accorded a cordial welcome.

a) rude

b) unkind

c) friendly

4. Experts say that advertising world is a cut-throat business.

a) killing

b) fierce

c) dangerous

5. Colours look nice in daylight.

a) natural light from the sun

b) morning

c) bright light

6. Sanath made his debut as a director recently.

a) mark

b) money

c) first performance

7. Charles Dickens is well-known for his deathless prose.

a) uninteresting

b) lasting for ever

c) readable

8. Debris from the train was scattered over a large area.

a) broken pieces

b) compartments

c) passengers

9. After 100 years the building has

depreciated in values.

a) stabilized

b) increased

c) lost

10. Anoma is dynamic and popular in the team.

a) lazy

b) energetic

c) proud

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Key

1. a, 2. b, 3. c, 4. b, 5. a, 6. c, 7. b, 8. a, 9. c, 10.b

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Starters:

Subject - verb agreement

The simple rule is that the subject and the verb of a sentence must agree.

The boy plays with marbles.

The girl runs home after school.

The red marble rolls on the floor.

The fat cat sees the rolling marbles.

The dog watches the cat playing with the marbles.

Father comes to see his children playing with marbles.

Mother comes to see the cat and the dog.

You will note that all the singular subjects (boy, girl, marble, cat, dog, father and mother) have singular verbs.

Now, look at how they change in the plural form.

The boys play with marbles.

The girls run home after school.

The red marbles roll on the floor.

The fat cats see the rolling marbles.

The dogs watch the cats playing with the marbles.

Fathers come to see their children playing with marbles.

Mothers come to see the cats and the dogs.

Activity

Underline the correct verb.

1. A Sri Lankan girl help/helps her family grow manioc for food.

2. Sam and Sena look/looks out the window.

3. The rain keep/keeps the children inside the classroom.

4. Their mother and father cook/cooks dinner.

5. The morning and the afternoon go/goes by quickly.

6. Diana like/likes sweets.

7. Geoff always wear/wears a hat.

8. The train start/starts its journey.

9. He bring/brings his dog to school.

10. She help/helps poor people.

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Key

1. helps

2. look

3. keeps

4. cook

5. go

6. likes

7. wears

8. starts

9. brings

10. helps

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Collective nouns

A collective noun names a group of animals or things.

Fill in the blanks with the following collective nouns: flock, litter, school, bunch, clutch, herd, shoal, pack, pride, swarm

1. A -- of bees

2. A -- of dolphins

3. A -- of pups

4. A -- of cows

5. A -- of lions

6. A -- of fish

7. A -- of wolves

8. A -- of eggs

9. A -- of grapes

10. A -- of sheep

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Key

1. A swarm of bees

2. A school of dolphins

3. A litter of pups

4. A herd of cows

5. A pride of lions

6. A shoal of fish

7. A pack of wolves

8. A clutch of eggs

9. A bunch of grapes

10. A flock of sheep

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