by R. S. Karunaratne

Adjectives of quantity

We use adjectives of quantity to indicate indefinite quantities.

We use ‘many’ with plural countable nouns.

Many people queued up to buy tickets to see Manoratne’s latest play.

There are many books written on astrology.

Many are the benefits of reading.

Nowadays many students follow Information Technology courses.

He carries many pens in his pocket to impress others.

We use ‘much’ with uncountable nouns.

Is there much traffic on the road today?

You are taking too much sugar!

I don’t have much money to give you a loan.

We don’t have much time to waste.

There isn’t much work to do here.

We use ‘a lot of’ with both plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns.

With a lot of effort he managed to pass the examination.

A lot of relatives attended her birthday party.

There were a lot of people at the prelate’s funeral.

I spend a lot of money on books.

Some people spend a lot of their hard-earned money to buy unnecessary items.

We use ‘a few’ with plural countable nouns.

Can you wait a few minutes until I get ready?

A few people walked behind the retired director.

Can you give me a few books on astronomy?

Mary keeps a few pets in her house.

Sanka returned from India a few days ago.

We use ‘a little’ with uncountable nouns.

Namasivayam needs a little help from a lawyer.

Anne uses a little make-up when she comes to office.

The volunteers did not get even a little support from the villagers.

Can you add a little more sugar?

I think there’s a little misunderstanding between the two of us.

We use ‘some’ with both plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns.

Some people win lottery prizes very often.

Some of you should attend his English tuition class.

I need some money to buy a pair of shoes.

She drank some water to quench her thirst.

Some of you don’t seem to understand what I say.

We use ‘any’ with both plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns.

Do you have any books written by Max Muller?

Is there any sugar in the bottle?

There isn’t any milk for the cat.

The temple does not allow any pets to be brought in.

We haven’t got any complaints against the principal.

[Activity ]

Underline the correct words to complete the following sentences. Check your answers with the key.

1. There isn’t (many / much) water in the tank.
2. (Some / Any) visitors came to see the newly-appointed minister.
3. Radha does not carry (much / many) money when she travels.
4. The new hospital provides (much / many) facilities for patients.
5. I have met him on (a few / much) occasions.
6. I have got (any / some) complaints against you.
7. (A lot of / Any) people prefer to have their meals outdoors.
8. The hotel does not entertain (any / some) local visitors.
9. I hope to spend (a few / any) days in Kathmandu.
10.Are there (many / much) places of interest to visit in this island?

Key:

1. much 2. Some 3. much 4. many 5. a few 6. some 7. A lot of 8. any 9. a few 10. many

Without an enlarged vocabulary, you will not be able to express yourself effectively.

Here’s help for you to learn new words. Do the following quiz and check your answers with the key.

1. The epicurean way of life does not appeal to someone who is committed to nobler ideals of helping others.

(a) devoted to the pursuit of pleasure
(b) contented
(c) giving up everything

2. As a protest against the proposed piece of legislation a young social activist tried to immolate himself.

(a) blame
(b) kill himself by setting fire
(c) praise

3. The Nazi juggernaut spread to many European countries setting off the World War II.

(a) influence
(b) way of life
( c) irresistible force

4. People criticised the Congressman’s junkets to European countries.

(a) pleasure trips at the expense of the government
(b) attitude
(c) partiality

5. In a democracy members of the proletariat can become landowners.

(a) the wealthy class
(b) the working class
(c) beggars

6. The police made us go through the rigmarole of opening up our bags for inspection.

(a) normal procedure
(b) ceremony
(c) complicated petty procedure

7. The speaker ended his speech with a rubric designed to summarise his main ideas.

(a) logical argument
(b) a short commentary
(c) plan

8. Sycophants promote themselves at the expense of their political masters.

(a) servile flatterers
(b) supporters
(c) opponents

9. The youth could not get a job as a trainee fireman because of his acrophobia.

(a) abnormal fear of fire
(b) abnormal fear of darkness
(c) abnormal fear of being in high places

10. The bibliophile’s eyes were aglow when he saw a copy of The Complete Works of Shakespeare.

(a) a book collector
(b) a librarian
(c) a dramatist

Key:

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

Starters:

Questions ending with prepositions

When we form questions with ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’, or ‘which’ they often end with a preposition.

What are you thinking about?

What are you afraid of?

What does she look like?

What is he interested in?

What are you looking at?

Who does this pen belong to?

Who did you leave office with?

Who are you waiting for?

Who did you have lunch with?

Who did Nayana go with?

Where are you from?

Where are you leaving for?

Where can I wait at?

Where is he putting up?

Where can I look at?

Which house are you living in?

Which hospital is he in?

Which hotel are you staying at?

Which restaurant are you going to?

Which train are you waiting for?

We ask ‘What’s it like?’ when we want to know something about it. In fact, we want to know whether it is good or bad, big or small. Here we can use ‘like’ as a preposition, not as a verb.

What’s your new class teacher like?

What are they like?

What is the weather like?

What is your salary like?

What is your mother like?

‘What’ can be used along with a noun.

What colour is his hair?

What size is your collar?

What make is your car?

What time is it?

What kind of job do you like?

‘What’ can be used without a noun.

What is your opinion on this?

What do you want to do in life?

What happens if I pull the lever?

What did he tell you?

What goes before a fall?

‘Which’ can be used along with a noun.

Which doctor do you consult?

Which train do you usually take?

Which dentist are you going to consult?

Which play do you like to see again?

Which newspaper do you like most?

‘Which’ can also be used without a noun.

Which is your favourite novel?

Which is longer - the Mahaweli or Kelani?

Which is yours?

Which is smaller - this or that?

Which is more expensive, fish or meat?

Quiz on phrasal verbs

Most phrasal verbs do not have a literal meaning. Therefore, you have to make an effort to learn the meaning of each phrasal verb. In the following quiz the phrasal verbs are given in column ‘A’. However, the meanings are mixed up. Match each phrasal verb with its meaning. Check your answers with the key.

[Column A]

1. Ask out
2. Break down
3. Break off
4. Break up
5. Call up
6. Call on
7. Call at
8. Call off
9. Carry out
10. Carry on
11. Carry over
12. Carry off
13. Cut down
14. Cut out
15. Draw on
16. Draw up
17. Drop off
18. Drop out
19. Fall off
20. Fall out

[Column B]

A. weep
B. visit a person
C. achieve triumphantly
D. destroy
E. eliminate
F. prepare a document
G. withdraw
H. diminish
I. quarrel
J. cancel
K. continue
L. transfer
M. invite
N. reduce
O. approach
P. stop suddenly
Q. diminish
R. execute
S. visit a place
T. summon

Key:

1. (M) 2. (A) 3. (P) 4. (D) 5. (T) 6. (B) 7. (S) 8. (J) 9. (R) 10. (K) 11. (L) 12. (C) 13. (N) 14. (E) 15. (O) 16. (F) 17. (Q) 18. (G) 19. (H) 20. (I)

Typical letter-sounds

By now you must be familiar with the English alphabet of 26 letters. Out of them five are vowels.: a,e,i,o, and u. We call the rest consonants. Most consonants are associated with a particular sound. For instance, the letter ‘B’ makes almost the same sound wherever it is used.

Basin, bank, boss, building, barber, bee, robin, club, cab, slab, rob, rub, knob

Some consonants are associated with different sounds. For instance, the letter ‘C’ has a hard sound like a ‘K’ in the following words:

Customer, custody, cupboard, cunning, come, cat, panic

The letter ‘C’ can also have a soft sound like an ‘S’.

Acid, city, place, scene, science, century, sentence

Some consonants come in pairs to form words. However, they retain their typical sounds.

Brake, blood, broom, grip, dwell, twins, clip, prod, train

Some words begin with an ‘S’ and are followed by vowels and consonants.

Scan, school, station, smell, skip, stop, swim

Sometimes, two consonants come together in the middle or at the end of words.

Doctor, milk, lamp, tank, left, golden

Sometimes, you will notice that three consonants come together to form words.

Scrap, split, extra, sombre, abbreviate, abscess

When a consonant is combined with an ‘H’, the word gives a different sound.

Chapter, chatter, cheese, pharmacy, phone, phase, ship, shop, fish, rich, thin, path, thunder, thrice, this, that, with, both