English Exercises 11th Grade

 

English Exercises to Practice

 11th Grade

General ability

We usually use could or couldn't to talk about general abilities in the past.

She could paint before she started school.
I couldn't cook until I went to university.
When I lived next to the pool, I could go swimming every day.

Ability on one occasion – successful

When we talk about achieving something on a specific occasion in the past, we use was/were able to (= had the ability to) and managed to (= succeeded in doing something difficult).

The burglar was able to get in through the bathroom window.
The burglar managed to get in through the bathroom window even though it was locked.

Could is not usually correct when we're talking about ability at a specific moment in the past.

Ability on one occasion – unsuccessful

When we talk about a specific occasion when someone didn't have the ability to do something, we can use wasn't/weren't able to, didn't manage to or couldn't.

The speaker wasn't able to attend the conference due to illness.
She couldn't watch the match because she was working.
They worked on it for months but they didn't manage to find a solution.

Comparatives Adjectives.

To make the comparative form of adjectives (like 'bigger' or 'more expensive') and the superlative form (like 'biggest' or 'most expensive'), first we need to know how many syllables are in the adjective.

Adjectives with one syllable

Usually if an adjective has only one syllable, we add 'er' to make the comparative form. We add 'est' to make the superlative form.

·        clean → cleaner / cleanest

·        cold → colder / coldest

·        small → smaller / smallest

·        young → younger / youngest

·        tall → taller / tallest

There are some spelling changes. If there is one vowel followed by one consonant at the end of the adjective, we often double the consonant.

·        wet → wetter / wettest

·        big → bigger / biggest

·        hot → hotter / hottest

·        thin → thinner / thinnest

If the adjective ends in 'y', this often changes to 'i'.

·        dry → drier / driest

If the adjective ends in 'e', we don't add another 'e', just 'r'.

·        nice → nicer / nicest

·        large → larger / largest

Even when the adjective has only one syllable, it's still not wrong to use 'more' or 'most'. It's possible to say 'more wet' or 'most tall'. This isn't incorrect.

There are a few adjectives that we have to use 'more' or 'most' with, even though they only have one syllable. We CAN'T add 'er' or 'est'.

·        fun → more fun / most fun (NOT funner / funnest)

·        real → more real / most real (NOT realer / realest)

·        right → more right / most right (NOT righter / rightest)

·        wrong → more wrong / most wrong (NOT wronger / wrongest)

Adjectives with two syllables

For adjectives with two syllables we generally use 'more' or 'most'.

·        careful → more careful / most careful

·        bored → more bored / most bored

But some two syllable adjectives can take 'er' or 'est'. It's also fine to use 'more' (for the comparative) or 'most' (for the superlative).

·        clever → cleverer / cleverest

·        simple → simpler / simplest

·        narrow → narrower / narrowest

·        quiet → quieter / quietest

Adjectives with two syllables that end in 'y' usually can add 'er' or 'est' (y generally changes to i). It's also fine to use 'more' or 'most'.

·        dirty → dirtier / dirtiest

·        pretty → prettier / prettiest

·        happy → happier / happiest

·        ugly → uglier / ugliest

Adjectives with more than two syllables

Adjectives with more than two syllables can only make their comparative by using 'more' and their superlative by using 'most'.

·        beautiful → more beautiful / most beautiful

·        intelligent → more intelligent / most intelligent

·        interesting → more interesting / most interesting

·        expensive → more expensive / most expensive

Irregular adjectives

There are also some irregular adjectives. We just need to learn these forms.

·        good → better → best

·        bad → worse → worst

·        far → further → furthest

·        little → less → least

·        much → more → most