Grammar Focus

1.More... than construction

Basic structure: adjective/adverb comparative + than

Negative form: less + adjective/adverb base form + than

Alternatively, not as/so + adjective/adverb base form + as

Example:

Mike is heavier than his brother.

Mike is less heavy than his brother.

Note: "not more... than" and "no more... than" have different meanings.

This room is not bigger than that one. (This room is not larger than that one.)

This room is no bigger than that one. (This room is as small as that one.)

2.As... as construction

Basic structure: as + adjective/adverb base form + as

Negative form: not as/so + adjective/adverb base form + as

Example:

Just as powerful as a thank-you note is the simple phrase “Excuse me.”

The room is not so big as we imagined.

3.The most structure

Basic structure: (the) + adjective/adverb superlative + comparison range

The meaning of the superlative can also be expressed through more... than, as... as, negative + comparative structures.

Example:

This is the best movie I've ever watched.

My mother does more housework than any of us. (My mother does the most housework.)

4.Modifiers in comparative structures

Common modifiers for the three comparative structures (as... as, more than, the most) include:

For as... as: nearly, almost, just, quite, exactly, twice, (three) times, not nearly, not half, by no means, etc. (placed before the structure)

For more than: far, even, many, much, still, a lot, a (little) bit, rather, slightly, (three) times, not any, etc. (placed before the structure)

For the most: by far, much, easily, nearly, almost, not quite, not really, by no means, nothing like, nowhere near, next, second, third, yet, ever, etc. (can be placed before, in the middle, or after the superlative)

Examples:

She hasn't been quite so unlucky as she pretends.

An atom of sulphur is twice as heavy as an atom of oxygen.

He is far more truthful than most people.

A delivery man can carry many more plastic containers than containers made of wood or glass.

On the mountain it's three degrees colder than in the valley.

This hat is by far (nowhere near) the biggest.

How much did the second most expensive hat cost?

This hat is the biggest yet/ever.

Stylistic Characteristics

1.Metaphors

But when someone does stop and turn around and genuinely apologize, doesn't it melt away most --- if not all --- of the irritation you felt?

2.Tag questions and exclamatory sentences

But when someone does stop and turn around and genuinely apologize, doesn't it melt away most --- if not all --- of the irritation you felt?

Now, if we could just get everyone to catch them!

3.Parallelism

The fact is that no matter how nicely we dress, how beautifully we decorate our homes, or how lovely our dinner parties are, we can't be truly stylish without good manners.

I see such a difference in New York City, for example, from when I first moved here more than 20 years ago: people rushing into elevators without giving those inside a chance to get off first, never saying "Thank you" when others hold a door open for them, or "Please" when they want a coworker to hand them something, never giving a wave or nod of appreciation when another motorist lets them pull out into traffic.

Affixes

-or: executor, vendor

-ate: liberate, graduate, accelerate

-ic: chaotic, cosmic, fantastic

-ant: resistant, distant, significant

-ous: dangerous, mountainous, courageous