Few, a few, the few; little, a little, the little
Few means ‘мало’, it has a negative meaning.
A few means ‘несколько’, it has a positive meaning.
The few means ‘те немногие (которые)’.
He was a very good man. There are few like him in the world
today. (Abrahams)
He left after a few moments. (Dreiser)
You need not fear to hear the few remaining words we have to say. (Dickens)
Little means ‘мало’, it has a negative meaning.
A little means ‘некоторое количество’, it has a positive meaning.
The little means ‘то небольшое количество (которое)’.
We can’t go skiing today. There is too little snow.
We have a little time. Let us take a walk in the garden.
Don’t waste the little time you have.
Two, the two; three, the three, etc.
Two means ‘два’.
The two means ‘оба, те два’.
Two students entered the room.
The two friends travelled together.
The two books you lent me proved very interesting.
The second, a second.
The second is an ordinal numeral meaning ‘второй’.
Thesecond attempt proved more successful than the first.
A second means ‘another, one more’.
Having eaten the gruel, Oliver asked for a second portion.
In the third, a third, the fourth, a fourth etc. we see thesame difference in meaning.
He made an experiment which proved his theory. He made a second, a third, a fourth experiment with the same results.
A second time means ‘once more’.
I rang the bell, but nobody answered it, so I had to ring a second time.
Another, the other.
The pronoun another has two meanings:
(а) ‘какой-либо другой’.
Give me another pen, I don’t like this one.
(в) ‘еще один’.
I am thirsty; I should like another cup of tea.
The other means ‘определенный другой’.
There are two books here, take one and I’ll take the other.
Last, the last.
Nouns modified by the adjective last are always used with the definite article except in the expressions last month, last year, last week, last summer (winter, autumn, spring).
Thelast word remained with George.
Last summer, in Switzerland, he was quite well. (Voynich)
Next, the next.
Next means ‘будущий’ when referring to time: next month, next week.
The next means ‘следующий’: the next room, at the next lesson.
Next time means ‘в следующий раз’.
We shall discuss this matter nexttime.
In reference to time viewed from the past both next and the next mean ‘следующий’.
We spent a fortnight in Kiev. The next week was spent in Odessa (or: Next
week was spent in Odessa).
A number, the number.
A number of means’ ‘many’. It is rendered in Russian by много, ряд.
The number means ‘число, количество’.
His father and anumber of his cronies were in the dining-room. (Dreiser)
Thenumber of mistakes he makes is startling.
OMISSION OF THE ARTICLE
Sometimes the article is not used where we naturally expect to find it in accordance with the rules. No change of meaning is observed in these cases.
The article is often omitted in newspaper headings, telegrams, in stage directions.
Gas Blast Kills Woman. (Daily Worker)
Girl Gymnast Keeps Title. (Moscow News)
The article is often omitted with homogeneous members closely connected with each other and joined by the conjunction and. In most cases they go in pairs.
The breakfast was taken away, and that meal over, it was the general custom
of uncle and niece to separate. (Ch. Bronte)
Chapter III
THE ADJECTIVE
§ 1.The adjective is a word expressing aquality of asubstance.
§ 2. The adjective has the following morphological characteristics:
Most adjectives have degrees of comparison:the comparativedegree and the superlativedegree.1
1 Some adjectives have no degrees of comparison (see § 7).
The comparative degreedenotes a higher degree of a quality.
She is tallerthan her sister.
My box is smallerthan hers.
The superlative degreedenotes the highest degree of a quality.
She is the tallestof the three sisters.
Her box is the smallestof all our boxes.
(The noun modified by an adjective in the superlative degree has the definite article because the superlative degree of the adjective always implies limitation.)
Adjectives form their degrees of comparison in the following way:
(a) by the inflexion ‑er, ‑est (synthetical way);
(b) by placing more and most before the adjective (analytical way).
Monosyllabic adjectives usually form their comparatives and superlatives in the first way, and polysyllabic adjectives in the second way.
The following polysyllabic adjectives, however, generally form their comparative and superlative degrees inflexionally:
1. Adjectives of two syllables which end in ‑y, ‑ow, -er, ‑le.
| happy | happier | (the) happiest |
| narrow | narrower | (the) narrowest |
| clever | cleverer | (the) cleverest |
| simple | simpler | (the) simplest |
2. Adjectives of two syllables which have the stress on the last syllable:
| complete | completer | (the) completest |
| concise | conciser | (the) concisest |
Some adjectives have irregular forms of degrees of comparison, e. g.:
| good | better | (the) best |
| bad | worse | (the) worst |
| many, much | more | (the) most |
| little | less | (the) least |
| far | {farther further | (the ){farthest furthest |
| old | {older elder | (the){oldest eldest |
Spelling rules.
1. If the adjective ends in a consonant preceded by a stressed short vowel the consonant is doubled before ‑er, ‑est.
| sad | sadder | (the) saddest |
| big | bigger | (the) biggest |
2. If the adjective ends in ‑y preceded by a consonant, у is changed into i before ‑er and ‑est.
| busy | busier | (the) busiest |
| happy | happier | (the) happiest |
3. If the adjective ends in ‑e the e is dropped before ‑er and ‑est.
| brave | braver | (the) bravest |
| tine | finer | (the) finest |
§ 4. The adjective has the following syntactical characteristics: In a sentence the adjective may be used as an attribute or as a predicative.
A little fat chap thrust out his underlip and the tall fellow frowned.
(Mansfield) (ATTRIBUTES)
Laura was terribly nervous. (Mansfield) (PREDICATIVE)
The air was motionless... (Mansfield) (PREDICATIVE)