4. Another, the other, other.

 The definite article is used with a singular noun modified by other if there are only two objects of the same description:

He pulled on the other glove and said he would run along to his office.

 If there are more than two objects of the same description, the indefinite article is used (another). In this case another has three meanings: „ще один, будь-який інший, не такий, інший”.

Could I have another cup of tea?

 The definite article is used with a plural noun modified by other if there is a definite number of objects divided into two definite groups.

I was thinking of other people in the same position.

 The same rules are applied to other when it is used as a noun pronoun.

He drove with one hand, and used the other to draw diagrams in the air. Young Martin was first sent on an errand to the grocer, then on another to the butcher.

Note. Notice also that the other day (нещодавно) is to be regarded as a set phrase.

5. Last, the last; Next, the next.

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).

The last word remained with George.

Next means „майбутній” when referring to time: next month, next week.

The next means „наступний”: the next room, at the next lesson.

Next time means „наступного разу”.

We shall discuss this matter next time.

In reference to time viewed from the past both next and the next mean „наступний”

We spent a fortnight in Kiev. The next week was spent in Odessa (or: Next week was spent in Odessa).

6. A number, the number

A number of means “many”. It is rendered in Ukrainian by „багато”, „ряд”.

The number means „число, кількість”.

His father and a number of his cronies were in the dining-room.

The number of mistakes he makes is startling.

Note. An article is not used when referring to numbers or letters in a list:

In question number 5, “A” is the correct response.

25. Comment on the degrees of comparison of adjectives.

There are three degrees of comparison of adjectives: positive, comparative, superlative.

The positive form is the plain stem of an adjective: stormy, slow, frequent, etc.

There are two methods of forming the comparative and superlative degrees:

1. by adding the suffixes er and –est.

2. by using more and most before the adjectives.

The first method is used for:

a) monosyllabic adjectives

e.g. bright – brighter – brightest

cheap – cheaper – cheapest

b) disyllabic adjectives ending in –er, ow, y or –le:

e.g. clever – cleverer – cleverest

narrow – narrower – narrowest

c) disyllabic adjectives with the stress on the second syllable

e.g. polite – politer – politest

complete – completer – completest

d) a few frequently used disyllabic adjectives ( quiet, cruel, stupid, simple, gentle, common, handsome, likely, narrow, polite ). With these adjectives both methods are used.

e.g. pleasant – pleasanter – pleasantest

more pleasant – most pleasant

The second method is used for:

a) most disyllabic adjectives

e.g. careful – more careful – most careful

b) adjectives of more than two syllables,

e.g. marvelous – more marvelous – most marvelous

c) adjectives formed from participles and ingforms,

e.g. tired – more tired – most tried

exciting – more exciting – most exciting

d) adjectives used only predicatively ( they have positive and comparative degrees),

e.g. aware – more aware

afraid – more afraid

e) In compound adjectives the first element forms degrees of comparison with –er, est,

e.g. nicelooking – nicerlooking – nicestlooking

wellknow – betterknown – bestknown

But forms with more and most are more common:

e.g. oldfashioned – more oldfashioned – most oldfashioned

The following spelling rules should be observed in forming the comparative and superlative degrees:

1. Adjectives ending in –y preceded by a consonant change the –y into –i and –er or –est is added

e.g. dusty – dustier – dustiest

But the adjective ending in –y preceded by a vowel remains unchanged.

2. Monosyllabic adjectives ending with a short vowel double their final consonants,

e.g. big – bigger – biggest

But monosyllabic adjectives ending in a double consonant remain unchanged,

e.g. thick – thicker – thickest

3. In adjectives with a mute –e, it is omitted and –er or –est id added,

e.g. pale – pale – palest

A few adjectives have irregular form for the degrees of comparison. They are:

Good – better – best

Bad – worse – worst

Little – less – least

Many (much) – more – most

Far – farther – farthest ( for distance only)

further – furthest ( for distance, time, activity, information meaning ‘additional’ or ‘extra’ )

Old – older – oldest ( for age)

elder – eldest ( for seniority rather than age)

Late – later – latest (for time)

latter – last (for order)

Near – nearer – nearest (for distance)

next (for order)