Choose the correct word from those italicized:

  1. The older oldest of the three boys was sick.
  2. Of Smith and Jones, Smith is the wealthiest wealthier.
  3. Of two burdens choose the less least.
  4. Which can run the fastest faster, John or Henry?
  5. Of the two men, Smith and Jones, the first former is the better best known.
  6. Which is the larger largest of the two?
  7. Which is the best better of the six?
  8. Which is the larger largest number, six or seven
  9. Which is the more most desirable, health or wealth?
  10. My mother is the oldest older of four sisters.
  11. The prettier prettiest of the twins is the brighter brightest.
  12. This is the duller dullest season of the year.
  13. The other is the worse worst behaved of the two.
  14. Which was the hotter hottest, yesterday or to-day?
  15. That is the cleaner cleanest of the three streets.

Exercise 23

Correct any of the following sentences that may be wrong. Give a valid reason for each correction:

  1. He was the most active of all his friends.
  2. He is the brightest of all his brothers.
  3. Of all the other American Colleges, this is the largest.
  4. Philadelphia is larger than any city in Pennsylvania.
  5. Philadelphia is the largest of all other cities in Pennsylvania.
  6. No city in Pennsylvania is so large as Philadelphia.
  7. That theory is more universally adopted.
  8. He was, of all others, the most clever.
  9. This apple is more perfect than that.
  10. No fruit is so good as the orange.
  11. The orange is better than any fruit.
  12. Of all other fruits the orange is the best.
  13. The orange is the best of all the fruits.
  14. The orange is better than any other fruit.
  15. That is the most principal thing in the lesson.
  16. Which has been of most importance, steam or electricity?
  17. He was more active than any other of his companions.
  18. This apple is rounder than that.
  19. This apple is more nearly round than that.
  20. Paris is the most famous of any other European city.
  21. Pennsylvania is the wealthiest of her sister states.
  22. No state is so wealthy as Pennsylvania.
  23. Pennsylvania is the wealthiest of any of the States.
  24. Pennsylvania is wealthier than any of her other sister states.
  25. New York is one of the largest, if not the largest city in the world.
  26. That book is as good if not better than mine.
  27. John is taller than any other boy in his classes.
  28. John is taller than any boy in his class.
  29. Iron is the most useful of all other metals.
  30. Iron is the more useful of the metals.
  31. Iron is the most useful of the metals.
  32. Of iron and lead, lead is the heaviest.
  33. Iron is among the most useful, if not the most useful metal.
  34. He is among the oldest if not the oldest of the men in the Senate.
  35. That picture is more beautiful than all the pictures.

42. Singular and Plural Adjectives. Some adjectives can be used only with singular nouns and some only with plural nouns. Such adjectives as one, each, every, etc., can be used only with singular nouns. Such adjectives as several, various, many, sundry, two, etc., can be used only with plural nouns. In many cases, the noun which the adjective modifies is omitted, and the adjective thus acquires the force of a pronoun; as, Few are seen, Several have come.

The adjective pronouns this and that have plural forms, these and those. The plurals must be used with plural nouns. To say those kind is then incorrect. It should be those kinds. Those sort of men should be that sort of men or those sorts of men.

43. Either and neither are used to designate one of two objects only. If more than two are referred to, use any, none, any one, no one. Note the following correct sentences:

Neither John nor Henry may go.

Any one of the three boys may go.