Adjectives — Important Questions

contemptible

Step 1: The question asks for the adjective formed from 'contempt' using the suffix '-ible'. Step 2: The suffix '-able/-ible' is added to words to mean 'capable of' or 'worthy of'. Step 3: According to the textbook's table, 'contempt' + '-ible' = 'contemptible'. Step 4: 'Contemptable' is a common misspelling – it uses '-able' instead of '-ible'. Step 5: 'Contemptful' and 'contemptious' are not real English words. The correct adjective is 'contemptible', meaning deserving contempt.

Almost no friends visit – a near-negative idea

Step 1: We must understand the difference between 'few', 'a few', and 'the few'. Step 2: 'Few' (without an article) means 'not many, in fact almost none'. It conveys a negative or pessimistic meaning. Step 3: This is confirmed by the result in the sentence – 'I am often lonely' – which shows that barely anyone visits. Step 4: 'A few' would mean 'at least some', giving a more positive feeling. Example: 'A few friends visit me and we have a nice time.' Step 5: 'The few' refers to all of a very small number. Since 'few' here makes the person lonely, it clearly means almost no friends visit.

He is not so clever as his sister.

Step 1: The rule states that 'as...as' is used in positive (affirmative) statements. Example: 'She is as cunning as a fox.' Step 2: In negative sentences, BOTH 'as...as' and 'so...as' are acceptable. Step 3: Option B is a negative sentence ('not so clever as'), which correctly applies the 'so...as' rule for negatives. Step 4: Options A, C, and D are all positive statements using 'so...as', which is incorrect – positive sentences must use 'as...as', not 'so...as'. Step 5: Therefore, only Option B is the correct and valid use of 'so...as'.

Distributive adjective

Step 1: Adjectives of number are divided into four types: Cardinal, Ordinal, Indefinite, and Distributive. Step 2: Cardinal numbers denote exact number – e.g., forty, eighty. Step 3: Ordinal numbers show order or rank – e.g., first, third. Step 4: Indefinite adjectives do not denote an exact number – e.g., some, any. Step 5: Distributive adjectives refer to each one of a group, taken one at a time – e.g., 'every', 'each', 'neither'. Here, 'every student' refers to each individual student separately, making 'every' a Distributive Adjective.