Welcome to Larisa English Club #29
What’s in The News? What is a Heat Wave?
Speaking Practice. Comparing with Adjectives at The Shop!
English Grammar. What are Comparative Adjectives?
What’s in The News?
What is a Heat Wave?
A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries. While definitions vary, a heat wave is measured relative to the usual weather in the area and relative to normal temperatures for the season. Temperatures that people from a hotter climate consider normal can be termed a heat wave in a cooler area if they are outside the normal climate pattern for that area.
The term is applied both to hot weather variations and to extraordinary spells of hot which may occur only once a century. Severe heat waves have caused catastrophic crop failures, thousands of deaths from hyperthermia, and widespread power outages due to increased use of air conditioning. A heat wave is considered extreme weather, and a danger because heat and sunlight may overheat the human body.
In the United States, definitions also vary by region; however, a heat wave is usually defined as a period of at least two or more days of excessively hot weather. In the Northeast, a heat wave is typically defined as three consecutive days where the temperature reaches or exceeds 90 °F (32.2 °C), but not always, as this ties in with humidity levels to determine a heat index threshold. The same does not apply to drier climates. A heat storm is a Californian term for an extended heat wave. Heat storms occur when the temperature reaches 100 °F (37.8 °C) for three or more consecutive days over a wide area (tens of thousands of square miles). The National Weather Service issues heat advisories and excessive heat warnings when unusual periods of hot weather are expected.
Read more at Wiki: http://bit.ly/1Wo3ebW
Comparing with Adjectives at The Shop!
Jean: I think this material is much prettier than that, don’t you?
Lois: Well, I don’t know. I like them both. Why do you like that one better?
Jean: Well, the design is more interesting and the colors are brighter. And it’s not as expensive, either.
Lois: Oh, I see what you mean. And besides, these colors are more becoming to you.
Jean: Do you really think so? I’ll buy it, then.
I think this material…This is an opinion offered by someone.
Much prettier… “Much” is a common intensifier for comparative adjectives and adverbs. Other examples are much harder, much more difficult, much less useful, etc.
A lot… Used to intensify an adjective. A lot prettier, a lot more practical, a lot more expensive.
Don’t you?… The rising intonation indicates a true question, requiring an answer. I like them both or I like both of them… Both variants are correct. I see what you mean… I understand why you like it.
These colors are more becoming to you… The colors are a positive compliment.
What are Comparative Adjectives?
What are “Comparative adjectives?”. They are words used to compare two objects. In other words, when we compare two nouns! Comparative adjectives help determine which noun is “bigger, smaller, nicer etc”. Two syllable words are modified by adding a suffix. Adjectives with three syllables are preceded with the word “More”. Sometimes it is more appropriate to used the opposite comparative to refer to people or subjects in a nicer way! We use the term “not as __ as”. Positive ways to compare in an equal manner is “as __ as”.
Examples with one syllable adjectives:
You are “taller” than me!
I am “not as tall as” you!
You “are as tall as” me! (Equal)
Your house is “bigger” than mine!
My house is “not as big as” yours!
Your house “is as big as” mine! (Equal)
Examples with three syllable words:
Your job is “more important” than mine!
My job is “not as important as” yours!
Our jobs are “equally important”. (Equal)
Your car is “more expensive than” mine!
My car is “less expensive compared to” yours!
Our cars are “equally expensive!” (Equal)
As you can see, sometimes we use adverbs to make our statement understandable. The word “equal” is an adjective while the word “equally” is an adverb. The above are just a few examples. There are many more!
Until next time…
English can be the door to opportunities and much more. Study English everyday the same way you enjoy coffee in the morning!