Page 102 - Complete IELTS Bands 5 - 6.5

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Language reference

Unit 1 Spelling
• When there is only one vowel (a, e, i, o or u) before the
Making comparisons final consonant (b. c. d, etc.), the final consonant is
To compare information, you can use comparative and doubled:
superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs. big - bigger, thin - thinner (BUT safe - safer, clean -
cleaner)
• Use comparative adjectives (+ than) to compare people,
things, places or events: Note: when the final consonant is w. it does not double:
People in their 50s find learning a language more low -lower
difficult than young people. • Final y becomes i:
• Use comparative adverbs (+ than) to compare actions: friendly - friendlier
People in their 50s make friends more quickly than
young people.
Unit 2
• Use the+ a superlative adjective or adverb to compare
one person or thing with everyone or everything else in Word formation
the group:
The most difficult thing is learning the local language. Adding prefixes
Some words can be given the opposite meaning by adding
Forming comparative and superlative adjectives a prefix (e.g. dis-+ appear= disappear) to the beginning
and adverbs of a word. Here are some common prefixes which give the
• Add -er and -estto: opposite meaning:
- one-syllable adjectives: dis- disappear un- unusual
slower (than), the highest in- inefficient mis- misleading
- two-syllable adjectives ending in -y:
easier (than), the happiest (changing -yto I) Adding suffixes
- one-syllable adverbs: Verbs, nouns. adjectives and adverbs can be formed from
faster (than). the hardest other related words by adding a suffix (e.g. appear + -ance
= appearance) to the end of a word.
• Add more and mostto:
There are no clear rules - each word and the words which
- adjectives with two or more syllables (except two-
can be formed from it must be learned individually. Some of
syllable adjectives ending in -y):
the most common are listed below.
more important (than). the most complicated
- adverbs with two or more syllables: verb ..... noun
more easily (than). the most successfully
suffix verb noun
• Some adjectives have irregular comparative and
-ment move movement
superlative forms:
good, better, best -ation/-tion/-sion rotate rotation
inform information
bad, worse, worst
obsess obsession
far, farther/further, farthest/furthest
many. more, most -erj-or consume consumer
much, more, most supervise supervisor
little, less, least
-ance appear appearance
• Some adverbs have irregular comparative and
superlative forms: adjective ..... noun
badly, worse. worst
suffix adjective noun
well, better, best
-ancej-ence important importance
• To say one thing is less than another, use less and least:
absent absence
Children find learning to read less complicated than
mathematics. - ness fresh freshness
- ity popular popularity

@ Complete IELTS Bands 5-6.5