Contrasts and Comparisons I
I can't see you before eight in the evening.
Eight ______
Eight in the evening is the earliest (that) I can see you.
I'm a poor swimmer, but John is much worse.
John is ______
John is a much worse swimmer than me.
John is an inferior swimmer when compared with me.
John is inferior to me in swimming.
She sings better than anyone else.
She is _____
She is the best singer.
It's likely that she'll be late again.
She'll _________
She'll probably be late again.
With a bit of luck, all housework won't be done by humans in the future.
I hope that in the future robots ____________ household chores.
I hope that in the future robots will do all household chores.
I don't cook as well as my mother.
My mother ______
1. My mother cooks better than me
2. My mother is a better cook than me.
3. My mother is better at cooking than me
My sister didn't work hard enough to graduate.
My sister worked _____
My sister worked too little to graduate.
My father couldn't afford to buy the car.
The car ______
The car was too expensive for my father.
The car cost more than my father could afford.
The car was so expensive that my father couldn't afford / buy it.
There is a chance of rain this evening.
It ____________________
It might/may rain this evening.
We've arranged to leave by train tomorrow morning.
We _______________ by train tomorrow morning.
We are leaving by train tomorrow morning.
The yellow apples are less expensive than the red ones.
The yellow apples _____
1. The yellow apples aren't so/as expensive as the red ones.
2. The yellow apples are cheaper than the red ones.
My car is cheaper than the others.
Mine _______
Mine is the cheapest car (of all)
Miss Ideal is the best teacher they've got.
They haven't got _______
They haven't got a better teacher than Miss Ideal.
Whose calculator is this? Perhaps it's Joe's
Whose calculator is this? It __________
Whose calculator is this? It may be Joe's.
There's a party at Kate's house next week.
Next week _____________ party at her house.
Next week Kate is having a party at her house.
Nowadays I don't have as much free time as I used to.
I used to have _____
I used to have more free time ([before] than nowadays)
I won't be able to clean my room in less than twenty minutes.
I will _______
I will spend at least/not fewer/not less than twenty minutes cleaning my room.
I will take at least/not fewer/not less than twenty minutes to clean my room.
They arrived too late to get a good seat.
They didn't ______
They didn't arrive early enough/in time to get a good seat.
He was absent from school today. I suppose he's ill.
He was absent from school today. He _____
He was absent from school today. He must be ill.
Her baby is due in October.
She _________ a baby in October.
She is going to have a baby in October.
She is having a baby in October.
If you work carefully, you won't make so many mistakes.
The _____
The more carefully you work, the fewer mistakes you will make.
If you study more, you will get better grades.
The _______
The more you study, the better your grades (will be).
You studied too little to pass the test.
You_____
You didn't study enough to pass the test.
You studied so little that you didn't/couldn't pass the test.
You should have studied more to pass the test.
He'll probably marry Joan.
There is _________
There is a likelihood/probability/chance/possibility that he will marry Joan.
The arrival time of Helen's flight is 8:00. AT
Helen's flight __________ 8:00.
Helen's flight leaves at 8:00.