far better far too fast by far the fastest

e.g. Is your mother any better (хоть немного лучше) today than yesterday? – Unfortunately, things are no better than before.

Henry is by far the most talented boy I have ever taught.

Boris drives far too fast.

This copy is slightly better than the old one.

Remember: far + comparative degree, e.g. far better = much better

by far + superlative degree, e.g. by far the best = really the best

e.g. There are far fewer cinemas in Kharkiv than there used to be.

There is far less water in the river than usual.

A tram is by far the slowest means of transport today.

9. Most, the most and a most are different things.

· Most means the majority of,

e.g. Most children like ice-cream.

· A most means extremely, extraordinarily (чрезвычайно, удивительно, крайне, весьма),

e.g. John is a most talented doctor.

Roses are most beautiful flowers.

· The most is the superlative degree,

e.g. Miss Brown is the most experienced teacher of our staff.

10. The degrees of comparison of compound adjectives may be formed in two ways:

a) by adding the words more and the most

e.g. quick-wilted - more quick-witted - the most quick-witted;

b) by changing the first part of the adjective, e.g.

well-known - better-known - the best-known

e.g. Her daughter is the most kind-hearted child I have ever seen.

Shevchenko is the best-known poet of Ukraine.

11. The comparative degree is used to compare two things while the superlative compares more than two, e.g.

This watch is cheaper/ more expensive than that one.

Which suitcase is the heavier of the two? = Какой/ Который из этих двух чемоданов тяжелее?

This watch is the cheapest of the three. = Эти часы самые дешевые из трех.

Which vase is the cheapest of them all? = Какая ваза самая дешовая из всех?

(Which is the cheapest of the two? - is common only for informal speech.)

12. As usual # than usual # usually, e.g.

Bertha woke up at five o’clock as usual.

On her birthday Bertha woke up later than usual.

Usually Bertha wakes up at five o’clock.