Far is most common in questions and negative sentences, and after too and so. How far did you walk? I don’t live far from here. You’ve gone too far. ‘Any problems?’’ Not so far’ (=not up to now.) In affirmative sentences, we usually use a long way. We walked a long way. (We walked far [...]
(a) few and (a) little
1. We use few with plural nouns, and little with singular (uncountable) nouns. Compare: Few politicians are really honest. I have little interest in politics 2. There is a difference between a few and few, and between a little and little. Few and little are rather negative: they mean ‘not much/many’. A few and a [...]
fewer and less
Fewer is the comparative of few (used before plural nouns) Less is the comparative of little (used before uncountable nouns which are singular) few problems/ fewer problems little money/ less money I’ve got fewer problems than I used to have I earn less money than a postman. In informal English, some people use less with [...]
List F
facilities or faculties? FACILITIES = amenities FACULTIES = mental or physical aptitudes farther or further? Both words can be used to refer to physical distance although some writers prefer to keep ‘farther’ for this purpose. I can walk FARTHER than you. I can walk FURTHER than you. FURTHER is used in a figurative sense: Nothing [...]
For, during and while
For and during We use for + a period of time to say how long something goes on: for two hours / for a week / for ages We watched television for two hours last night. Diane is going away for a week in September. Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for ages. Are [...]
farther and further
1. We use both farther and further to talk about distance. There is no difference of meaning. Edinburgh is farther/further away than York. 2. We can use further (but not farther) to mean ‘extra’, ‘more advanced’, ‘additional’ For further information, see here College of Further Education
for, since, from , ago and before
1. For, since and from ‘point forwards’ in time Ago and before ‘point backwards’ in time. 2. We use for to say how long something lasts for + period of time I once studied the guitar for three years That house has been empty for six weeks We go away for three weeks every summer. [...]
fairly, quite, rather and pretty
1. Fairly modifies adjectives and adverbs. It is not very strong: if you say that somebody is “fairly nice” or “fairly clever”, she will not be very pleased. “How was the film?” “Fairly good. Not the best one I’ve seen this year” I speak Greek fairly well – enough for most everyday purposes. 2. Quite [...]
