Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Spanish & English Languages > Practice & Homework
Register Help/FAQ Community Calendar Today's Posts Search PenpalsTranslator


Exercise with comparatives & superlatives

 

Practice Spanish or English here. All replies to a thread should be in the same language as the first post.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old February 20, 2012, 06:04 PM
laepelba's Avatar
laepelba laepelba is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Suburbs of Washington, DC (Northern Virginia)
Posts: 4,683
Native Language: American English (Northeastern US)
laepelba is on a distinguished road
Question Exercise with comparatives & superlatives

This exercise was (in my opinion) a bit vague, and not directly related to the topics and examples in the chapter. Anyway, there are two sentences in particular that I want to ask about.

The instructions: "Make comparative or superlative sentences with the following information."

My two "issues":
3) Given sentences: Esta cantidad es muy alta. No estoy dispuesto a ofrecer más cantidad.
My answer: Esta cantidad es demasiado alta para que yo disponga a ofrecer más. (Or: Esta cantidad es demasiado alta para que yo ofrezca más.)
The book's answer: Ésta es la cantidad más alta (o la máxima cantidad) que estoy dispuesto a ofrecer. (Or: No estoy dispuesto a ofrecer una cantidad más alta que ésta.)

6) Given senteces: Le experiencia que tuve fue aterradora. Nunca tuve una experiencia parecida.
My answer: Nunca tuve una experiencia tan aterradora como esa.
The book's answer: Fue la experiencia más aterradora que tuve jamás.

Are my answers also correct? This one was tough......
__________________
- Lou Ann, de Washington, DC, USA
Específicamente quiero recibir ayuda con el español de latinoamerica. ¡Muchísimas gracias!

Last edited by laepelba; February 21, 2012 at 07:55 AM.
Reply With Quote
   
Get rid of these ads by registering for a free Tomísimo account.
  #2  
Old February 20, 2012, 06:21 PM
Rusty's Avatar
Rusty Rusty is offline
Señor Speedy
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 11,316
Native Language: American English
Rusty has a spectacular aura aboutRusty has a spectacular aura about
Your sentences make sense, but they aren't using the superlative structure:
el/la (noun) más + adjective

Your first sentence uses 'too' and the second uses 'as ... as'. Both needed the superlative:
la cantidad más alta = the highest amount
la experiencia más aterradora = the most terrifying experience
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old February 20, 2012, 06:25 PM
laepelba's Avatar
laepelba laepelba is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Suburbs of Washington, DC (Northern Virginia)
Posts: 4,683
Native Language: American English (Northeastern US)
laepelba is on a distinguished road
Thanks, Rusty ...

Okay ... I was thinking about the comparative thing....

So, my answers "make sense", but are they grammatically correct?

I didn't like this exercise much....
__________________
- Lou Ann, de Washington, DC, USA
Específicamente quiero recibir ayuda con el español de latinoamerica. ¡Muchísimas gracias!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old February 20, 2012, 07:03 PM
Rusty's Avatar
Rusty Rusty is offline
Señor Speedy
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 11,316
Native Language: American English
Rusty has a spectacular aura aboutRusty has a spectacular aura about
Well, in the first sentence, the verb disponer, which dispuesto is derived from, doesn't work the way you tried to use it. There really isn't a need to use the 'para que' phrase or the subjunctive.
Esta cantidad es demasiado alta para poder ofrecer más.
Esta cantidad es tan alta que no puedo ofrecer más.
(But neither of these provide a comparison nor a superlative.)

Your second sentence is grammatically sound.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old February 21, 2012, 07:55 AM
laepelba's Avatar
laepelba laepelba is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Suburbs of Washington, DC (Northern Virginia)
Posts: 4,683
Native Language: American English (Northeastern US)
laepelba is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty View Post
Well, in the first sentence, the verb disponer, which dispuesto is derived from, doesn't work the way you tried to use it. There really isn't a need to use the 'para que' phrase or the subjunctive.
Esta cantidad es demasiado alta para poder ofrecer más.
Esta cantidad es tan alta que no puedo ofrecer más.
(But neither of these provide a comparison nor a superlative.)

Your second sentence is grammatically sound.
Interesting, because the chapter in the book has a section on the construction "demasiado + adjective + para que + subjunctive" meaning "it's too ___ for ___". I made up a bunch of practice sentences in that structure and my tutor went over them and they were mostly okay (except for random mistakes that weren't associated with the structure at hand....). I must not fully understand when that structure can be used. I'll show her the sentence and see what the difference is. THANKS!!
__________________
- Lou Ann, de Washington, DC, USA
Específicamente quiero recibir ayuda con el español de latinoamerica. ¡Muchísimas gracias!
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old February 22, 2012, 04:35 AM
ROBINDESBOIS's Avatar
ROBINDESBOIS ROBINDESBOIS is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,040
ROBINDESBOIS is on a distinguished road
3.para que yo me disponga a ofrecer más
6. It,s perfect and it, s a comarative sentence too.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old March 16, 2012, 03:13 PM
micho's Avatar
micho micho is offline
Pearl
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: España
Posts: 127
Native Language: español
micho is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by laepelba View Post
This exercise was (in my opinion) a bit vague, and not directly related to the topics and examples in the chapter. Anyway, there are two sentences in particular that I want to ask about.

The instructions: "Make comparative or superlative sentences with the following information."

My two "issues":
3) Given sentences: Esta cantidad es muy alta. No estoy dispuesto a ofrecer más cantidad.
My answer: Esta cantidad es demasiado alta para que yo disponga esté dispuesto a ofrecer más. (Or: Esta cantidad es demasiado alta para que yo ofrezca más.)
The book's answer: Ésta es la cantidad más alta (o la máxima cantidad) que estoy dispuesto a ofrecer. (Or: No estoy dispuesto a ofrecer una cantidad más alta que ésta.)

6) Given senteces: Le experiencia que tuve fue aterradora. Nunca tuve una experiencia parecida.
My answer: Nunca tuve una experiencia tan aterradora como esa.
The book's answer: Fue la experiencia más aterradora que tuve jamás.

Are my answers also correct? This one was tough......
La primera frase está en presente de indicativo y tu respuesta en presente de subjuntivo. Si dices "demasiado alta", dices que ya es más de lo que estas dispuesto a pagar y no es un superlativo ni comparativo.

La segunda frase es correcta y quiere decir lo mismo, pero es menos categórica que la que indica el libro (no deja lugar a dudas). "Tan...como" es comparativo pero, a veces, se presta a que te destrocen el razonamiento: Fulano nunca fué tan guapo como tú: "siempre fué mucho más guapo", o en el caso del ejemplo: Nunca tuve una experiencia tan aterradora como esta, normalmente paso mucho mas miedo.

Last edited by micho; March 16, 2012 at 03:29 PM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Comparatives and superlatives laepelba Grammar 9 January 08, 2011 06:41 PM
Q & A's (Simple) & Short Paragraph ChicadeJeep Practice & Homework 15 December 22, 2009 06:23 AM
Jam & Jelly, Affect & Effect Jessica General Chat 2 February 07, 2009 06:20 PM
Comparatives Worksheet Jessica Practice & Homework 3 February 02, 2009 06:17 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:48 PM.

Forum powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

X