The adjective. Types of adj. Degrees of comparison

Adverbials of attendant circumstances and subsequent events


§ 108. These adverbials have no identifying questions. The adverbial of attendant circumstances expresses some fact that accompanies the event presented by the modified part of the sentence. This adverbial may be expressed by a gerundial phrase, a participial phrase, any kind of absolute construction, and rather rarely by an infinitive phrase.

We walked three miles without meeting anyone (and did not meet anyone)

“No,” said Gabriel, turning to his wife (and turned to his wife)
I dropped my fists and walked away, “Scout’s a coward” ringing in my ears.
In the study with the door closed, he stood before the window, smoking his pipe.

The adverbial of subsequent events points out an event following the event presented in the modified part of the sentence. This adverbial is most frequently expressed by an infinitive, or sometimes by a participle.

He woke up to see that it was daylight.

They said something to her, receiving no answer.


The adverbial of comparison


§ 109. This adverbial is introduced by the conjunctions than, as, as if, as though or the preposition like. The adverbial with than is preceded by the comparative of the adverb or the adjective it modifies, the adverbial with as - by the correlative adverbs as or so:

A mountain is higher than a hill.

The boy is now as tall as his father.
Tom is not so tall as his brother.
Tom speaks French as fluently as a born Frenchman.
Tom speaks French like a Frenchman.

The difference between the use of like and as is important.

Ann talked to us like a teacher means that Ann is not a teacher, whereas the sentence Ann talked to us as a teacher implies that she is a teacher and in talking to us her professional manner was apparent.

The conjunctions as if and as though give the comparison a modal shade of meaning: They precede a participle, an infinitive, or a prepositional phrase, as in:

As if obeying him, I turned and stared into his face.
He prospered greatly, almost as though against his will.