English Grammar: Understanding Comparative Adjectives

The question asks us to complete a sentence by choosing the most appropriate words to fill in the blanks. The sentence is: "It is ________ to read this year’s textbook ________ the last year’s." This sentence involves a comparison between "this year's textbook" and "last year's textbook." Therefore, we need to use a comparative adjective and the correct conjunction for comparison.

Comparative Adjectives and Conjunctions

• Comparative Adjectives: These are used when comparing two items or groups. For most one-syllable adjectives (like 'easy'), we add '-er' to form the comparative (e.g., easy → easier). For two-syllable adjectives ending in '-y', we change '-y' to '-i' and add '-er'.
• Superlative Adjectives: These are used when comparing three or more items or groups. For 'easy', the superlative form is 'easiest'.
• Conjunction 'than': This conjunction is almost always used immediately after a comparative adjective (e.g., 'taller than', 'faster than', 'easier than') to introduce the second part of the comparison.
• Preposition 'from': This word indicates origin, source, or separation, not comparison in this context.

Analyzing the Options

Let's evaluate each option based on the rules of English grammar, focusing on the comparison being made between two things (this year's textbook and last year's textbook).

• Option 1: easier, than
  • 'easier': This is the correct comparative form of the adjective 'easy'. It is used when comparing two items, which fits the context of comparing "this year's textbook" and "last year's textbook."
  • 'than': This is the correct conjunction to use with comparative adjectives to introduce the item being compared against.
  • Conclusion: This option correctly uses both the comparative adjective and the comparative conjunction.
• Option 2: most easy, than
  • 'most easy': While 'most easy' can sometimes be used, the standard comparative form of 'easy' is 'easier'. 'Most easy' or 'easiest' is generally used for superlative comparisons (three or more items). For comparing two items, 'easier' is preferred and grammatically more precise.
  • 'than': This conjunction is correct.
  • Conclusion: The adjective form 'most easy' is not the most appropriate comparative form here.
• Option 3: easier, from
  • 'easier': This is the correct comparative adjective.
  • 'from': This preposition is incorrect for making a comparison. 'From' is used to indicate origin, starting point, or separation (e.g., 'comes from', 'different from'). It does not fit the structure of comparing two items directly.
  • Conclusion: The second word 'from' makes this option incorrect.
• Option 4: easiest, from
  • 'easiest': This is the superlative form of 'easy', used when comparing three or more items and identifying the one with the highest degree of the quality. Since only two textbooks are being compared ("this year's" and "last year's"), the superlative form is inappropriate.
  • 'from': This preposition is incorrect for comparison, as explained above.
  • Conclusion: Both words in this option are incorrect for the given comparative context.

Correct Sentence Construction

Based on the analysis, the words "easier" and "than" correctly complete the sentence, forming a grammatically sound comparison. The complete sentence would be:

It is easier to read this year’s textbook than the last year’s.