Final answer:
To identify irregular comparative adjectives and phrases that resemble relative clauses, one should observe their use in comparison to regular adjectives and analyze their grammatical functions within the sentence, such as the roles of participle and infinitive phrases.
Step-by-step explanation:
When dealing with comparative adjectives, to identify the irregular versions and phrases that appear to be relative clauses but are not, the best approach is typically option (b): By observing their use in comparison to regular adjectives. Comparative adjectives compare differences between the two objects they modify, and irregular comparatives are those that do not follow the standard pattern of adding '-er' to the base adjective, such as 'better' (from 'good') or 'worse' (from 'bad').
Relative clauses, on the other hand, provide additional information about a noun and are usually introduced by a relative pronoun like 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.' A clause pretending to be a relative clause could, in fact, be a participle phrase or an infinitive phrase, both of which can sometimes mimic the form of a relative clause but serve different grammatical functions.
Review Questions: Identifying Phrases
Infinitive phrase as an adverb: 'To move a couch for a friend, I drove up north on Thursday.' - the phrase modifies the verb 'drove'.
Prepositional phrase: 'At the beginning of the sentence' - provides additional details about location or position.
Participle phrase: 'Hoping against all hope,' - describes the subject of the sentence and acts as an adjective.
Understanding the function of these phrases in a sentence provides insight into their usage and helps to differentiate them from relative clauses. By carefully analyzing a sentence's structure and the phrases used within it, you can accurately identify the roles they play.