Archive for June, 2012

Near, nearest and next

June 30th, 2012 in English Grammar

Near can be used as a preposition, an adjective or an adverb.

When used as an adverb, near is the opposite of far. It means within a short distance in space or time.

  • The station is quite near.
  • The Christmas holidays are drawing near.
  • He lives nearby. OR He lives near at hand.

Near can also be used as a preposition.

  • Don’t go near the edge of the parapet. You may fall over it.
  • Don’t go near the well.
  • It is getting near lunch-time.
  • We live near the station.

Near can also be used as an adjective. The adjective near has comparative and superlative forms ending in –er and –est.

  • She is a near relative of mine.
  • They are our near and dear ones.

Nearer and nearest are generally used with to.

  • Who is that little boy sitting nearest to the door?

Nearest and next

Nearest means most near in space.

  • Excuse me. Where’s the nearest bus station?

Next means ‘after this / that one’.

  • We look forward to your next visit.
  • We will get off at the next station.

Almost and nearly

Almost and nearly can be used with similar meanings.

  • There were nearly a hundred people.
  • There were almost a hundred people.

Nearly is not normally used with non-assertive words like never, nobody, nothing, anything, any etc.

  • He will eat almost anything. (NOT He will eat nearly anything.)