Unit 112 · Adjectives and adverbs

even

Study

Study this example situation:

Tina loves watching TV. She has a television in every room of the house, even the bathroom.

We use even to say that something is unusual or surprising. It is not usual to have a television in the bathroom.

Some more examples:

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These pictures are really awful. Even I take better pictures than these. (and I’m certainly not a good photographer)

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He always wears a coat, even in hot weather.

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The print was very small. I couldn’t read it, even with glasses.

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Nobody would help her, not even her best friend. or

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Not even her best friend would help her.

You can use even with the verb in the middle of a sentence (see Unit 110):

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Laura has travelled all over the world. She’s even been to the Antarctic.

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They are very rich. They even have their own private jet.

You can use even with a negative (not even, can’t even, don’t even etc.):

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I can’t cook. I can’t even boil an egg. (and boiling an egg is very easy)

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They weren’t very friendly to us. They didn’t even say hello.

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Jessica is very fit. She’s been running quite fast and she’s not even out of breath.

You can use even + comparative (cheaper / more expensive etc.):

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I got up very early, but Jack got up even earlier.

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I knew I didn’t have much money, but I have even less than I thought.

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We were very surprised to get an email from her. We were even more surprised when she came to see us a few days later.

We use even though / even when / even if + subject + verb:

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Even though Tina can’t drive, she has a car.

subject + verb

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He never shouts, even when he’s angry.

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This river is dangerous. It’s dangerous to swim in it, even if you’re a strong swimmer.

We do not use even + subject + verb. We say:

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Even though she can’t drive, she has a car. (not even she can’t drive)

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I can’t reach the shelf even if I stand on a chair. (not even I stand)

Compare even if and even (without if):

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It’s dangerous to swim here even if you’re a strong swimmer. (not even you are)

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The river is dangerous, even for strong swimmers.

Compare even if and if:

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We’re going to the beach tomorrow. It doesn’t matter what the weather is like. We’re going even if the weather is bad.

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We want to go to the beach tomorrow, but we won’t go if the weather is bad.

➜ if and when ➜ Unit 25D · though / even though ➜ Unit 113E

Exercises (4)

0/4 exercises checked

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112.1

Amy, Kate and Lisa are three friends who went on holiday together. Use the information given about them to complete the sentences using even or not even.

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1 They stayed at a hotel. Everybody liked it, Kate.example
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2 They arranged to meet. They all arrived on time, Lisa.
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3 They went to an art gallery. Nobody enjoyed it, Amy.
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4 Yesterday they had to get up early. They all managed to do this, Lisa.
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5 They were together yesterday. They were all in a good mood, Kate.
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6 None of them took any pictures, Lisa.

112.2

Make sentences with even. Use the words in brackets.

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Laura has been all over the world. (the Antarctic)
She has to the Antarctic.example
2
We painted the whole room. (the floor)
We the floor.
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Rachel has met lots of famous people. (the prime minister)
She the prime minister.
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You could hear the noise from a long way away. (from the next street)
You from the next street.
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Now make sentences with a negative + even (didn’t even, can’t even etc.).
They hello.example
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I can’t remember anything about her. (her name)
I her name.
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There isn’t anything to do in this town. (a cinema)
There a cinema.
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He didn’t tell anybody where he was going. (his wife)
He his wife (where he was going).
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I don’t know anyone in our street. (my neighbours)
I my neighbours.

112.3

Complete the sentences using even + comparative.

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1 It was very hot yesterday, but today it’s .example
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2 The church is 700 years old, but the house next to it is .
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3 That’s a very good idea, but I’ve got an one.
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4 The first question was very difficult to answer. The second one was .
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5 I did very badly in the exam, but most of my friends did .
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6 Neither of us was hungry. I ate very little and my friend ate .

112.4

Complete the sentences. Choose from: if even even if even though

ifeveneven ifeven though

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1 she can’t drive, she has a car.example
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2 The bus leaves in five minutes, but we can still catch it we run.
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3 The bus leaves in two minutes. We won’t catch it now we run.
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4 Mark’s Spanish isn’t very good, after three years in Spain.
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5 Mark’s Spanish isn’t very good, he lived in Spain for three years.
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6 with the heating on, it was cold in the house.
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7 I couldn’t sleep I was very tired.
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8 I won’t forgive them for what they did, they apologise.
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9 I hadn’t eaten anything for 24 hours, I wasn’t hungry.