(单词翻译:单击)
1. 比较级的基本用法
英语中的形容词和副词有三个等级,即原级、比较级和高最级。比较级主要用于两者比较,最高级主要用于多者比较。注意
2. 不能使用双重比较等级
即构成比较级时不能既加词尾-er,又在其前加more;构成最高级时不能既在词尾加-est,又在其前加most,如不能说more better, most earliest 等。不过“比较级+and+比较级”这样的形式却完全可用。如:
I am getting fatter and fatter. 我越来越胖了。
We’re going more and more slowly. 我们越走越慢了。
3. 使用比较等级要注意合乎逻辑
请看两组正误句:
我的电脑比她的贵。
误:My computer is more expensive than her
正:My computer is more expensive than hers.
析:从逻辑上说,应该是my computer 与 her computer 作比较,而不是my computer 与her 比较。上面正句中的hers=her computer。
上海人口比中国其他城市的人口要多。
误:The population of Shanghai is larger than that of any city in China.
正:The population of Shanghai is larger than that of any other city in China.
析:从逻辑上说,Shanghai在China范围内,或者说Shanghai也是China范围内的一个城市,若不用other,则句意为“上海的人口比中国任何城市的人口都多”,
4. 比较级和最高级的常见修饰语
比较级的修饰语:常见的有far, even, still, a lot, lots, a great deal, a bit, rather, three times, any, no, very much 等。如:
Japanese is much [far] more difficult than English. 日语比英语难多了。
She felt a great deal more comfortable now. 她现在感觉舒服多了。
He works hard, but she works still harder [harder still]. 他工作很努力,但她工作更努力。
最高级的修饰语:常见的有(by) far, much, nearly, almost, not quite, by no means, very, second, next 等。如:
His illness is far more serious than we thought. 他的病比我们想像的要严重得多。
China’s population is by far the largest of any country. 中国是全世界人口最多的国家。
I want to give my children the very best education I can afford. 我想给我孩子力所能及的最良好的教育。
The Yellow River is the second longest river in China. 黄河是中国第二长河流。
注:very不能修饰比较级,却可修饰最高级,但它与一般的修饰最高的副词有所不同,即它要放在最高级前定冠词之后,而不是之前(另外,second, third, next等也要入在定冠词之后)。