形容词的比较等级及其形式
英语形容词比较等级(degrees of comparison)一般有两个:即比较级(comparative degree)和最高级 (superlative degree)。不用比较等级的形容词通常称为原级(positive degree)。形容词的比较级形式是:"形容词 + 后缀 -er "或"单词 more + 形容词"。它的最高级形式是:"形容词 + 后缀 -est "或"单词 most + 形容词。
[注一] 形容词比较等级所加的-er和-est,自成一个音节,分别读作[E]和[ist]o如:
原级 比较级 最高级
tall [tC:l] taller[5tC:lE] tallest[5tC:list]
happy [5hApi] happier[5hApiE] happiest[5hApiist]
thin [Win] thinner [5WinE] thinnest [5Winist]
fine [fain] finer [5fainE] finest [5fainist]
[注二] 如果形容词原级的词末为不发音的字母r,加-er和-est时,r要发[r]音。如:
near [niE] nearer [5niErE] nearest[5niErist]
clear [kliE] clearer[5kliErE] clearest [5kiErist]
如果形容词原级词末的发音为[N],在加-er和-est时,[N]音后得加一个[g]音。如:
strong [strCN] stronger [5strCNgE] strongest [5strCNgist]
long [lCN] longer [5lCNgE] longest [5lCNgist]
[注三] 有些形容词一般没有比较等级。如:
right, wrong,woolen,wooden.
不规则变化
原级 比较级 最高级
good好
we11好,健康的 better best
bad 坏,差 worse worst
many 多 more most
much 多
little 小,少 1ess 1east
far 远 farther,further farthest,furthest
形容词前如加1ess和least,则表示"较不"和"最不"。如:
interesting有趣 difficult 难
less interesting 较无趣 less difficult 较不难
least interesting 最无趣 leas difficult最不难
形容词比较级的用法
比较级用于二者的比较,其结构是:含有形容词比较级的主句+从属连词 than 引导的从句(从句中常省去意义上和主句相同的部分)。如:
Li is older than Zhou. 李比周年纪大。(从句中省去了is old)
There are more children in this nursey than in that one.这个托儿所的孩子比那个托儿所多。(从句中省去了 there are children)
After two years' physical training,she is healthier and stronger.
经过两年的体力锻炼,她(比以前)健康强壮多了。(注意这里省去了从句than she was)
We are much better off than ever before.我们的生活比过去任何时候都要好得多。(than后省去了we were)
Paul weighs less than harry.保尔的体重比哈利轻。
Mary is less clever than Jane.玛丽不如简那么聪明。
[注一] 汉语可以说"昆明的气候比兰州好"。英语必须加that,译为:
The climate of Kunming is better than that of Lanzhou.
[注二]英语比较级常译作"较…"、"…一些"等,但不等于汉语的"更…"。汉语的"更…"须用"still"或"even"来表示如:
This book is even more difficult than that one.这本书比那本书更难。
[注三]有些情况下,汉语不用"较"等字眼,英语则须用比较级,如:
Will the younger people give their seats to old people?请年轻人把座位让给老年人好不好?