重点中学英语语法讲义-比较等级

8. 比较级和最高级的常见修饰语

(1) 比较级的修饰语有far, even, still, a lot, lots, a great deal, a bit, rather, three times, any, no, very much 等：

This is very much better. 这个好得多。

Japanese is much [far] more difficult than English. 日语比英语难多了。

He knew a great deal more than I did. 他所了解的比我了解的多得多。

He works hard, but she works still harder [harder still]. 他工作很努力，但她工作更努力。

(2) 最高级的常见修饰语有 (by) far, much, nearly, almost, not quite, by no means, very, second, next 等：

He is far more careful than I am. 他比我仔细得多。

This is by the best news for a long time. 这是很久以来最最好的消息。

This is much the most important. 这是最最重要的。

I think this is the very best dictionary. 我想这是最最好的词典。

The Yellow River is the second longest river in China. 黄河是中国第二长河流。

Of the three boys Jim is by no means the cleverest. 在这三个男孩子中，吉姆绝不是最聪明的。

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)。

五、几个重要的比较结构

1. as…as 结构。其基本意思为“与……一样”，其中的第一个as副词，其后通常接形容词或副词(用原级)，第二个as可用作介词(后接名词或代词)或连词(后接从句)。使用时应注意以下几点：

(1) 在否定句中，第一个 as 也可换成 so：

He doesn’t study as [so] hard as his brother. 他学习不如他弟弟努力。

(2) 在该结构的两个as之间通常接形容词或副词的原级，但若涉及数量或程度，可用“as much+不可数名词+as”和“as many+可数名词复数+as”：

You’ve made as many mistakes as I have.  你犯的错误和我犯的一样多。

I haven’t got as much money as I thought. 我不像原来想像的有那么多钱。

其间接形容词时，有时该形容词还可修饰另一名词，但这个名词应带有不定冠词(注意词序)：

She is as good a cook as her mother. 她和她妈妈一样是位好厨师。

也可说：She is a cook as good as her mother.

但不说：She is as a good cook as her mother. 或They are as good cooks as us.

(3) 第二个as后接从句时，该as通常为连词，但有时这个as还充当其后从句的主语或宾语，此时该as实为关系代词：

I gave him as much as he could eat. 他能吃多少，我就给了他多少。

We’ve got food for as many people as want it. 我们的食物，无论多少人吃都够了。

(4) 该结构根据情况可用使用以下修饰语：(not) nearly, almost, just, nothing like, exactly, not quite, half, one-ten, twice, three times, 30 per cent等，并且这些修饰语必须置于第一个as之前，而不能置于其后：

He doesn’t play half as well as his sister. 他演奏的水平不及他姐姐的一半。

This dress is twice as expensive as that. 这件连衣裙比那件贵一倍。

(5) 若第二个as引导一个表示将来意义的从句，则该从句可用现在时表示将来，也可直接使用将来时态：

We’ll get there as soon as you do [will]. 你一到，我们就到。

(6) 在非正式场合(尤其是美国英语中)，有时可以省略第一个as：

When over forty, he married a woman poor as himself. 他在40多岁时娶了一个像他本人一样穷的女人。

另外，若意思明确，有时可省略第二个as及其后的相关词语：

The pianos in that shop will be cheaper, but not as good. 那家商店的收音机会便宜些，但质量没那么好。

2. more than 与less than

(1) more than 的主要用法是：

①(指数量)多于：

I’ve known him for more than twenty years. 我已认识他20多年了。

② 不只是，不仅仅是(通常后接名词、动词、从句等)：

He is more than a father to her. 他待她胜过父亲。

He more than smiled, but laughed. 他不只是微笑，而是放声大笑。

The result was much more than I imagined. 结果远远超过我的想像。