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形容词比较级和最高级的构成法：
形容词有比较级（the comparative degree）和最高级（the superlative degree）的形式，表示“比较…… / 最……”。与之相对，形容词本身可称原级（the common degree）。比较级和最高级的构成法有两种：
a. 单音节词或某些双音节词多数都以加-er和-est的方法构成：
在加词尾时要注意：
b. 其他词（特别是两个音节以上的词）都以在前面加more / most的方式构成：
双音节词除了以y结尾的词、以-ow, -er, -le结尾的词和个别其他双音节词外，都以第一种办法构成比较级和最高级：
有少数单音节形容词也以第二种方法构成比较级和最高级，如：
有些形容词和个别表示数量的词有不规则的比较级和最高级形式：
farther / farthest表示“更远的 / 最远的”，further多表示“进一步”：
No further discussion is necessary. 不必做进一步的讨论。
elder和eldest多用来表示兄弟姐妹间的长幼关系，如：
He is the eldest son and thus heir to the title. 他是长子，因此是头衔的继承人。He is my elder brother. 他是我哥哥。
另外，less / least也用来构成比较级或最高级，表示“较不…… / 最不……”
We’d be better off without them as neighbours. 要是没有这家邻居，我们会过得更愉快。
You should be more careful with your money. 你花钱要慎重一些。
She wasn’t any less happy for being on her own. 她并未因独自一人而稍有不悦。
Which town is farther from this city? 哪个城镇离这座城市更远？
My pronunciation is poor. His is even worse. 我的发音不好，他的更差。
I’ll try to make fewer mistakes next time. 我下次要少犯一些错误。
As the days went by, she became less anxious. 时间久了，她变得不那么焦急了。
a. She is taller than her brother. 她比他的兄弟高。
I can not trace my family tree back farther than my great-grand parents.我无法把我的家谱追溯到我曾祖父母以前。
Your house is much bigger than ours. 你们的房子比我们的大多了。
There are fewer boys than girls in our class. 我们班男生比女生少。
Charles was more amiable than his predecessor. 查尔斯比他的前任更和蔼可亲。
b. Fewer herring than usual have been landed this year. 今年捕获的鲱鱼比往年少。
It is more necessary than ever for all of us to work hard. 我们大家比以往更需要努力工作。
It takes less time to go there by plane than by train. 坐飞机去比坐火车更快。
The yield this year is better than in any normal year. 今年的产量比任何正常年景的都好。
c. The house is rather bigger than we thought. 这所房子比我们想的大得多。
Even though I take medicine, I feel worse than I do yesterday. 虽然吃了药，我却觉得病情比昨天更严重了。
At this period she was happier than she had ever been. 在这个阶段，她比过去任何时候都快乐。
There were more casualties than was reported. 伤亡比报道的要多。
than后面还可能有其他结构（如不定式、动词、动名词、形容词等）：
It’s easier to do it yourself than（to）explain it to her. 你自己做比告诉她怎么做更容易一些。
Traveling by train is more comfortable than traveling by bus. 坐火车旅行比坐公共汽车旅行舒服。
Better cut the shoe than pinch the foot. 把鞋子剪开比挤脚好。She was more lucky than clever. 她是运气好，而不是聪明。
形容词比较级有些特殊的用法：
She was more surprised than excited. 她感到更多的是惊讶而不是兴奋。
I was more annoyed than worried when he didn’t come home. 他不回家时，除了担心我更感到生气。
To me, watching movies is more a way of life than an interest. 对我来说，看电影不只是一种爱好，更是一种生活方式。
With the rapid economical development, China’s position on the international stage is getting more and more important. 随着经济迅速发展，中国在国际舞台上的地位变得愈发重要了。
More and more students are majoring in the science of business management.越来越多的大学生在主修企业管理学。
Life is difficult then but thing has got better and better over the year. 那时生活很艰苦，但情况一年比一年好了。
She’s getting taller and taller. 她越长越高了。
Holiday flights are getting less and less expensive. 假日机票越来越便宜了。
The bigger the house is, the more money it will cost. 房子越大越值钱。
The more beautiful the hat, the more expensive it usually is. 帽子越好看，一般来说价钱就越贵。
The warmer the weather, the better I feel. 天气越暖和，我感觉越舒服。
The sooner we leave, the sooner we will arrive. 动身越早，到得越早。
For safety’s sake, don’t drive more than 30 kilometers per hour in the city. 安全起见，在市内开车时速不要超过三十千米。
There are more than 5,000 adjectives in that dictionary. 那本词典中有五千多个形容词。
More than 4,650,000 workers were involved in strikes. 有四百六十五万多人参加了罢工。
It was more than a year now since he had seen her. 从他上次见她以来已经有一年多了。
This piece of furniture is really inexpensive with a price of less than forty dollars. 这件家具还不到四十美元，实在不贵。
In less than a month the MS was ready. 不到一个月，稿子就准备好了。
We were busy and less than delighted to have company that day. 那天我们很忙，不太想接待客人。
The boys were less than happy about having a party. 开联欢会令男孩们不快。
I received no less than ten thousand yuan for my work. 我的工资多达一万元。
No less than ten students flunked the exam. 整整有十位学生这次考试不及格。
He walks no less than five miles to school. 他上学至少要走五英里路。
I can earn 20 a night, more or less, as a waiter. 我当服务员一个晚上能挣二十英镑左右。
I was more or less pitiful at the news he couldn’t come. 听到他不能来的消息后，我多少有些遗憾。
The answers were more or less right. 这个答案基本上是正确的。
It is a mile, more or less, from his home to the school. 从他家到学校大约有一英里。
I was more than pleased with the news that my wife would come home. 接到妻子将要回家的消息，我高兴至极。
Doctors have been less than successful in treating this condition. 医生在治疗这种病时非常不成功。
The book is worse than useless. 该书有害而无益。
I paid only 3,000 pounds for this used car but it’s worth a lot more than that. 我只花了三千英镑就买下了这辆旧汽车，其价值远不止这些。
He is actually a good deal older than he looks. 他实际上比看上去要老得多。
Our room is much bigger than theirs. 我们的房间比他们的大多了。
Many people support the government, but many more are against it. 许多人支持政府，但更多的人反对它。
She has far more imagination than I have. 她的想象力比我丰富多了。
They’re a little bit better now. 现在他们稍好一点儿了。
It’s a little colder today than it was yesterday. 今天比昨天稍冷一点儿。
This bag is slightly heavier than the other one. 这个包比那个包稍重一点儿。
Is your father any better at all? 你父亲有些好转了吗？
She is a little girl no bigger than yourself. 她是个不比你大的小女孩。
You must go and get some more. 你得去再找一些来。
Her apparent indifference made him even more nervous. 她表面上若无其事，这反而使他更加紧张。
He is fat, but his brother is still fatter. 他很胖，但他哥哥更胖。
When she heard news, she became all the more depressed. 听了这个消息，她变得更加抑郁了。
I’m quite better now. 我现在好多了。
This hotel is better than the other one and it’s no more expensive. 这家旅馆比那家好，且并不比那家贵。
If I were ten years younger, I’d study harder. 要是我年轻十岁，我会更用功地学习。
Shall I get a couple more chairs? 我要不要再搬两把椅子来？
You are a head taller than Tom. 你比汤姆高一个头。
Cotton output was 39 per cent higher than that in the previous year. 棉花的产量比前一年高百分之三十九。
Houses cost one third more this year than they did five years ago. 今年的房价比五年前上涨了三分之一。
The new method was ten times more efficient than the traditional one. 新方法比传统方法的效率提高了十倍。
as...as表示“和……一样……”（形容词要用原级）：
She considered his opinion as valuable as ours. 她认为他的意见和我们的一样有价值。
They were as firm as we could expect. 他们像我们所期待的那样坚定。
The old man is as energetic as a young man. 那位老人像年轻人一样有劲。
Let’s walk. It’s just as quick as taking the bus. 咱们走着去，这和搭公共汽车去一样快。
Can you send me the money as soon as possible? 你能尽快把钱寄给我吗？
英语中有大量这种结构的习语：（译文省略）
as brave as a lion
as bright as day
as busy as bees
as cheerful（gay）as a lark
as cold as ice
as cunning as a fox
as fat as a pig
as fierce as a tiger
as graceful as
a swan as greedy as a wolf
as innocent as a dove
as light as a feather
as loud as thunder
as obstinate as a mule
as proud as a peacock
as quick as lightning
as quiet as a lamb
as red as a cherry
as round as an apple
as sharp as a needle
as silly as a goose
as slippery as an eel
as sour as vinegar
as straight as an arrow
as strong as a horse
as stupid as a donkey
as sweet as honey
as tame as a cat
as timid as a hare
as ugly as a toad
as watchful as a hawk
as white as snow
a. I am not as diligent as my brother. 我不像我哥哥那样用功。
Your coffee is not as good as the coffee my mother makes. 你煮的咖啡没我妈煮得好。
The place wasn’t as crowded as it usually is. 这里不像平常那样挤满了人。
I haven’t done as much as I have liked. 我做的没有我希望的那么多。
b. This winter isn’t so cold as last year. 今年冬天不像去年那样冷。
He is not so experienced as you told me. 他不像你告诉我的那样有经验。
He is not so suitable for the job as her（as she is）.他不如她适合这项工作。
The situation there was not so bad as had been painted. 那里的局势并没有描绘的那样糟。
He was as diligent as he was wise. 他既勤奋又睿智。
Martin was as impatient as he was stubborn. 马丁既缺乏耐心又很顽固。
Petrol is three times as expensive as it was a few years ago. 汽油比前几年贵了两倍。
My command of English is not half so（as）good as yours. 我的英文学得还不及你的一半好。
Waves of red light are about twice as long as those of blue light. 红光的波长约为蓝光的两倍。
The population of Scotland was eight times as large as that of Cornwall. 苏格兰的人口是康沃尔的八倍。
形容词最高级主要表示“最……”，后面常跟一短语表示比较的范围，前面一般要加定冠词the：
This is the longest street in the city. 这是镇子里最长的街道。
Summer is the hottest season of the year. 夏天是一年里最热的季节。
The cheapest articles at the sale were quickly snapped up. 大减价货物中最便宜的物品很快被抢购一空。
Her endless patience made her the best nurse in the hospital. 无限的耐心使她成为这个医院最好的护士。
The third requirement is the most important of all. 第三条要求是所有要求中最重要的。
I’m the least experienced among the teachers here. 我是这里的老师中最没有经验的。
He has the least money of all of us. 他是我们这些人中钱最少的。
She has the worst task of us all. 在我们之中，她的任务最艰巨。
它的后面有时跟一个从句：
This is the most interesting film I’ve ever seen. 这是我看过的最有趣的影片。
She is the kindest girl（that）I’ve ever met. 她是我碰到过的最善良的女孩。
Penfold is the most conceited man I have ever met. 彭福是我碰到过的最高傲的人。
This is the worst weather we’ve had for years. 这是多年来最坏的天气了。
When the duke dies, his eldest son will succeed to the title. 公爵去世之后，他的长子将继承其爵位。
Crushed bones make one of the best fertilizers. 碎骨是最好的肥料之一。
It was most kind of you to take me to the airport. 多谢你把我送到了飞机场。
He felt the least desire to go to bed. 他完全不想去睡觉。
The worst part of the journey is over. 旅途最困难的一段已经过去了。
Now we come to the most important thing. 现在我们来讲最重要的事。
This is much the worst stretch of motorway in the country. 这是国内最最糟糕的一段高速公路。
It was by far the best hospital I had ever seen. 这是我见过的最最好的医院。
This is quite far the most expensive vase in the shop. 这是这家商店里最最贵的花瓶。
Our shops select only the very best quality produce. 我们商店里都是精选的质量最好的产品。
This is about the biggest generator ever manufactured in China. 这差不多是中国制造的最大的发电机。
Osaka is the second largest city in Japan. 大阪是日本的第二大城市。
I will finish the task in the shortest possible time. 我将在可能的最短时间内完成任务。
She answered in the most pleasant manner possible. 她以最和蔼的态度做了回答。
The facilities were best. 这些设备是最好的。
She’ll buy whichever is cheapest. 什么最便宜她就买什么。
Best is cheapest. （谚语）好货最便宜。
We are busiest on Tuesdays. 我们星期二最忙。
It’s safest to go by bus. 坐公共汽车去最安全。
Her theory is most convincing. 她的理论最有说服力。
在前面有物主代词或名词所有格修饰时，形容词最高级前也不再加the：
This is my biggest cake. 这是我最大的一块蛋糕。
The Yellow River is China’s second longest river. 黄河是中国的第二大河。
a. It is a most extraordinary thing. 这是一件很特别的事。
He is a most remarkable man. 他是一位非常出色的人。
That was a most convincing argument. 这是一个非常有说服力的论点。
The woman living in that castle was a most mysterious person. 那个住在城堡里的女人是一个非常神秘的人。
b. It was most kind of you to take me to the airport. 多谢你把我送到了机场。
What you’re told me of your plan sounds most interesting; would you care to elaborate? 你给我讲的这个计划很有意思，你能详细地谈一谈吗？
Lily has been most anxious for your return. 莉莉非常急切地盼望你回来。
I shall be most happy to go down with you. 能和你一道去我会十分高兴。
a. “at one’s +最高级”表示“处于最……的状态”：
You’ve timed your holiday cleverly; the weather’s at its best. 你真会选度假时间，这正是天气最好的时候。
I knew she was at her worst. 我知道她这时心情很不好。
She is never at her best in the presence of her mother. 在她妈跟前她的表现从来不是最好的。
She keeps cheerful even when things are at their worst. 即使在情况最糟的时候她也保持着愉悦。
b. at most（least）表示“至多（少）”：
The freight shall not exceed $2,500 per ton at most, but we trust you will succeed in getting easier term. 运费最多不可超过每吨两千五百元，相信贵方必能提供更为优厚的条件。
At most, I’ll be away two days. 我至多离开两天。
There were at least a hundred people present. 到场的至少有一百人。
To go abroad to study, you should at least master the language. 要到国外读书，你最起码要掌握那个国家的语言。