如果我们要翻译〝他比较老〞，我们不能说

＊ He is more old.

而一定要说

He is older.

为什么呢？这是因为英文里面的形容词有所谓的比较级规则。在下一节，我们讲一些最基本的规则。

首先，我们要说明英文形容词有三个等级：原级、比较级和最高级，最基本的规则是根据音节的多少来分的。

一般来说，单音节的形容词在字后面加er，就变成了比较级，加est就变成了最高级，而双音节，或双音节以上的形容词，比较级是在字前面加more，最高级则是在字前面加most，举例来说，old, smart, strong, weak, high, low等等都是单音节的形容词，他们的变化如下：

以上的形容词，都是单音节的，以下的例子都有关双音节的形容词：

有一个规则必须注意，我们不能将more和er混在一齐用，以下的例子都是错的：

＊      He is more older than I.

＊      He is more taller than his brother.

正确的句子是：

He is older than I.

He is taller than his brother.

【练习六十二】

写出以下形容词的比较级：

1. small

2. slow

3. intelligent

4. expensive

5. tall

6. short

7. important

8. cheap

9. famous

10. cold

11. fast

12. careful

13. colorful

14. long

15. dark

16. bright

在上一节，我们说明了最基本的规则，那就是单音节形容词加er或est，双音节的形容词前面加more或most。但以下就是这些基本规则的例外。

(4)     完全不规则的变化：
英文中，有几个特殊的字，他们的比较级完全没有规则，以下是一些例子，读者必须记住：

【练习六十三】

写下以下形容词的比较级：

1. cute

2. wide

3. early

4. happy

5. heavy

6. thin

7. easy

8. hot

9. wise

10. large

11. good

12. bad

13. many

大多数比较级句子里会有than，以下是一些例子：

I am older than he.

His English is better than mine.

San Francisco is more beautiful than New York.

His car is cheaper than your car.

He is the most diligent student in his class.

I like apples more than oranges.

He has more money than his brother.

He is stronger than his brother.

必须注意的是以下的句子是错的：

＊      I am older than him.

＊      She is smarter than me.

为什么错了呢？因为原来句子应该是：

I am older than he (is).

She is more smart than I (am).

习惯上的is和am都省略掉的，由以上的解释可以看出，than后面的句词应该是主词，而非受词。

以下的错误，也请特别注意：

＊      My head is larger than your.

正确的句子是：

My head is larger than your head.

或者       My head is larger than yours.

请看以下几个错误的句子：

＊      My house is larger than your.

＊      The temperature of this city is higher than San Francisco.

＊      The height of Himalayas is greater than Mt. Fuji.

＊      My bicycle is older than his.

正确的句子应该是：

My house is larger than your house.

或者        My house is larger than yours.

The temperature of this city is higher than the temperature of San Francisco.

或者        The Temperature of this city is higher than that of San Francisco.

The height of Himalayas is greater than the height of Mt. Fuji.

或者        The height of Himalayas is greater than that of Mt. Fuji.

请注意以下的例子，句子中没有than，但仍有比较级：

Among all the teachers who have taught me, he is the best.

This is the best movie I have ever seen.

This food is the worst one which I have ever eaten.

John is the stronger one.

Do we have a better choice?

Mary is the more diligent one.

He is the older of the two.

He is one of the best movie actors.

This area is one of the hottest areas in the world.

He is one of the fastest swimmers of America.

This is a book which I like most.

【练习六十四】

改错：

1. ＊He is more old than I.

2. ＊She is younger than me.

3. ＊This university is more larger than that university.

4. ＊He is more older than my brother.

5. ＊His house is older than my.

6. ＊The size of this city is larger than San Francisco.

7. ＊She is taller than him.

8. ＊The height of this boy is greater than his brother.

9. ＊He is the most good student in my class.

10. ＊He is the more bad one.

【练习六十五】

将下列句子译成英文句子：

1. 你比他强壮。

2. 他的英文比我的好。

3. 他比他的弟弟更富有。

4. 他是世界上最富有的人。

5. 这支笔比你的贵得多。

6. 喜马拉雅山是世界上最高的山。

7. 亚马孙河是世界上最长的河。

8. 他比他的爸爸高。

9. 他是班上最好的学生。

10. 在我遇到的人中，他是最高的。

【练习六十六】

填充：

1. He is          （old）than John.

2. This problem is one of the          （difficult）problems that I have ever seen.

3. This is one of the          （good）movies that I have ever seen.

4. Do we have a          （good）choice?

5. This place is          （hot）than San Francisco.

6. He is          （famous）than his sister.

7. She is getting          （bad）now.

8. He is feeling          （well）now.

9. He has          （much）money than his father.

10. Mary is one of          （beautiful）student in her class.

11. He is          （happy）than before.

12. Peter is getting          （thin）.

13. This summer is          （hot）than last summer.

14. You have a          （bright）future now.

15. He has          （many）students than I.

16. I feel much          （well）now.

17. Ｈe is          （careful）than you.

18. Time is          （important）than money.