当你把两样东西放在一起对比——两部手机、两座城市、两杯咖啡——就需要比较级形容词:tallercheapermore expensive。英语有两种构成方式,用哪一种几乎完全取决于形容词有多长

要记住的一条规则。 短形容词 → 加 -erold → older)。长形容词 → 在前面加 moremore useful)。几乎从不两者同时用——❌ more older 是最常见的错误。

连接两者的词是 than(“比”):Anna is taller than Ben.

给中文使用者。 汉语用“A 比 B + 形容词”(如“这个比那个贵”),形容词本身不变化。英语不一样:要么给形容词加 -er,要么在前面加 more,而且必须用 than 把两者连起来。

短形容词:加 -er

大多数单音节形容词,在词尾加 -er

  • cheap → cheaperThis phone is cheaper than that one.
  • old → olderMy brother is older than me.
  • fast → fasterThe train is faster than the bus.

有四个小小的拼写规律:

形容词结尾 规则 例子
(多数短形容词) -er cheap → cheapersmall → smaller
-e 只加 -r nice → nicerlarge → larger
一个元音 + 一个辅音 双写该辅音,再加 -er big → biggerhot → hotter
辅音 + -y -y → -ier happy → happiereasy → easier

-y → -ier 这个规律也适用于许多以 -y 结尾的双音节形容词,所以 busy → busierfriendly → friendlierpretty → prettier 虽然有两个音节,也都用 -er

长形容词:用 more

对于两个或更多音节的形容词(上面以 -y 结尾的除外),不要改词尾——在前面加 more

  • expensive → more expensiveThis restaurant is more expensive than the café.
  • careful → more carefulShe's more careful than I am.
  • interesting → more interestingThe second book was more interesting than the first.
  • beautiful → more beautifulThis view is more beautiful than the one from the hotel.

注意:形容词本身保持不变——✅ more expensive,绝不是 ❌ more expensiver

than 连接两者

than(“比”)位于你所比较的两样东西之间:

甲 + 比较级 + than + 乙

  • Today is warmer than yesterday.
  • Tea is cheaper than coffee here.
  • He's more relaxed than his sister.

别把 thanthen 搞混。 它们看起来、听起来都很像,但用法完全不同。than 用于比较bigger thanbetter than);then 表示时间或顺序——“然后 / 接下来”(We had dinner, then we watched a film)。做比较时一定是 ❌ then → ✅ than

在正式书面英语中你会看到 than I am / than she does。但口语里大多数人说 than methan herthan him——She's taller than me 完全自然。在这个阶段两种都可以。

如果没有第二样东西要提,可以直接省略 thanCould you speak more slowly? · I'd like a bigger one, please.

不规则比较级

有几个很常用的形容词不遵守上述任何一条规则——只能记住:

形容词 比较级
good better
bad worse
far farther / further
  • This coffee is better than the one at home.
  • My headache is worse today.
  • The station is farther than I thought.

far 比较特别——它有两个比较级形式。表示距离时,fartherfurther 可以互换:ten miles farther / further。只有 further 还表示“更多 / 额外”(further information)。如果只记一个,就记 further。)

much / a bit + 比较级

要说明差别有多大,在比较级前加上 mucha lota bit 这样的词:

  • This one is much cheaper. (差别很大)
  • She's a bit taller than me. (差别不大)
  • The new flat is a lot more expensive.

这里同样不重复比较:✅ much more expensive 和 ✅ much cheaper ——但绝不是 ❌ much more cheaper

比较两个以上——以及表示“一样”

本课讲的是比较两样东西。当你从一整组里挑出突出的那一个——the tallestthe most expensive——那是最高级,是单独的一课。而要表示两样东西一样as tall as),以后你会学到 as … as 结构。

常见错误

  • She is more older than me. → ✅ She is older than me. (绝不能 more + -er 同时用)
  • This bag is more cheap. → ✅ This bag is cheaper. (短形容词用 -er
  • Berlin is more big than Bonn. → ✅ Berlin is bigger than Bonn. (而且要双写 g
  • He runs faster that me. → ✅ He runs faster than me. (是 than,不是 that
  • She's taller then me. → ✅ She's taller than me.than 用于比较;then 是“然后 / 接下来”)
  • My day was gooder. → ✅ My day was better.good 是不规则的)
  • This test was more easy. → ✅ This test was easier.-y → -ier

小测验

写出比较级,并在合适的地方加上 than

  1. My new phone is ____ (good) ____ my old one.
  2. This box is ____ (heavy) ____ that one.
  3. Flying is ____ (expensive) ____ taking the train.
  4. Today the weather is ____ (bad) ____ yesterday.
  5. Can you drive a bit ____ (slow)?
显示答案
  1. better than   2. heavier than   3. more expensive than   4. worse than   5. slower

要点

  • 比较级比较两样东西,than 把它们连起来:A is bigger than B.
  • 形容词 → -ercheaperolder);形容词 → moremore expensive)。绝不两者同用。
  • 注意拼写:nice → nicerbig → biggerhappy → happier(以 -y 结尾的词如 busy → busier-er,即使有两个音节)。
  • 记住不规则形式:good → betterbad → worsefar → farther / further
  • 在比较级前加 much / a bit,表示差别有多大:much cheapera bit taller