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:taller、cheaper、more 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 -er(old → older)。长形容词 → 在前面加 more(more 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 → cheaper — This phone is cheaper than that one.
- old → older — My brother is older than me.
- fast → faster — The 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) | 加 -er | cheap → cheaper、small → smaller |
| -e | 只加 -r | nice → nicer、large → larger |
| 一个元音 + 一个辅音 | 双写该辅音,再加 -er | big → bigger、hot → hotter |
| 辅音 + -y | -y → -ier | happy → happier、easy → 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 → busier、friendly → friendlier、pretty → 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 expensive — This restaurant is more expensive than the café.
- careful → more careful — She's more careful than I am.
- interesting → more interesting — The second book was more interesting than the first.
- beautiful → more beautiful — This 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 than 和 then 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 than、better 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 me、than her、than 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 than:Could 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,farther 和 further 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 much、a lot 或 a 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最突出的那一个——the tallest、the 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:
- My new phone is ____ (good) ____ my old one.
- This box is ____ (heavy) ____ that one.
- Flying is ____ (expensive) ____ taking the train.
- Today the weather is ____ (bad) ____ yesterday.
- Can you drive a bit ____ (slow)?
显示答案
- 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.
- 短形容词 → -er(cheaper、older);长形容词 → more(more expensive)。绝不两者同用。
- 注意拼写:nice → nicer、big → bigger、happy → happier(以 -y 结尾的词如 busy → busier 用 -er,即使有两个音节)。
- 记住不规则形式:good → better、bad → worse、far → farther / further。
- 在比较级前加 much / a bit,表示差别有多大:much cheaper、a bit taller。