形容词的比较级和最高级的构成有点复杂。
1、一个音节的形容词:一般比较级加-er,最高级加-est。如:
Fine wine(原级,absolute)
Finer wine(比较级 comparative)
The finest wine(最高级 superlative)
例外:
(1)like只用more/most
(2)Glad,fond,shy,sly等常用more/most.
(3)Free,clear等用-er/-est和more/most均可。
(4)分词形容词(含所有音节)一律用more/most.如:
Worn more worn most worn
Tired more tired most tired
Interesting more interesting most interesting
(5)比较等级不规则变化的形容词有:
Good/well better best
Bad/ill worse worst
Many/much more most
Little/few less least
Far farther/further farthest/furthest
Old older/elder oldest/eldest
Late later/latter latest/last
(6)少数习语中的形容词有时也有不规则的比较等级。如:
A more just society一个更公正的的社会
2、3个及3个以上的音节的形容词:几乎都用more/most.如:
An expensive wine一种价格贵的酒
A more expensive wine一种价格更贵的酒
The most expensive wine价格最贵的酒
例外:un-开头的形容词构成比较级时与没有前缀un-一样:
Unhappy unhappier unhappiest
Unhealthy unhealthier unhealthiest
3、2个音节的形容词:其比较等级的构成有点复杂。
(1)许多2个音节的形容词两种形式都用。如:common,cruel,gentle,handsome,lively,lovely,minute,polite,pretty,remote,secure等。
Gentle gentler/gentlest more gentle/most gentlest
-er/-est形式多用于定语,more/most形式多用于表语。
(2)以-y结尾的形容词,几乎都用-er/-est.这类词很多,如:
Angry easy empty funny
Happy healthy heavy lofty
Merry noisy pretty speedy
Tidy wealthy weighty
Angry angrier angriest
Easy easier easiest
Tidy tidier tidiest
Wealthy wealthier wealthiest
但:
Likely只用more/most
Costly,deadly,friendly,lively,lonely,lovely两种形式都用。Costly,deadly,friendly的最高级偏好用-est,比较级偏好用more:
More costly costliest
(3)、-le形容词(如feeble,humble,noble,simple等)两种形式都用,不过-er/-est形式用得更多。如:
Feeble feebler/feeblest more feeble/most feeble
(4)-ow形容词(如mellow,narrow,shallow等)两种形式都用,但偏好-er/-est形式。如:
Mellow mellower/mellowest more mellow/most mellow
(5)-er形容词(如bitter,eager,proper,sober等)两种形式都用,但偏好more/most。如:
Bitter more bitter/most bitter bitterer/bitterest
(6)-ful,-less,-ive,-ous,-ed,-ing形容词用more/most:
Respectful more respectful most respectful
(7)否定前缀un-构建的两个音节的形容词(如unfair,unfit,unwise等)用-er/-est(与未加un-一样):
Unfair unfairer unfairest
(8)quiet的比较级为quieter,最高级为quietest。
英语里有一些形容词由于其词义而不能有比较等级形式。如:
Absolute chief complete countless
Entire eternal excellent fatal
Final first impossible inevitable
Infinite last main paramount
Perfect permanent possible previous
Primary right round simultaneous
Sufficient supreme total unanimous
Ultimate universal utter unique
Vital whole
但这并不是绝对的。例如有人会说:
Your brother is more right than you seem to realize.你弟弟要比你似乎所认为的更正确。
You are younger and your digestion should be more perfect.你年轻,你的消化力应该比较强。
The report gave a more complete account of the accident than ever before.该报告较之以前更完整地描述了那个事故。
复合形容词也有比较等级。如:
The town was more war-torn than before.该镇这次受到的战争损毁较之以前更严重。
He is more power-hungry than other executives.他比其他高管更渴望权力。
有些复合形容词还有两种形式的比较等级。如:
Well-behaved better-behaved/best-behaved
more well-behaved/most well-behaved
Well-known better-known/best-known
more well-known/most well-known
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