（28）比較的法則

形容詞的比較（Comparison），分原級、比較級和最高級三種。原級是用形容詞本來的寫法，比較級是單音節及少數常用的二音節詞加 -er，或三音節以上的詞在詞前加 more，最高級是單音節及少數常用的二音節詞加 -est，或三音節以上的詞在詞前加 most，但這里所謂二音節詞，是說原來的詞，前面加的接前綴是不計算在內的。又單輔音前面的元音如讀短音時，在加 -er 或 -est 之前，應將其輔音重復一下。

1. 比較級與最高級的構成法。

a. 單音節詞：

rich	richer	richest
big	bigger	biggest

b. 二音節詞：

-y：	happy	happier	happiest
-ly：	holy	holier	holiest
-le：	noble	nobler	noblest
-er：	clever	cleverer	cleverest
-ow：	narrow	narrower	narrowest

其他如 polite、profound、secure、precise、concise、abrupt、sincere、severe、common、cruel、wicked、pleasant、quiet、handsome 等等。

c. 加接前綴的二音節詞：

ignoble	ignobler	ignoblest
unpleasant	unpleasanter	unpleasantest
incomplete	incompleter	incompletest

d. 多音節詞：

beautiful	more beautiful	most beautiful
comfortable	more comfortable	most comfortable

凡詞尾有 ful、less、able、ive、ing 的二音節詞或多音節詞，如 useful、famous、careless、interesting 等，都屬于此類。

e. 不規則變化：

good well	better	best
ill（evil） bad	worse	worst
much many	more	most
little	less	least
old	older elder	oldest eldest
late	later latter	latest last
far	farther further	farthest furthest

2. 比較級的用法。

a. 用于二人或二物的比較，通常加用 than。

（1）A good friend is better than a near relation.

（2）His nose is much wider than that of a dog，but he has smaller ears than some dogs.

上舉的例（1）是在比較級后沒有名詞的，但例（2）便是有 ear 一個名詞，這個名詞是復數，故不用冠詞，如系單數，在比較級的形容詞前，就要冠以 a 或 an，如在比較級之后用有 of the two 的字眼，則前面要用 the，如：

（1）Henry is smaller than Frank.

（2）Henry is a smaller boy than Frank.

（3）Henry is the smaller boy of the two.

比較:	Which do you think the better，spring or autumn？ Which do you think better，spring or autumn？

第一句的 better 為形容詞，后略去一個名詞（season）；第二句的 better 為副詞。

又 He is three years younger than I. =

He is younger than I by three years.

b. 普通的比較都是說“優于”或“多于”的，如果是“劣于”或“少于”時，就不問音節的多少，都是用 less（least）。

（1）Chen is less clever than Wang.

（2）Lee is the least clever of the three.

不過一般說話不大喜歡用這種向下的比較，所以與其說“His elder sister is less beautiful than his younger sister.”不如說“His elder sister is not so beautiful as his younger sister. ”或是說“His younger sister is more beautiful than his elder sister. ”。

c. 絕對比較級。

（1）The greater part of my apple apple trees trees have no fruit this year.

（2）These toys are meant for older children.

（3）The old linen-weaver in the neighboring parish of Tarley being dead，his handicraft made him a highly welcome settler to the richer housewives of the district，and even to the more provident cottagers，who had their little stock of yarn at the year’s end.——Eliot，Silas Marner

d. 有一種來自拉丁文的比較，如 superior、inferior、prior、senior、junior 等；后面不接 than，而要接 to，例如：

（1）This book is superior to（= better than）the other in style.

（2）This article is inferior to（= worse than）the sample.

注意：動詞 prefer 也屬于這一類，后要接 to。

3. 最高級的用法。

a. 在最高級的形容詞上，要加 the 的：

（1）Still waters are the deepest.

（2）The elephant is the largest land animal.

（3）China is the greatest of（or among）these powers.

（4）China is the greatest power among them.

注意：在最高級之后接有名詞時，通例不用 of，而用 among（后接復數名詞）或 in（后接單數名詞），如 He is the biggest boy in his class. 或 He is the biggest boy among them.

在最高級的前面用有 one of 或 among 時，并非專指某人，而是泛說的，不過此種情形最高級的名詞一定是復數的，如

（1）He is

one of among

the tallest boys in his class.

（2）Shanghai is among the greatest cities in the world.

b. 在最高級的形容詞上，不要加 the 的：

（1）Most people are aware of the fact.

（2）Who has most books？

（3）Who made fewest mistakes？

（4）The island is loveliest at night.

（5）He is my greatest friend.

（6）O dearest one，when shall we see you again？

（7）With earliest day I was up.——Brontê，Jane Eyre

（8）“Is it so，Emily？” he asked，with deepest tenderness.—Gissing，Life’s Morning

注意：最高級有時可加一個 even，如 By the law of nature the stream will run down，and the strongest man cannot stop it. = ...and even the strongest men...

比較:	Most learned men 大多數的學者 the most learned man 最有學問的人 a most learned man 一個很有學問的人

比較:	Yours is the best of all.（形容詞的最高級） I like it best of all.（副詞的最高級） He does his best.（名詞的最高級）

c. 絕對最高級。

（1）The dog would lie at his feet，looking up into his face，following with keenest interest each fleeting expression.——London，Call of the Wild

（2）I should be ashamed the longest day I lived.——Gissing，The House of Cobwebs

（3）She bursts into tears，declaring herself the wretchedest，the most deceived，the worst-used of women.——Dickens，Our Mutual Friend

（4）The Germans are a most thorough and painstaking people in all their undertakings.

（注）以上這種 Absolute Superlative，并無多數事物相比較的意味，而大致是等于 very + 原級。

d. 最高級作為名詞用（絕對最高級的一種）。

（1）Let us do our best（= utmost）.

（2）Malthus calls it the survival of the fittest.

（3）His style is of the clearest.

（4）She was looking her best that day.

（5）The cherry-blossoms are now at their best.

（6）Here was overcrowded England，at its most dismal.——Galsworthy，Silver Spoon

（7）He tried his hardest to persuade them to buy the picture.

（8）After the cold of the night the birds were singing their clearest in the sunshine.——Galsworthy，Captures

（9）He did not run，but he walked his hardest.——Galsworthy，White Monkey

（10）He breathed his last.

其他如 at best、at last、at most、at least、at the latest、in the least、to make the most of、to make the best of、to make the best of a bad bargain、to make the best of one’s way 等等，都屬于這一類。

e. 用比較級來表示最高級的意味。

He is more diligent than any other boy in the class. = He is the most diligent boy in the class.

注意：other 一詞不可少，如果單說 any boy，則他本人也包括在 any 之內，自己與自己比較，豈不是笑話，所以一定要說 any other boy。這后面的名詞可單可復，如果 any 后不用 other，就一定要在那名詞后加限制的形容詞句，如

（1）The Mississippi is longer than any other river in the world.

（2）The Mississippi is longer than any river in China.

f. 在比較級上加否定詞也可表示最高級的意味。

Nothing is more precious than time，yet nothing is less valued. = Time is the most precious，yet it is least valued.

比較:	Iron is the most useful metal. Iron is the most useful of all metals. Iron is more useful than any other metal. Nothing is more useful than iron.

g. 僅有敘述用法（Predicative use）的形容詞，是不加 er 或 est 的，而要用 more 或 most，如

He was more fond of her than her sister.

The boy was more aware of the danger than the girls.

h. 在修飾法時要用 er 或 est 的形容詞，變成敘述用法時，就多半要用 more 或 most 了，如

（1）He was far more sad than she was.

（2）I shall be most happy to do so.

（3）If I had been less cautious I might have been more wise.——Doyle，Memoirs

（4）He was more clever and cold than they were.

（5）He looked more good than ever.

i. 有時為語調的關系，甚至同時二者并用的也有。

（1）We two grew dearer and yet more dear to each other.——Haggard，She

（2）He was the sternest and most severe of masters.——Dickens，David

（3）The coffins are something narrower and more shallow than they used to be.——Dickens，Oliver Twist

j. 在口語中哪怕是說二者的比較，也常用最高級。

（1）The part was certainly in the best hands of the two.——Austen，Mansfield Park

（2）She expects me to go to her，instead of her coming to me！And yet who’s the busiest？——Bennett，Old Wives’ Tale

k. 再要加強比較級或最高級的意味時，就用 much 或 far 等副詞。

（1）Gold is much more valuable than silver.

（2）He is much the best student in the class.

（3）The air is far hotter today than yesterday.

此外又可用 by far the better，by far the best，the very best 等，如

（1）In the village the money-lender is by far the most powerful man.

（2）I did the very best I could.

l. 類似單詞及短語用法辨異。

（1）elder，eldest；older，oldest.

His elder brother is two years older than I.

（2）later，latest；latter，last.

This is the latest news.（time）

This is the last boy in the class.（position）

He came later than I expected.

A man and a dog turned up. The latter was a Pekinese.

（3）nearest，next.

This street is the nearest to my house.（空間或距離）

This house is next to mine.（順序或位置）

（4）farther，farthest；further.

Our school is farther from the city than yours.（距離）

I have something to say further.（更加）

（5）last，next.

比較:	I went there last Sunday. I went there the last Sunday of last month.

（6）not more than，no more than.

not less than，no less than.

（7）no more than，not any more than.

一般形式：

A is no more B than C is D. A is not B any more than C is D.

A home without love is no more a home than a body without a soul is a man.

You can not injure such a man any more than you can throw a stone at the sun.