一、概说
英语中的形容词和副词有三个等级，即原级、比较级和高最级。比较级主要用于两者比较，最高级主要用于多者比较。
二、比较等级的构成
1. 通过加后缀-er和-est构成。
单音节和部分双音节词通过加后缀 –er和-est构成比较级和最高级
原级 比较级 最高级
tall(高) taller tallest
quiet(安静的) quieter quietest
early(早) earlier earliest
注：(1) 若原级以字母e结尾，则只加-r和-st：fine—finer—finest。
(2) 若原级以“辅音字母+y”结尾，则应将y改为i，再加-er和-est构成比较级和最高级：
dry—drier—driest。(例外：shy(害羞的)—shyer—shyest)
(3) 若原级为重读闭音节结尾，且末尾只有一个辅音字母，则双写这个辅音字母后加词尾-er和-est构成比较级和最高级：big—bigger—biggest。
2. 通过在其前加more和most构成。
多音节和部分双音节词通过在其前加more和most构成比较级和最高级：
原级 比较级 最高级
difficult(困难的) more difficult most difficult
dangerous(危险的) more dangerous most dangerous
bravely(勇敢地) more bravely most bravely
注：
(1) 有的双音节词(如 clever, common, gentle, handsome, happy, narrow, polite, quiet, shallow, simple, stupid，often, seldom)可以有两种方式构成比较级和最高级级：
clever—cleverer / more clever —cleverest / most clever
often—more often / oftener—most often / oftenest。等。
(2) 某些带有否定前缀un-的三音节词(如uncommon, unhappy, unpleasant, untidy等)可以用两种比较级形式：unhappy—unhappier / more unhappy — unhappiest / most unhappy。
三、形容词与副词比较等级的不规则变化
1. 常见的不规则形容词与副词的比较等级变化
原级 比较级 最高级
good(好的) better best
well(好，健康的) better best
bad(坏的) worse worst
badly(坏地，恶劣地) worse worst
ill(有病的) worse worst
much(多) more most
many(多) more most
little(少) less least
far(远) farther / further farthest / furthest
注：
包含good, well, bad, ill的复合词形容词(如good-looking, well-known, well-built, bad-tempered 等)，通常将good, well, bad, ill 改为比较级和最高级，不过也可用more和most的形式：
good-looking — better-looking / more good-looking—best-looking / most good-looking。
2. farther, further与farthest, furthest 的用法区别
(1) 表示距离时，四个词都可用：
I can throw much farther [further] than you. 我可以比你扔得更远。
(2) 若用于引申义，表示“更进一步”、“此外”等义，则只能用 further：
We’ll further discuss it. 我们会进一步讨论它。
Are there any further questions? 还有问题吗?
(3) further 可用作动词，意为“增进”、“推进”等(其他几个词一般不这样用)：
His support furthered my career. 他的支持促进了我的事业。
3. elder, eldest & older, oldest 的用法区别
(1) old 通常的比较级和最高级分别是 older, oldest。可用于人或物，可用作表语或定语，可与 than 连用：
I’m （two years ）older than he. 我比他大（两岁）。
The cathedral is the oldest building in the city. 这座教堂是城里最古老的建筑。
(2) elder 与 eldest 主要用于家人之间表明长幼关系。
通常只用于人而不用于物，只用作定语而不用作表语，也不与 than 连用：
This is my eldest son (daughter). 这是我的大儿子(女)。
His elder brother (sister) works in a clothing factory. 他哥哥(姐姐)在一家服装厂工作。
注：在美国英语中也可用 older, oldest 表示长幼关系：older brother 哥哥
(3) elder 与 eldest 的区别是：
前者指两者中年纪较大的, 而后者指三者或三者以上的年纪最大的。如：
one’s elder son 指两个儿子中年纪较大的一个，one’s eldest son 指三个或三个以上的儿子中年纪最大的一个
(4) elder 和 eldest 作为形容词，通常只能用作定语，不用作表语；但若不是用作形容词(即其后不接名词)而是用作名词，则可以用作表语(此时通常有冠词或物主代词修饰)：
I’m the eldest in the family. 我是全家年纪最大的。
He was the elder of the two sons. 他是两个儿子中较大的。
四、使用比较等级应注意的几点
1. 使用比较等级的基本原则。不作比较用原级，两者比较用比较级，多者比较用最高级：
He is very tall. 他很高。(尽管“很高”，但没有比较，故用原级)
He is very short, but taller than me. 他很矮，但比我高。
Among the three short girls, Mary is the tallest. 在这三个矮姑娘中，玛丽是最高的。
2. 不能使用双重比较等级。即构成比较级时不能既加词尾-er，又在其前加more；构成最高级时不能既在词尾加-est，又在其前加most，如不能说more better, most earliest 等。不过“比较级+and+比较级”这样的形式却完全可用：
I am getting fatter and fatter. 我越来越胖了。
We’re going more and more slowly. 我们越走越慢了。
3. 使用比较等级要注意合乎逻辑。请看两组正误句：
(1) 我的电脑比她的贵。
误：My computer is more expensive than her
正：My computer is more expensive than hers.
析：从逻辑上说，应该是my computer 与 her computer 作比较，而不是my computer 与her 比较。上面正句中的hers=her computer。
(2) 上海人口比中国其他城市的人口要多。
误：The population of Shanghai is larger than that of any city in China.
正：The population of Shanghai is larger than that of any other city in China.
析：从逻辑上说，Shanghai在China范围内，或者说Shanghai也是China范围内的一个城市，若不用other，则句意为“上海的人口比中国任何城市的人口都多”，
4. 本身已含有比较意味的词语通常不用于比较级
Which do you prefer, tea or coffee? 茶和咖啡, 你更喜欢哪样?
She is junior to me. 她比我年纪小。
5. 比较级前冠词使用规律。比较级前通常不用冠词，但有时也用，这主要见于以下情形：
(1) 当比较级后接名词时，比较级前可能用冠词，此时的冠词不是修饰比较级，而是修饰其后的名词：
Which is the larger country, Canada or Australia? 中国和澳大利亚，哪个国家更大？
(2) 当要特指两者中“较(更)…”时，比较级前通常要带定冠词，此时可视为比较级后省略了有关的名词或代词one，即定冠词实为修饰被省略的名词或代词one：
This dictionary is the more useful of the two. 在两本词典中，这本更有用。
(3) 在比较级前用the表示程度(通常有表示原因、理由或条件的短语或从句)：
I feel the better for my walk. 散了一下步我觉得舒服多了。
I love him all the more for [because of] his faults. 正因为他这些缺点，所以我越发爱他。
(4) 用于“the+比较级，the+比较级”，表示“越来越……”：
The sooner, the better. 越快越好。
The more dangerous it is, the more I like it. 事情越是危险我越喜欢。
(5) 当by far用于修饰比较级且置于其前时，比较级前要用the：
He’s by far the cleverer student. 他是个聪明得多的孩子。
It’s by far the quicker to go by train. 乘火车要快得多。
注：by far若用于比较级后，则通常不用the：
It’s quicker by far to go by train. 乘火车要快得多。
6. 最高级前冠词使用规律
(1) 在形容词最高级前通常有the：
This is the best room in the hotel. 这是这个宾馆里最好的房间。
(2) 当最高级形容词用作表语(尤其是当在which后)且不带比较范围时，the有时(尤其是非正式场合)可以省略：
This dictionary is (the) best. 这本词典最好。
但是，当处于表语位置的最高级带有比较范围或带有限定性修饰语时，其前的the通常不能省去：
This dictionary is the best I could find. 这是我能找到的最好的词典。
(3) 当要对同一个人或事物在不同情况下进行对比时，处于表语位置的最高级形容词前不能加the：
Vegetables are best when they are fresh. 蔬菜新鲜时最好吃。
比较：He’s busiest on Sunday. 他星期天最忙。(他与自己平时比)
He’s the busiest of all the people. 在所有人当中他最忙。(他与别人比)
(4) 在副词最高级前可用the，也可省略：
Among them, he studies (the) hardest. 在他们当中，他学习最刻苦。
(5) 与形容词的最高级一样，当要对同一个人或事物在不同情况下进行对比时，副词最高级前也不能加the：
She works hardest when she’s doing something for her family. 她为自己家干活时最卖力。
比较：Of all the workers, he works (the) hardest. 在所有工人中，他干活最卖力。
7. than后的省略。
(1) 若than 所连接的两个待比较的句子有相同成分，通常有所省略，
如说He is much taller than I (am). 而不能说He is much taller than I am tall.
但是，若所连接的两个待比较的句子没有相同成分，则不能省略，否则意思会有所变化。比较：
He swims faster than I run. 他游泳比我跑步还快。
He swims faster than I. 他游泳比我(游泳)快。
(2) 有时用于类似以下这样的省略句：
Don’t eat more than is good for you. 不要吃得过量。
More food is wasted than is eaten in this canteen. 在这个食堂里浪费的食品比吃掉的还多。
Some of the stories were really more than could be believed. 有些故事实在认人难以相信。
More people own houses these days than used to years ago.
与几年前相比，目前有更多的人自己有房子。
为了便于理解，可以认为这类省略句的than后省略了what(但实际上这个what通常不宜补上，除非在英国某些方言里)，但也有人认为在一些类似情况下than有点像关系代词，引导一个类似于定语从句的句子(但又不完全像定语从句，因为有时其前没有先行词)，这类省略句通常不能补上所缺的主语或宾语(因为than就充当了主语和宾语)。另外，还有以下这样的省略形式(即不仅省略了主语，而且省略了助动词)：
He returned three days earlier than expected.(=…than he was expected.)
他比所预料的早回三天。
8. 比较级和最高级的常见修饰语
(1) 比较级的修饰语有far, even, still, a lot, lots, a great deal, a bit, rather, three times, any, no, very much 等：
This is very much better. 这个好得多。
Japanese is much [far] more difficult than English. 日语比英语难多了。
He knew a great deal more than I did. 他所了解的比我了解的多得多。
He works hard, but she works still harder [harder still]. 他工作很努力，但她工作更努力。
(2) 最高级的常见修饰语有 (by) far, much, nearly, almost, not quite, by no means, very, second, next 等：
He is far more careful than I am. 他比我仔细得多。
This is by the best news for a long time. 这是很久以来最最好的消息。
This is much the most important. 这是最最重要的。
I think this is the very best dictionary. 我想这是最最好的词典。
The Yellow River is the second longest river in China. 黄河是中国第二长河流。
Of the three boys Jim is by no means the cleverest. 在这三个男孩子中，吉姆绝不是最聪明的。
注：very不能修饰比较级，却可修饰最高级，但它与一般的修饰最高的副词有所不同，即它要放在最高级前定冠词之后，而不是之前(另外，second, third, next等也要入在定冠词之后)。
五、常见比较等级句型
1. 当A > B 时，用“比较级 + than + 比较对象”来表示。如：
My room is smaller than yours. 我的房间比你的小。
注意：一般来说，比较对象为人称代词时，用主格或宾格均可。但是，当句子中谓语动词为及物动词时，人称代词用主格或宾格意义不同。如：
I like you better than he (likes you). 我比他更喜欢你。
I like you better than (he likes) him. 我喜欢你胜过喜欢他。
2. 用A > B，表示最高级
（1）直接使用比较级
①How beautiful she sings! I've never heard a better voice.
= She has the best voice I've ever heard.
她唱得多好啊！这是我听到的最美的歌喉。
②I have never read a more interesting novel.
= It is the most interesting novel I've ever read.
这是我读过的最有趣的小说。
（2）比较级 + than + the other + 复数名词
比较级 + than + the rest of + 复数名词
比较级 + than + any of the other + 复数名词
比较级 + than + any other + 单数名词
（比较双方属于同一类别或同一范围内。即表示“同一范围内的一者比其他的更......”）。
比较级 + than + any + 单数名词
（比较双方不属于同一类别或同一范围内。即表示“不同范围内的一者比其他任何一者都更......”）。
①She goes to school earlier than the other girls.
她比其他女孩早上学。
②He works harder than any other student.
她学习最用功。
③China is larger than any of the other countries in Asia.
中国是亚洲最大的国家
Shanghai is larger than any city in Africa 。
（3）比较级 + than + anything/ anyone else
①George did more work than anyone else.
乔治干活最多。
②Tom cared more for money than for anything else
汤姆最喜欢钱。
（4）在比较句型中使用 "no", "nobody", "nothing" 等词。
①I like nothing better than swimming.
我最喜欢游泳。
②Nobody can do the work better than he did.
这项工作他做得最出色。
③No other building is as grand as the new hotel.
新建的宾馆是当地最豪华的。
（5） 在使用这一结构时须要注意：使用这一结构来表达同一范畴中最高级含义时，切记不可出现自身比较错误。
如下面的翻译句子：中国是所有亚洲国家中最大的一个。
如果译为：
①China is larger than all the countries in Asia. (×)
②China is larger than any country in Asia. (×)
应译为：
①China is larger than any other country in Asia.
②China is larger than any of the other countries in Asia.
③China is larger than the others in Asia.
④China is larger than any of the others in Asia.
4. 当A = B 时，用“as + 原级 + as + 比较对象”来表示。如：
She is as tall as me。她与我一样高。
He gets up as early as his parents. 他起床与他父母起得一样早。
5. 当A < B 时，用“not so /as + 原级 + as +比较对象”来表示。如：
I’m not as [so] lucky as you. 我不像你那么幸运。
He doesn’t study as [so] hard as Mary. 他学习不如玛丽努力。
6. 当A = 数字×B 时，用下列结构来表示：
(1) 用“数字 + times + as + 原级 + as +比较对象”来表示。如：
Their house is about three times as big as ours. 他们的房子大约有我们房子三倍大。
(2) 用“数字 + times + the size / length / depth / height / width + of +比较对象” 来表示。如：
Your office is three times the size of ours. 你的办公室是我们办公室的三倍大。
(3) 用“数字 + times + 比较级 + than + 比较对象”来表示。如：
He runs three times faster than Jack. 他比杰克跑得快三倍。
注：若指两倍，以上各句型中的“数字+times”则应换成twice。如：
This room is twice the length of the other, but much narrower. 这个房间的长度是那个房间的两倍, 但窄得多。
7. 在三者或三者以上的人或物中，用最高级表示，结构为“the + 最高级 + 比较范围”。如：
She is the best player in the team. 她是队里最优秀的运动员。
He works the hardest of all the students. 他是所有学生中最用功的。
8. 表示“越来越……”时，用“比较级 + and + 比较级”。如：
Your English is getting better and better. 你的英语越来越好了。
It’s becoming more and more difficult to find a job. 找工作越来越困难了。
9. 表示“越……就越……”时，用“the + 比较级，the + 比较级”。如：
The younger you are, the easier it is to learn. 年纪越轻，学习越容易。
The more money you make, the more you spend. 你挣的钱越多，花的钱也越多。
10. “否定词+谓语+比较级”相当于最高级。如：
I’ve never seen a nicer bird than this one.
=This bird is the nicest bird I’ve ever seen.
这是我所见过的最好的鸟。
How beautifully she sings! I have never heard a better voice.
她唱得多好啊！我从来没有听过这么动听的声音。
11.Who / Which + be +比较级 ，A or B ？
Who is taller，Tom or John？
12 ~ + be + the 比较级 + of the two. （两个之中比较…的那一个，~包含在两个之中）
Tom is the taller of the two. = Tom is taller than the other boy.
13。 much / a lot / even / far + 比较级
A compute is much more expensive than a bicycle. 计算机比自行车贵多了。
14. Who / Which + be +最高级，A，B，or C ？
Who is the tallest，Tom，Jack，or David？ Tom，Jack与David三个人中谁最高？
15、~ + be + one of the +最高级 +复数名词，表示“最……的……之一”。
The Yellow River is one of the longest rivers in China. 黄河是中国最长的河流之一。
16、…+ be +the + 序数词 +最高级 +单数名词 + 范围”，表示“……是……。的第几……”。
She is the second tallest student in our class. 她是我们班第二高的学生。
17、~ + be + the 最高级 ~ that 某人 have/ has ever + 过去分词。
This is the most interesting book that I have ever read.这是我看过的最有趣的书。
六 比较级与最高级之间的转换
1. 原级与比较级转换的常见句型：
① not so (as) +单音节形容词或副词+ as
→ 单音节形容词或副词的反义词比较级 + than。例如：
Tom is not so(as) tall as John.
→ Tom is shorter than John.
② not so (as) + 多音节形容词或副词 + as
→ less + 多音节形容词或副词原级 + than。例如：
Tom is not so(as) careful as Mary.
→ Tom is less careful than Mary.
2. 比较级间的转换：常改变比较对象的位置并使用形容词或副词的反义词。例如：
John is younger than Bill.
→ Bill is older than John.
Li Mei comes earlier than Ma Hong every day.
→ Ma Hong comes later than Li Mei every day.
3. 比较级转换为最高级的常见句型：
① 比较级+than + any other + 单数名词。例如：
Zhang Lei is taller than any other student in his class.
→ Zhang Lei is the tallest student in his class.
② 比较级 + than + the other + 复数名词。例如：
Mike is younger than the other boys in his class.
→ Mike is the youngest boy in his class.
③ 比较级 + than + anyone/ anything else。例如：
Mr Smith is fatter than anyone else in his office.
→ Mr Smith is the fattest in his office.
④never +比较级。例如：
I have never seen a better film.
→This is the best film I have ever seen.
I have never slept better .
→This is the best sleep I have ever had.
经典考题
1【2012黔西南】13. —Which city has _________population, Beijing, Guiyang or Xingyi?
—XIngyi, of course.
A. the largest B. the smallest C. the most D. the least
2【2012福建福州】36. Shu-How Lin is now one of____________basketball players in the NBA.
A. popular B. more popular C. the most popular
3【2012北京】28. I work hard this term, but Peter works much ____.
A. hard B. harder C. hardest D. the hardest
4【2012广东】40. Eighteen kids died in the school bus accident in Gansu Province. It's_____ one that I have ever heard of.
A. a very serious B. a more serious C. the most serious D. the least serious
5【2012贵州安顺】25.If there is ______ pollution, the air in our city will be dirtier.
A．less; more B．more; much C．less; less D．more; more
6【2012 湖北黄石】34.The____you work at your lessons, the____results you will get.
A.hard; good B.harder; good C.hard; better D.harder; better
7【2012湖北随州】24.The world’s population is growing ______, and there is ______ land and water for growing rice.
A. larger; less B. larger; fewer C.more; less D.more; fewer
8【2012湖北孝感】26. －Let’s go shopping at the new mall.
－Why not shop online? It’s .
A. expensive B. more expensive C. less expensive D. the most expensive
9【2012湖北孝感】33. －A number of volunteers willing to teach in China’s rural areas.
－Yes, the number is getting .
A. is; bigger and bigger B. are; bigger and bigger
C. is; more and more D. are more and more
10【2012江苏盐城】7.This schoolbag is not expensive. And the price of it is the of the three.
A. lowest B. biggest C. highest D. smallest
11【2012江苏扬州】6.She sang a song I believe I can fly in Yangzhou English Classics Reading Contest. I have never heard a voice than that before.
A. good B. well C. better D. best
12【2012江苏镇江】12. He speaks French well, but of course not _____ a person born in France.
A. as clear as B. clearer than C. as clearly as D. the more clearly
13【2012江西】33. You should practice more to improve your English, then you’ll be ______ at it.
A. good B. better C. best D. the best
14.Today it's normal for married women to go out to work, but it was ____ in the past.
A.common B.more common C.less common D.the most common
15. You are doing great! I've never had_______ answer before.
A. better B. best C. a better D. the best
16.【2012湖北襄阳】34. —Helen, can I wear jeans and a T-shirt to the school talent show?
—OK, but a dress might be _____.
A. good B. bad C. better D. worse
17【2012山东济宁】19.In the talent show, I performed well and Ann did even________.
A.well B.better C.more D.worse
18【2012 山东临沂】30. Breakfast is ____ meal of the day. It provides us with energy after a long night without food.
A. important B. more important C. the most important D. very important
19．Tom is________ than any other players in the school team．
A．tall B．taller C．tallest D．more tall
20【2012四川达州】27. —Peter has changed a lot, hasn’t he?
—Yes. He used to the guitar, but now he is more in playing soccer.
A. plays; interested B. play; interested C. play; interesting D. playing; interest
21【2012四川凉山】25. Mike always does his homework as_____ the exams.
A. good B. well C. Better
22【2012绵阳市】2. —Which do you like ________, summer or winter?
—I’d prefer winter.
A. better B. best C. good D. well
23【2012天津】36. Who listens _________, Tom, Jack or Bill?
A. the most carefully B. more carefully C. the most careful D. more careful
24【2012重庆市】39. －What do you think of the film you saw yesterday?
－Oh! It’s one of films I’ve ever seen.
A. interesting B. more interesting C. most interesting D. the most interesting
25【2012贵州六盘水】39. -It's summer now the weather is getting____.
A. higher and higher B. lower and lower C. hotter and hotter D. colder and colder
26【2012贵州省毕节市】30. When winter comes, days get ______.
A. long and long B. short and short C. longer and longer D. shorter and shorter
27【2012贵州黔东南州】27. Someone says "Time is, money. But I think- time is_________ important than money.
A. less B. much C. even more D. much least
28【2012山东·东营市】33. At present, blogs are traditional diaries (日记) among young people.
A. very popular B. as popular as C. not so popular as D. much more popular than
29.---- Is Tokyo the largest city in Japan?
----- Yes, it's larger than in Japan .
A. any city B. any other city C. any cities D. all the cities .
30. China is larger than ______ in Asia and also larger than ______ in Europe.
A. any country; any country B. any country; any other country
C. any other country; any country D. any other country; any other country
31.Mike gets to school earlier than any other student in his class.
= Mike gets to school earlier than students in his class.
= Mike gets to school earlier than students in his class.
= Mike gets to school in his class.
32.Mr Smith ,our English teacher , is older than student in our class.
A. any other B. the other C. any D. any of the
33. ---Why do you look so unhappy , Mike ?
--- Oh, it's because of the exam .I can't have .
A. a worse one B. a better one C. the worse one D. the best one
34.How beautifully she sings! I have never heard______.
A. the better voice B. a good voice C. the best voice D. a better voice
35. ---Do you like the film ?
----Yes, I do . In fact , I've never seen a one.
A. good B. better C. worse D. bad
36. Of the two skirts, Lucy chose one .
A. less expensive B. the least expensive
C. the less expensive D. the most expensive
37. --What do you think of Liu Huan ?
--- Oh, he is my favourite singer . I think no one can sing .
A. good B. well C. better D. best
38. Of all Gong Linna's songs , I like her Uneasy (忐忑） 。
A. well B. better C. best D. the best
Key：
1.A 2.C 3.B 4.C 5.B 6.D 7.A 8.C 9.B 10.A 11C 12.C 13B 14.C 15C 16.C 17.B 18.C 19.B 20.B 21.B 22.A 23.A 24.D 25.C 26.C 27.C 28.D 29.B. 30.C 31.any of the other / the other / earliest 32 . C 33.A 34.D 35. B 36. C 37. C 38. C
