形容词的原级可与as…as连用表示“和……同样……”,与not as/so…as连用表不“不如……那样……”:
A boy of sixteen is often as tall as his father.
一个16岁的男孩常常长得和他父亲一样高。
He was as white as a sheet.
他面色苍白如纸。
Manslaughter is not as/so bad as murder.
杀人罪没有谋杀罪那么重。
Your coffee is not as/so good as the coffee my mother makes.
你煮的咖啡不如我母亲煮的好。
形容词比较级可与than连用:
The new tower blocks are much higher than the old buildings.
新建的塔楼群比旧楼房要高得多。
He makes fewer mistakes than you(do).
他犯的错比你少。
He is stronger than I expected.
他长得要比我想像的结实。相当于:
I didn’t expect him to be so strong.
我没想到他长得这么壮。
It was more expensive than I thought.
这比我预料的昂贵多了。相当于:
I didn’t think it would be so expensive.
我没想到它会有这么贵。
如省略than…时,英语口语中常用最高级代替比较级:
This is the best way.
这是最好的办法。
在只有两种选择时也可用这种表示方法。
三个或三个以上的人或物进行比较时,以最高级与the…in/of结构连用的方式来表达:
This is the oldest theatre in London.
这是伦敦最古老的剧院。
The youngest of the family was the most successful.
全家年龄最小的是最有成就的。
关系从句中经常使用完成时态:
It/This is the best beer(that) I have ever drunk.
这是我所喝过的最好的啤酒。
It/This was the worst film(that) he had ever seen.
这是他所看过的电影中最差的一部。
He is the kindest man(that) I have ever met.
他是我遇到过的最仁厚的人。
It was the most worrying day(that) he had ever spent.
这是他度过的最烦恼的日子。
注意:这里用的是ever而不是never;然而可以把never与比较级连用来表示同一概念:
I have never drunk better beer.
我从来没喝过这么好的啤酒。
I have never met a kinder man.
我从来没遇见过这么仁厚的人。
He had never spent a more worrying day.
他从来没有度过这样烦恼的日子。
注意:most+形容词(most前不加the)意为“非常”:
You are most kind.相当于:
You are very kind.
你很好心。
意为“非常”的most主要和双音节或多音节形容词连用,如:annoying(令人烦恼的),apologetic(歉意的),disobedient(不服从的),encouraging(令人鼓舞的),exciting(兴奋的),helpful(有帮助的),important(重要的),misleading(误导的)等。
要表达两个事物彼此相应增长时可用the+比较级…the+ 比较级这种结构:
House Agent:Do you want a big house?
房地产经纪人:你想买一栋大房子吗?
Ann:Yes,the bigger the better.
安:是的,越大越好。
Tom:But the smaller it is,the less it will cost us to heat.
汤姆:可是,房子越小,花的取暖费就越少。
一个事物的逐渐增长或减少用两个由and连接的比较级表示:
The weather is getting colder and colder.
天气越来越冷了。
He became less and less interested.
他越来越不感兴趣。
用动名词或动词不定式对行为进行比较:
Riding a horse is not as easy as riding a motor cycle.
骑马不像骑摩托那么容易。
It is nicer/more fun to go with someone than to go alone.
偕伴同去比自己独自去好玩。
原级与like(相似,介词)和alike连用的结构:
Tom is very like Bill.
汤姆长得很像比尔。
Bill and Tom are very alike.
贝尔和汤姆长得很像。
He keeps the central heating full on.It’s like living in the tropics.
他把暖气开到最大。就好像住在热带一样。
原级与like和as连用(下面列举几个副词和形容词的句子)从理论上讲like(介词)只能与名词、代词和动名词连用:
He swims like a fish.
他游起泳来像条鱼。
You look like a ghost.
你都不像人样了。
Be like Peter/him:go jogging.
像彼得/他那样:去慢跑吧。
The windows were all barred.It was like being in prison.
窗子都用铁棒封住了。就像住在监狱里一样。
as(连词)与动词连用的结构:
Do as Peter does:go jogging.
像彼得那样:去慢跑吧。
Why don’t you cycle to work as we do?
你干嘛不像我们这样骑车上班?
但在英语口语中,这些地方常用like代替as:
Cycle to work like we do.
像我们一样骑车上班。
I like+名词和as+名词结构:
He worked like a slave.
他像奴隶一样地干活。(非常劳累)
He worked as a slave.
他作为奴隶干活。(他是奴隶。)
She used her umberlla as a weapon.
她拿伞当武器。(她用伞打他。)