13-1 最基本的规则
首先,我们要说明英文形容词有三个等级:原级、比较级和最高级,最基本的规则是根据音节的多少来分的。
一般来说,单音节的形容词在字后面加er,就变成了比较级,加est就变成了最高级,而双音节,或双音节以上的形容词,比较级是在字前面加more,最高级则是在字前面加most,举例来说,old, smart, strong, weak, high, low等等都是单音节的形容词,他们的变化如下:
原级
old
smart
strong
weak
high
low
比较级
older
smarter
stronger
weaker
higher
lower
最高级
oldest
smartest
strongest
weakest
highest
lowest
以上的形容词,都是单音节的,以下的例子都有关双音节的形容词:
原级
difficult
delicious
beautiful
correct
stupid
significant
比较级
more difficult
more delicious
more beautiful
more correct
more stupid
more significant
最高级
most difficult
most delicious
most beautiful
most correct
most stupid
most significant
有一个规则必须注意,我们不能将more和er混在一齐用,以下的例子都是错的:
*He is more older than I.
*He is more taller than his brother.
正确的句子是:
He is older than I.
He is taller than his brother.