E most放在形容词或副词之前,有“很”的意思.主要与双音节或多音节形容词/副词连用:
He was most apologetic.
他已表示十分的歉意了.
She behaved most generously.
她的行为非常慷慨大度.
A more和most的用法相当自由:
You should ride more.
你必须多骑马.
I use this room most.
这个房间我用得最多.
但当much是原级时,使用范围较小.
B much意为a lot(许多)时可修饰表示否定意思的动词:
He doesn’t ride much nowadays.
现在他不太骑马了.
在表示疑问的句子里much主要与how连用.在没有how的疑问句中可用much,但a lot更常见:
How much has he ridden?
他骑马多吗?
Has he ridden a lot/much?
他近来常骑马吗?
在肯定句中as/so/too+much是可以的.在没有as/so/too的情况下,肯定句中用a lot/a good deal/a great deal会更好:
He shouts so much that…
他叫喊的太厉害了,以至于……
I talk too much.
我说得太多了.
但是说:
He rides a lot/a great deal.
他常骑马.
farther farthest
far {
further furthest
further和furthest也是far的比较级和最高级,但现在furthest用得较少,而further除了表示距离等“较远”之外,还有“进一步”的意思.例如:No further dis-cussion is necessary.没有必要作进一步的讨论.Don’t make any changes till further notice.在另有通知之前,不要做任何变动.
later latest
late{
latter last
later指时间上的“后来;稍后”,而latter指顺序上的“后者”,与the连用.例如:See you later. Betty and Susan are both my girl friends;the former(前者)is slim(瘦)and the latter is plump(胖).
注意:latter常指一段时间的“下一半”.例如:the latter half of the month下半月.latest指时间上的“最迟的、最近的”;last指顺序上“最后的”.例如:one’s latest works某人最近的作品,the last month of the year一年的最后一个月.
older oldest
old{
elder eldest
elder和eldest主要用来表示兄弟姐妹之间的长幼关系,elder不与than连用.例如:She is the eldest of the three(sisters).(She is the eldest sister.) My elder brother is two years older than me. I am his eldest daughter(son).