Bigger、Better、Best：其實說得通的比較級規則

你試坐兩張椅子。一張軟。另一張更軟。接著你找到第三張，坐起來像長了腳的雲。它是最軟的。恭喜：你剛剛沒有打開課本，也用了比較文法。

Comparatives 和 superlatives 到處都是。我們用它們選餐廳、描述價格、比較考試分數、評論電影、抱怨天氣，並解釋為什麼第二杯咖啡是必要的商業決策。

規則一開始看起來很挑剔：big, bigger, biggest，但 interesting, more interesting, most interesting。然後英文丟出 good, better, best，轉身離開房間。好消息是，這套系統比看起來更可預測。

快速答案

用 comparative 比較兩個東西。

This bag is lighter than that one.
Today is warmer than yesterday.
The second option is more expensive.

用 superlative 把一個東西和整個群組比較。

This is the lightest bag.
Today is the warmest day of the week.
That is the most expensive option.

基本模式：

短形容詞：adjective + -er / -est
長形容詞：more / most + adjective
不規則形容詞：特殊形式

例子：

fast, faster, fastest
careful, more careful, most careful
good, better, best

模式

比較文法回答兩個問題：

你是在比較兩個東西，還是從一群裡選一個？
這個形容詞是短、長，還是不規則？

單音節形容詞

大多數單音節形容詞加 -er 和 -est。

small, smaller, smallest
tall, taller, tallest
cheap, cheaper, cheapest
fast, faster, fastest

當你說出另一個比較對象時，comparative 後面用 than：

This route is faster than the old one.

Superlative 前面用 the：

This is the fastest route.

拼字變化

有些短形容詞會改拼字。

如果形容詞以 e 結尾，加 -r 或 -st：

nice, nicer, nicest
large, larger, largest

如果結尾是 consonant + vowel + consonant，雙寫最後一個子音：

big, bigger, biggest
hot, hotter, hottest
thin, thinner, thinnest

如果結尾是 consonant + y，把 y 改成 i：

dry, drier, driest

雙音節形容詞

雙音節形容詞像一個混合社區。很多用 more 和 most：

careful, more careful, most careful
useful, more useful, most useful
modern, more modern, most modern

有些以 -y 結尾的會加 -er 和 -est：

happy, happier, happiest
busy, busier, busiest
easy, easier, easiest

有些兩種形式都可以，取決於風格：

simple, simpler, simplest
simple, more simple, most simple

不確定時，more 對較長形容詞通常比較安全，但如果這個字很重要，最好確認常見用法。

重點不是和形容詞的節奏打架。很短的字很容易接 -er：faster、colder、brighter。較長的字如果繼續往後黏字母會變沉重。More comfortable 聽起來順；comfortabler 聽起來像一張沒有說明書組起來的椅子。英文常選比較容易說出口的形式。

三音節以上

長形容詞通常用 more 和 most。

important, more important, most important
comfortable, more comfortable, most comfortable
interesting, more interesting, most interesting

不要把 -er 加到長形容詞後面：

interestinger
more interesting

不規則比較

有些常見字有特殊形式。

原級	比較級	最高級
good	better	best
bad	worse	worst
far	farther / further	farthest / furthest
little	less	least
many / much	more	most

這些值得記，因為它們非常常出現。

自然例句

比較兩個東西

This laptop is lighter than my old one.
The blue jacket is warmer than the gray jacket.
Your explanation is clearer than the instructions.
The morning train is less crowded than the evening train.

Comparatives 常用 than，但不一定每次都有：

This version is better.
The line is moving faster.

另一個比較對象可以從語境理解。

比較一整個群組

This is the cheapest ticket available.
She gave the clearest answer in the meeting.
That was the most useful part of the lecture.
It is one of the most common mistakes.

Superlatives 通常需要一個群組，即使群組只是暗示出來。

This is the best.

聽者會理解為「在我們正在討論的選項中最好」。

相等與不相等

用 as + adjective + as 表示兩者相等。

This room is as bright as the other one.
The second task is as difficult as the first.

用 not as + adjective + as 表示某個東西在某個特質上較少。

This route is not as fast as the highway.
The sequel was not as funny as the original.

這個結構通常比到處硬塞 less 更順。

你也可以用小的強度詞修飾比較：

much faster
a little cheaper
far more useful
slightly less crowded
almost as good as
not nearly as difficult as

這些字幫你避免聽起來太極端。This is better 很有用。This is slightly better 更精準。This is far better 告訴聽者差距很大。比較文法不只是誰贏，也是在說差距有多大。

Less 和 least

用 less 和 least 表示某種特質的量較低。

This option is less expensive.
That was the least helpful comment.
The smaller room is less noisy.

可數名詞用 fewer，不是 less：

fewer people
fewer mistakes
fewer emails

不可數名詞用 less：

less water
less noise
less information

日常口語中，你可能會聽到 less 搭配可數名詞，尤其在標示或快速對話中。謹慎寫作和考試答案中，如果項目能一個一個數，fewer 比較安全。

比較動作

副詞也有比較形式。

She speaks more clearly now.
He drives more carefully in heavy rain.
The new system runs faster than the old one.

有些副詞用 more，尤其是以 -ly 結尾的副詞：

more slowly
more politely
more efficiently

短副詞可能加 -er：

faster
harder
earlier

別忘了 hard 和 hardly 不同。He works harder 表示他更努力。He hardly works 表示他幾乎不工作。那一個小小結尾會完全改變句子。

常見陷阱

陷阱 1：雙重比較

不要把 more 和 -er 放在一起。

more faster
faster

不要把 most 和 -est 放在一起。

most fastest
fastest

陷阱 2：忘記 than

當你說出第二個比較對象時，用 than。

This is cheaper that one.
This is cheaper than that one.

陷阱 3：最高級前忘記 the

This is best option.
This is the best option.

陷阱 4：使用 gooder

英文拒絕給我們 gooder，雖然它聽起來很令人滿足。請使用：

good, better, best

陷阱 5：比較群組不清楚

「This is the most useful」可能讓聽者問：「跟什麼比最有用？」需要時加上群組：

This is the most useful chapter in the book.

錯誤 / 更好 / 原因

錯誤	更好	原因
This bag is more lighter.	This bag is lighter.	不要把 more 和 -er 合用。
She is the more experienced candidate.	She is the most experienced candidate.	從群組中選一人用 superlative。
This route is faster that the old route.	This route is faster than the old route.	Comparatives 使用 than。
It is the goodest answer.	It is the best answer.	Good 有不規則形式。
This test is difficulter.	This test is more difficult.	長形容詞用 more。
He made less mistakes this time.	He made fewer mistakes this time.	Mistakes 是可數名詞。

小練習

選出最佳答案。

This box is _____ than that one.
a. heavyer
b. heavier
c. more heavier
That was the _____ movie I saw this year.
a. most interesting
b. interestingest
c. more interesting
Your new plan is _____ than the first plan.
a. gooder
b. better
c. best
This chair is not _____ comfortable as the sofa.
a. as
b. than
c. more
We had _____ problems after the update.
a. fewer
b. less
c. least
This is _____ clearest example in the chapter.
a. a
b. the
c. more

答案

b. heavier - 加 -er 前，把 y 改成 i。
a. most interesting - 長形容詞的最高級用 most。
b. better - Good 的比較級是 better。
a. as - 相等用 as + adjective + as。
a. fewer - Problems 是可數名詞。
b. the - Superlatives 通常搭配 the。

超短總結

Comparatives 比較兩個東西：faster than、more useful than、better than。Superlatives 從群組裡選一個：the fastest、the most useful、the best。短形容詞通常加 -er 和 -est。長形容詞通常用 more 和 most。不規則字需要特殊形式。避免雙重比較，記得 than，然後讓 good, better, best 安心跳它那支奇妙的小舞。