Степени сравнения прилагательных

Имена прилагательные в английском языке имеют три степени сравнения: положительную (the Positive Degree), сравнительную (the Comparative Degree) и превосходную (the Superlative Degree).

Сравнительная и превосходная степени образуются двумя способами: 1) посредством прибавления суффиксов и 2) с помощью специальных слов.

Положительная – обозначает качество предмета вне сравнения с другим предметом	soft (мягкий) important (важный)
Сравнительная – указывает на наличие большей степени качества	softer (мягче) more important (важнее)
Превосходная – указывает на высшую степень качества	(the) softest (мягчайший) (the) most important (важнейший)

Сравнительная степень

У односложных прилагательных и двухсложных прилагательных, оканчивающихся на -e, -y, -er, -ow, форма сравнительной степени образуется путем прибавления суффикса -er.

cheap (дешевый) fast (быстрый) large (большой) narrow (узкий) pretty (красивый)

cheaper (дешевле) faster (быстрее) larger (больше) narrower (уже) prettier (красивее)

Правила орфографии

При прибавлении суффиксов -er (или -est в превосходной степени) применяются следующие правила орфографии:

если прилагательное заканчивается на букву -e, то она выпадает при добавлении суффиксов	simple – simpler – simplest large – larger – largest
если прилагательное заканчивается на букву -y, перед которой стоит согласная, то -y меняется на -i	easy – easier – easiest early – earlier – earliest
если прилагательное заканчивается на согласную букву, перед которой стоит одна гласная, то конечная согласная удваивается	big – bigger – biggest hot – hotter – hottest

Остальные прилагательные образуют сравнительную степень сравнения с помощью слов more (более) или less (менее), которое ставится перед прилагательным.

interesting (интересный) important (важный)

more (less) interesting (более (менее) интересный) more (less) important (более (менее) важный)

Существует группа прилагательных, образующих степени сравнения не по правилам:

good (хороший) bad (плохой) much/many (много) little (маленький) far (далекий) old (старый)

better (лучше) worse (хуже) more (больше) less(меньше) farther/further (более дальний/дальнейший) older/elder (старше/старше в семье))

Exercise 60. Write the comparative forms of the following adjectives.

hard rigid important light deep flexible many rich good powerful	complex generous smooth soft bad little serious difficult high Great
Than – чем	Horses live longer than cats. (Лошади живут дольше, чем коты).

Exercise 61. Fill in the gaps with word more or less.

1. People are … intelligent than monkeys.

2. Biology is … important than English.

3. Books are … interesting than films.

4. Parents are … helpful than teachers.

5. Food is … expensive than clothes.

6. Dogs are … faithful than cats.

7. Poliomyelitis is … dangerous than flu.

Exercise 62. Compete the sentences using a comparative form.

1. Your work isn’t very good. I’m sure you can do … .

2. Don’t worry. His condition isn’t so bad. It could be … .

3. The cough medicine was surprisingly expensive. I expected it to be … .

4. My job is a bit boring sometimes. I’d like to do something … .

5. The cat was a bit depressed yesterday, but it looks … today.

6. His pulse rate was very weak. Then it became … .

7. The instructions were very complicated. They could have been … .

8. I was surprised how easy my first operation went. I thought it would be … .

Exercise 63. Write a comparative sentence using the information below.

Model:

Moscow was founded in 1147. Saint Petersburg was founded in 1703.

Moscow is older than Saint Petersburg.

1. Each year sharks kill 10 people. Cows fatally trample around 100 people every 12 months.

2. A Nile crocodile weighs around 1000 kg while an African lion weighs only 250 kg.

3. An average life span of gorillas is 40 years whereas grizzly bears live up to 25 years.

4. The cat skeleton contains more than 230 bones, whereas a human skeleton has about 206 bones.

5. Some dogs are capable of reaching speeds up to 60 km/h, when a hare can run 72 km per hour.

6. An average gestation period for an African elephant is 2 years while an average gestation period for an Asian elephant is 19 to 22 months.

NB! Для того чтобы избежать повторения одного и того же существительного, употребляется слово-заместитель one (ones).

This farm is bigger than that one. – Эта ферма больше, чем та (ферма).

Exercise 64. Translate from Russian into English.

1. Этот эксперимент такой же опасный, как тот. 2. Это лекарство менее эффективно, чем то. 3. Домашние животные имеют более высокий иммунитет, чем дикие. 4. Эта клиника лучше оснащена, чем та. 5. Он более талантливый хирург, чем другие. 6. Эти болезни менее заразны, чем те.7. Эта корова моложе той.

Для усиления или ослабления сравнительной степени перед прилагательными и наречиями употребляются слова:

much / a lot / far – значительно, гораздо How do you feel? Much better, thanks. – Как ты себя чувствуешь? Гораздо лучше, спасибо. a bit / a little / slightly – немного, чуть Could you speak a bit more slowly? Не могли бы вы говорить немножко помедленнее?

Exercise 65. Use the words in brackets to complete the sentences. Use than where necessary.

1. Her illness was … we thought at first. (much / serious)

2. I’m afraid the problem is … it seems. (much / complicated)

3. I enjoyed our visit to the clinic. It was … I expected. (far / interesting)

4. The dog’s temperature was very high yesterday. Today it is … . (a bit / low)

5. At birth a panda is… a mouse. (slightly / small)

6. This scalpel is too small. I need something … to dissect the body. (much / big)

7. It’s … to learn anatomy when you have enough practical classes. (a lot / easy)

8. I wish our lecturer were … . (a little / friendly).

the … the … – чем … тем…

Exercise 66. Read and translate the following sentences.

1. The younger you are, the easier it is to learn. 2. The more he thought about the plan, the less he liked it. 3. The harder you work, the better the result will be. 4. The more expensive the clinic, the better the service. 5. The sooner we start, the earlier we will finish. 6. The more tired you are, the harder it is to concentrate.

(Just) as …as – такой (же) … как (и)	He is as tall as you. (Он такой же высокий, как и ты).
Not so … as/not as … as – не такой … как	It is not so cold as yesterday. (Сегодня не так холодно, как вчера).
The same as – такой же	I get the same salary as you. (Я получаю такую же зарплату, как ты).

Exercise 67. Read and translate the following sentences.

1. Anatomy is as difficult as Biology. 2. My essay is not as long as yours.3. His dog is friendlier than mine. 4. She got higher marks in her Chemistry exam than in Philosophy. 5. The results of the experiment were not as bad as they had expected. 6. The sick dog was the same age and size as my dog. 7. The treatment was not as successful as I had hoped. 8. The new clinic isn’t as big as the old one, but it is much more modern.

twice as … as, three times as … as etc. – в два раза, в три раза и т.п.

Exercise 68. Translate from English into Russian.

1. Today aspirin is twice as expensive as it was a few years ago. 2. The Royal Veterinary College of London is about three times as big as Saint Petersburg Veterinary Academy. 3. The bite of an Egyptian cobra is twice as poisonous as the bite of an Indian cobra. 4. It takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart. 5. The task was three times as difficult as I had expected. 6. You are not half as professional as you think you are.

Exercise 69. Complete each sentence with one word.

1. I expected my exam results to be better. – My exam results were … than I had expected.

2. The black cat is smaller than the brown one. – The brown cat is … than the black one.

3. I thought the farm was nearer. – The farm was … than I thought.

4. I’m not as happy as I used to be. – I used to be … than I am now.

5. The weather yesterday was worse. – The weather today is … than it was yesterday.

6. It’s too noisy here. Can we go somewhere … ?

7. This coffee is very weak. I like it a bit … .

Idioms with AS … AS

as blind as a bat; as blind as a mole	слепой как летучая мышь, как крот
as brave as a lion	храбрый как лев
as busy as a bee; as busy as a beaver	занятый как пчела, как бобер
as cheerful as a lark	веселый как жаворонок
as clever as a cartload of monkeys	хитрый как повозка полная мартышек (очень умный, хитрый)
as cunning as a fox	хитрый как лиса
as dead as a herring; as dead as mutton	мертвый как селедка, как баранина (мертвый, умерший, бездыханный)
as drunk as a skunk	пьяный как скунс (совершенно пьяный)
as dumb as a fish	немой как рыба
as fast as a hare	быстрый как заяц
as fat as a pig	жирный как свинья
as fierce as a tiger	свирепый как тигр
as gentle as a lamb	нежный, кроткий как ягненок
as greedy as a wolf; as greedy as a dog; as greedy as a pig	жадный как волк, как собака, как свинья (жадный, ненасытный, прожорливый)
as mad as a wet hen	злой как мокрая курица (очень злой)
as merry as a cricket	веселый как сверчок
as nervous as a cat	нервный как кошка (очень нервный)
as obstinate as a mule, as stubborn as a mule	упрямый как мул
as patient as an ox	терпеливый как вол
as pleased as a dog with two tails	довольный как собака с двумя хвостами (очень довольный)
as poor as a church mouse	бедный как церковная мышь
as proud as a peacock; as vain as a peacock	гордый, тщеславный как павлин
as quiet as a mouse; as still as a mouse	тихий как мышь
as scarce as hen's teeth	редкий как куриные зубы (кот наплакал)
as sick as a dog	больной как собака (очень больной)
as silly as a goose; as silly as a sheep	глупый как гусь, как овца
as slippery as an eel	скользкий как угорь
as slow as a snail	медленный как улитка
as strong as a horse; as strong as a bull; as strong as an ox	сильный как лошадь, бык, вол
as ugly as a toad	безобразный как жаба
as watchful as a hawk	зоркий как ястреб
as wise as an owl	мудрый как сова