【高中英语语法 时态】英语more than 和 less than的用法小结
英语中, more than 和 less than 的使用频率相当高,用法也较为复杂。笔者在此将其分别归类,以供同学们在学习中参考。
一、 more than
1. more than 可放在数词之前,意为“超过;不止;以上”,用于此意义时可与 over 互换使用。例如:
Altogether more than 70 percent of the surface of our planet is covered by water. 整体说来,我们这个星球表面有 70% 以上都为水所覆盖。
2. more than 可放在名词之前,表示“不只是;不仅仅”。例如:
Hibernation is more than sleep. 冬眠不仅仅是睡眠。 Bamboo is used for more than building. 竹子不只是用于建筑。
3. more than 用于形容词或副词前,作“非常;十分”解,与 very 同义。例如:
She is more than careful in doing things. 她做事非常细心。
In class, he listens more than attentively. 在课堂上,他听讲十分认真。
4. more than 之后接含有 can 的从句时,常表示否定意义。此时,从句中的谓语动词必须是及物动词,并且与句子的主语呈现逻辑上的动宾关系。例如:
This secret is more than we can let out. 这个秘密我们是不能泄露的。(主语 secret 是 let out 的逻辑宾语)
比较: less than 后面接形容词、副词时,意为“不;很少;不到”,具有否定意义。例如:
a) We were busy and less than delighted to have company that day.
那天我们很忙,不高兴有客人来。
b) The young man is less than twenty years old.
这个年轻人不到 20 岁。
二、 more … than
1. more … than 意为“与其……不如……”;“是……而不是……”,常可与“ rather than ”或“ not so much … as ”互换使用。例如:
He is more like a spear than anything else. = He is like a spear rather than anything else. = He is not so much like anything else as like a spear.
与其说他(指大象)像别的什么东西,不如说他像一根长矛。
He is more poltroon than cautious.
与其说他谨慎,不如说他是怯懦。
2. more … than 之后接含有 can 的从句时,同样表示否定意义。例如:
Tom has more insolence than I can stand. = Tom''s insolence is more than I can stand.
汤姆的傲慢使我难以忍受。
比较: less … than 意为“不像……;不是……”。例如:
Joseph is less honest than his brother.
约瑟夫不像他兄弟那样诚实。
三、 no more than 或 not any more than
两者的意思均为“只有;仅仅;不过( = only; just )”,前者多用于书面语,后者常用于口语。例如:
Abraham Lincoln''s whole school education added up to no more than one year.
亚伯拉罕·林肯所受的全部学校教育总共不过一年的时间。
比较: no less than 意为“不少于;不下于……之多;多达…”。例如:
In that battle, we wiped out no less than twenty thousand enemies.
在那一次战役中,我们消灭的敌人不下 20 , 000 人。
四、 no more … than 或 not … any more than1. 意为“和……一样地不……”,表示两者都否定,但说话人往往着重否定前面的一个分句,其作用相当于“ neither … nor ”。例如:
Marry is no more diligent than Tom. = Neither Mary nor Tom is diligent. 玛丽和汤姆两个人都不勤奋。
2. 意为“不……正如……不……一样”,常用来加重说话者的语气。例如:
We can no more leave the Party than fish can leave water.
我们不能离开党,正如鱼儿离不开水一样。
比较: no less … than 意为“(至少)和……一样”。例如:
He is no less active than he used to 他和以前一样活跃。
五、 not more than
not more than 常用于数词之前,意为“至多;顶多;不超过”,其意义与 at (the) most 相同。例如:
There on some hay on the ground lay a peasant boy of not more than seventeen.
地面的干草上躺着一个农家孩子,最多不过 17 岁。
比较: not less than 意为“不少于”,同 at (the) least 。严格地说, no less than 和 not less than 不同,但二者如今均相当于“ as many as ”。例如:
Our school has not less than/ no less than three thousand students. be. 我们学校拥有的学生不下 3 ,less is more英文理解 000 人。
六、 not more … than
not more … than 意为“不如……;不及于……”,语气常着重否定后面的一个分句。常可与“ not so/as … as ”互换使用。例如:
This story is not more interesting than that one. = This story is not so/ as interesting as that one.
这个故事不如那个故事有趣。
比较:严格说来 not less … than 的意思是“至少不比……差”,意味或许还要强一些,但现在基本和 no less than 混用。例如:
His English is not less than yours.
他的英语至少不比你的英语差
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