比较级中的省略成分

比较结构通常总有些成分被省略，或是在as/than-从句中省咯某些与主句相同的部分，或是省略在特定上下文或情景中某些不言而喻的部分。
最高级比较结构中的省略：
在最高级比较结构中的省略，一般有两种情况。一种是在一定上下文中省略比较范围。
Which do you think is the prettiest？
Who lives nearest to school？
另一种是省略形容词最高级后面的名词中心词，也可以说是以形容词最高级作名词词组中心词。
A：Six juicy oranges, please.
B：These are our juiciest.
A：I know that kind一they aren't sweet．
B：I'm sorry, they're the sweetest we've got.
有一种表示“极”、“最”意义的最高级结构，并不和他人他物相比，因而也就不存在省略问题。
I have not the slightest idea that he will come.
Please accept my deepest gratitude.
There is no smallest doubt．
I shall do it with the greatest pleasure.
--Do you mind if I oven the window？
--Not in the slightest; please do.
as..as和more than比较结构中的省略：
在as/than-从句中省略了谓语的全部。
Cast iron is as useful as steel.
This house is not so expensive as the other one.
Clara is more ambitious than I.
He is as big as any of the other boys.
He is bigger than the boy we saw yesterday.
It's prettier than mine.
在as/than-从句中省略了谓语的一部分。
The end of the movie wasn't as good as the beginning was.
Mars is farther from the earth than the moon is.
Mary has known Peter better than she has (known) John.
Wasn't anybody later than we were？
Jane would do it much more quickly than l would.
There is a vast vocabulary of technical words, but the problem is not so frightening as it looks.
有时在as/than-从句中以替代词do的某种形式代替主句的谓语部分。
George writes as neatly as John does.
They bought fewer books than the others did.
as/than-从句中的主语和替代词do也可采取倒装形式。
Some people have no doubt that their cat understands as many words as does a dog.
Nobody did more for education in this country than did the late Mr Green.
在as/than-从句中省略了主语和谓语的大部分，只剩下一个修饰成分。
The roads are much quieter here than in London.
Things are no better than before.
It's raining harder than ever.
It's a pity the weather isn't as good as last time.
John has a higher opinion of Mary than of Jane,
Be is better than (he was) when 1 last visited hurt.
在下列比较从句中很难具体指明省略了何种成分。
This meat is better than what we had last week．
Although they suffered a serious drought, the harvest was not less than they got the year before.
That is more than the workers could stand.
The coffee here is weaker than I like．
I don't think this is any better than where we live.
It's far more important than how much it costs.
在下列比较从句中可以说是省略了主语，也可以说是由as/than充当从句主语。
His speech makes it clear that in certain respects... progress has not been as fast as had been hoped.
Progress with the building of the bridge was not so good as was expected.
They stood chatting together as easily and naturally as could be
I don't think this is any better than was ordered.
He drove faster than was wise.
This hotel is far more luxurious than is necessary.
间或还能见到这样的句子：
The numbers were smaller than expected.（=than the numbers that had been expected)
在特定的上下文或情景中，as/than-从句可以整个地被省略。
--Is Peter more successful than Tom?
--Oh no, he isn’t half so successful.
--Thomas is a very nice boy.
--I think his brother is nicer.
--Do you go to town by car as often as you walk?
--No, I don’t go by car so often.
The others worked as hard as John but not so successfully (as John).
It's more expensive than it alas last time but not as good (as it was last time).
Green's beer is lighter.
Flimsey's underwear costs less.
上述最后两例常见于商业广告中。
as/than-从句不可采取省略形式的场合：
上述比较结构都表示同质事物之间的比较，这种比较结构必须采取这样或那样的省略形式。如果不采取省略形式倒反而是错误的。
This house is not so expensive as the other one (is).
但不可以说：
This house is not so expensive as the other one is expensive.
又例如：
He is much older than I (am).
但不可以说：
He is much older than I am old.
但是，如果比较结构表示不同质事物之间的比较，as/than-从句通常就不可以采取省略的形式。
He is not so wise as he is witty.
The girl was as brilliant as she was beautiful.
We believe that the appropriate choice is as important as it is difficult for the type of student we have in mind.
He did not love his uncle, who was as base and unworthy as his father had been upright and honorable...
This bookcase is wider than it is tall.