段階的な数量詞
段階的な数量詞は、比べる要素の正確な数量を特定することなく、ひとつの数量詞と他の数量詞を比較します。段階的な数量詞は、名詞の前に置かれ、可算名詞か不可算名詞かで異なる数量詞が必要となります。文脈から明確な場合は、名詞が省略される時もあります。
これらは、独特な形の比較級と最上級で、質 (形容詞)や何かがなされた様子の程度(副詞)を比べます。比較級や最上級といった段階的な数量詞は、増加や減少の尺度で相対的な位置を保持します。最上級の前には、常に theがつきます。
| 数量詞 | 比較級 | 最上級 |
|---|---|---|
| 複数の可算名詞 | ||
| many | more | most |
| few | fewer | fewest |
| 不可算名詞と共に | ||
| much | more | most |
| little | less | least |
例
- There are many people in England, more people in India, but the most people live in China.
- Much time and money is spent on education, more on health services but the most is spent on national defence.
- Few rivers in Europe are not polluted.
- Fewer people die young now than in the seventeenth century.
- The country with the fewest people per square kilometre must be Australia.
- Scientists have little hope of finding a complete cure for cancer before the year 2020.
- She had less time to study than Paul but had better results.
- Give that dog the least opportunity and it will bite you.