О сравнительной и превосходной степенях имен прилагательных. Не волнуйтесь, постараемся обойтись без er-est-more-most банальностей. Будем изобретательнее: 1. Сравнительную степень можно... Ослабить "немного", "слегка": • somewhat • a bit • a little • a little bit • seemingly • slightly ·················· ◦ My kung fu is A BIT STRONGER than yours. ◦ He is A LITTLE RICHER, which makes him a SLIGHTLY better husband material. ◦ The mansion is SOMEWHAT MORE EXPENSIVE than the penthouse but SEEMINGLY MORE IMPRESSIVE. Усилить: "гораздо", "намного": • much • a lot • a great deal • far • way • significantly ·················· ◦ Her looks are FAR BETTER than her brains. ◦ I’m not talking to you. Your watch is WAY CHEAPER than mine. ◦ You know A GREAT DEAL MORE about porn than you try to make out. ·················· 2. Превосходную степень можно... Сделать еще превосходнее: • by far • easily ·················· ◦ Her heels are BY FAR THE HIGHEST. She’s either a circus artist or a street walker. Or both. ◦ Love him till death do us part? That’s EASILY THE DUMBEST thing I’ve yet to hear. ·················· 3. Конструкция AS… AS тоже легко подвергается апгрейду. Ослабляем, "почти": • nearly • almost ·················· ◦ I can’t read but in other respects I’m NEARLY/ALMOST AS SMART AS you. Усиливаем, "однозначно", "в точности" и т.п.: • exactly/precisely/obviously • every bit • just ·················· ◦ Who told you you were ugly? You’re EVERY BIT AS GOOD-LOOKING AS your stunning, gorgeous sister. No eto ne tochno. ◦ I’m JUST AS TIRED AS you are so can you please do the dishes? ◦ Her new album is EXACTLY AS BAD AS her previous one. Подчёркиваем непохожесть, даже близко не: • not nearly • nowhere near/not anywhere near • nothing like/not anything like ·················· ◦ ‘He said my cooking WASN’T NEARLY AS GOOD AS his mother’s!’ ‘Acquitted!’ ◦ Pretoria is NOWHERE NEAR AS DIRTY AS Johannesburg. ◦ As a writer, he’s NOTHING LIKE AS GOOD AS his father. В таких конструкциях, естественно, работают и стандартные смягчающие или усиливающие выражения: • This is BY NO MEANS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE wordlist as Oxford DEFINITELY has MORE. #грамматика_vb