比较级前通常不用冠词,但有时也用,原则上遵循以下规律:
(1) 当比较级后接名词时,比较级前可能用冠词,此时的冠词不是修饰比较级,而是修饰其后的名词。如:
Which of them is the better choice? —Well, it’s hard to tell. 他们谁是更合适的人选? ——嗯,这很难说。
Some of the more time-consuming jobs can now be done by machines. 有些更费时间的工作现在可以用机器做了。
但是,若受比较级修饰的名词为表泛指的复数名词或不可数名词,则仍不用冠词。如:
He’s got more money than the rest of us (put) together. 他的钱比我们大家的加在一起的总数还多。
Fewer people write with their left hand than with their right. 用左手写字的人比用右手的少。
(2) 当要特指两者中“较(更)……”时,比较级前通常要带定冠词,此时可视为比较级后省略了有关的名词或代词one,即定冠词实为修饰被省略的名词或代词one。如:
Which of the two methods is the better? 这两种方法哪一种更好?
Of the two possibilities, this is more likely than that. 两个可能性中,这个比那个更可能。
(3) 在比较级前用the表示程度(通常有表示原因、理由或条件的短语或从句)。如:
He’s had a holiday and looks the better for it. 他度假之后,气色好多了。
I love him all the more for his faults. 正因为他这些缺点,所以我越发爱他。
(4) 用于“the+比较级,the+比较级”,表示“越……越……”。如:
The younger you are, the easier it is to learn. 年纪越轻,学习越容易。
The better I know her, the more I admire her. 我对她越了解,我就越爱慕她。
The more money you make, the more you spend. 你挣的钱越多,花的钱也越多。
(5) 当by far用于修饰比较级且置于其前时,比较级前要用the。如:
He is by far the cleverer than her. 他比她聪明得多。
It’s quicker by far to go by train. 坐火车去要快得多。
注:by far与比较级连用,通常要放在比较级之后,若放在比较级前,则比较级通常应带有冠词。如:
He is cleverer by far than her.
It’s by far the quicker to go by train.
——摘自英语语法网