than的一个特殊用法

  
     问：在这句There is more than meets the eye.中为什么meet后加“s”？ 

    答：这是一句谚语，意为“现象背后有文章”。关于这里的than，语法家们的意见不甚一致。有的认为它是连词，其后省略了what；有的则认为它是关系代词（或准关系代词）。对于初学者来说，第一种意见似乎比较容易接受。句中的more 为名词，than在这句话中作关系代词，同时在句中兼作主语。than在从句中它可以兼作主语、宾语和表语，它只和其前的形容词，副词的比较级一起用。其句型为：

 
                              V…
             比较级……than +                        （比……更……）
                              S+V

 
    There were more candidates than (=than what was) expected. 候选人比预期的多。(作主语)
    You spent more money than (=than what) was intended to be spent. (作主语)
    Lei Feng always did more work than (=than what) was required of him. (作主语)
    There are better things in the world than (=than what) are dreamed of. (作主语)
    There is more money than (=than what) is needed. 有比所需要的更多的钱。(作主语)
    There is more in it than (=than what) you imagine. 其中还有你想象不到的含义。（作宾语）
    More is meant than meets the ear. 意在言外。
    There may be more importance in it than (=than what) would seem. (作主语)
    There is more (to it) than (=than what) meets the eye. (作主语) 现象背后有文章。
    There were more people present than (=than what) was/ were expected. 来的人比希望来的人多。(作主语)
    She spent more money than (=than what) was intended. 她花的钱比原来打算的要花得多。(作主语)
    I borrowed more books than (=than what) was allowed. 我借的书比所允许借的多。(作主语)
    He spends more money than (=than what) he earns. 他花的钱比挣的多。（作宾语）
    Don’t give children more money than (=than what) is needed. 不要给孩子多于他们所需要的钱。(作主语)
    Children should not have more money than (=than what) they need. 孩子们不可以带比需要更多的钱。（作宾语）

    以上十四句可以看作为定语从句。以下六句则不能看作是定语从句，因为than前分别是形容词或副词的比较级，句中没有先行词，than在句中只起指代作用。

    Don’t eat more than (=than what) is good for you. (作主语)
    The question is more complicated than (=than what) appears on the surface. (作主语)
    He works longer than (=than what) is required of him. (作主语)
    The price is more than (=than what) I thought. （作宾语）
    He looks far older than (=than what) he is. 他看起来比实际年龄要老得多。（作表语）
    It is more than (=than what) I can tell. 那我就不知道了。

下句中的than作是连词引导从句时，从句中通常省略与主句中相同的部分，如:  
    We arrived three days earlier than (we) planned. 我们比原计划早三天到。