/*             styles for the star rater                */
.star-rating{
    list-style:none;
    margin: 0px;
    padding:0px;
    width: 100px;
    height: 20px;
    position: relative;
    background: url(star_rating.gif) top left repeat-x;     
}
.star-rating li{
    padding:0px;
    margin:0px;
    /*\*/
    float: left;
    /* */
}
.star-rating li a{
    display:block;
    width:20px;
    height: 20px;
    text-decoration: none;
    text-indent: -9000px;
    z-index: 20;
    position: absolute;
    padding: 0px;
}
.star-rating li a:hover{
    background: url(star_rating.gif) left bottom;
    z-index: 1;
    left: 0px;
}
.star-rating a.one-star{
    left: 0px;
}
.star-rating a.one-star:hover{
    width:20px;
}
.star-rating a.two-stars{
    left:20px;
}
.star-rating a.two-stars:hover{
    width: 40px;
}
.star-rating a.three-stars:hover{
    width: 60px;
}
.star-rating a.three-stars{
    left: 40px;
}
.star-rating a.four-stars{
    left: 60px;
}   
.star-rating a.four-stars:hover{
    width: 80px;
}
.star-rating a.five-stars{
    left: 80px;
}
.star-rating a.five-stars:hover{
    width: 100px;
}
 
 
<ul class='star-rating'>
  <li><a href='#' title='Rate this 1 star out of 5' class='one-star'>1</a></li>
  <li><a href='#' title='Rate this 2 stars out of 5' class='two-stars'>2</a></li>
  <li><a href='#' title='Rate this 3 stars out of 5' class='three-stars'>3</a></li>
  <li><a href='#' title='Rate this 4 stars out of 5' class='four-stars'>4</a></li>
  <li><a href='#' title='Rate this 5 stars out of 5' class='five-stars'>5</a></li>
</ul>