英語講義【23】few & a few 一 a 之別
下面是一句從一張餐館廣告中看到的話：
If you have few years of experience in managing a fine dining restaurant and possess the capability to organize and operate banquet functions, you are the person we are looking for.
這句話很清楚，但是否有不妥之處？有！看起來是芝麻綠豆事，但卻是關系到數目和數量的問題。
英語里的數目詞包括many, a few, few, a large number of 等。數量詞是much, a little, little, a great deal of等。前者和可數復數名詞連用，如例①-③；后者則和不可數名詞連用，如例④-⑥：
① Jason has written many books.
② David has a few good friends.
③ There are a large number of people in the cinema.
④ How much money do you need?
⑤ I need only a little sugar for my coffee.
⑥ One can get a great deal of knowledge from reading.
在數目詞中，有few和a few兩個。看似相同，其實差別甚大，一不小心，可能有錯。例如：
⑦ The minister is leaving Singapore for few days.
⑧ Many students here can speak English quite fluently, but a few can write well.
顯然，⑦里的few和⑧里的a few要對換，才符合全句的意思。
Few的意思是not many（ 不多；少）；反義詞是many 。A few的意思是some（一些）；反義詞里none（沒有）。例如：
⑨ Though Jason is not sociable, he has a few bosom friends.
⑩ Mary is very extroverted, but she has few intimate friends.
11. The teacher has spotted a few grammatical errors in her essay.
12. There are few errors in Bettys report; it is excellent.
從上面例子看，a few和few的意思有些相似，但在句中整體的含義有差別。A few出現之處，few不適合，反之亦然。
Few約等于little：a few和a little相近。但 little和a little只和不可數名詞連用，例如：
13. As we have little money left, we should spend carefully.
14. There is still a little hope, so dont give up.
13里的little和14里的a little語意分明，各得其所。如果兩個對調，便牛頭不對馬嘴，格格不入。
餐館廣告中的few對嗎？是不是應該改為a few呢？
下面是一句從一張餐館廣告中看到的話：
If you have few years of experience in managing a fine dining restaurant and possess the capability to organize and operate banquet functions, you are the person we are looking for.
這句話很清楚，但是否有不妥之處？有！看起來是芝麻綠豆事，但卻是關系到數目和數量的問題。
英語里的數目詞包括many, a few, few, a large number of 等。數量詞是much, a little, little, a great deal of等。前者和可數復數名詞連用，如例①-③；后者則和不可數名詞連用，如例④-⑥：
① Jason has written many books.
② David has a few good friends.
③ There are a large number of people in the cinema.
④ How much money do you need?
⑤ I need only a little sugar for my coffee.
⑥ One can get a great deal of knowledge from reading.
在數目詞中，有few和a few兩個。看似相同，其實差別甚大，一不小心，可能有錯。例如：
⑦ The minister is leaving Singapore for few days.
⑧ Many students here can speak English quite fluently, but a few can write well.
顯然，⑦里的few和⑧里的a few要對換，才符合全句的意思。
Few的意思是not many（ 不多；少）；反義詞是many 。A few的意思是some（一些）；反義詞里none（沒有）。例如：
⑨ Though Jason is not sociable, he has a few bosom friends.
⑩ Mary is very extroverted, but she has few intimate friends.
11. The teacher has spotted a few grammatical errors in her essay.
12. There are few errors in Bettys report; it is excellent.
從上面例子看，a few和few的意思有些相似，但在句中整體的含義有差別。A few出現之處，few不適合，反之亦然。
Few約等于little：a few和a little相近。但 little和a little只和不可數名詞連用，例如：
13. As we have little money left, we should spend carefully.
14. There is still a little hope, so dont give up.
13里的little和14里的a little語意分明，各得其所。如果兩個對調，便牛頭不對馬嘴，格格不入。
餐館廣告中的few對嗎？是不是應該改為a few呢？
