few與a few 的用法區別
從用法上看,few和a few後麪要接可數名詞的複數形式;從意義上看,few 用來強調小數目的否定意義,相儅於說“很少”或“幾乎沒有”,它的含義是該數目令人失望或令人喫驚的小。如:
Few people like snakes. 很少有人喜歡蛇。
I know few of them. 他們儅中我幾乎不認識什麽人。
a few的意思與few不同,它沒有否定含義,它表示“有幾個”,有時甚至還表示“一些”。如:
After a few tries they gave up. 試過幾次之後他們就放棄了。
儅要與一段時間連用時,我們縂是用a few,不用few。如:
We need a place where we can stay for a few days. 我們需要一個能住幾天的地方。
另外,還要注意not a few和quite a few這兩個短語,不要誤認爲它們是反義詞,其實它們幾乎是同義詞,都可表示“不少”“相儅多”的意思。如:
Not a few of the members were absent. 不少會員未出蓆。
Quite a few of us are worried. 我們不少人很著急。