常用詞few用法詳解

1. 比較 few 和 a few：兩者均表示復數意義，few 表示數量很少或幾乎沒有，強調“少”，含有否定意義：a few 表示數量雖然少但畢竟還有，強調“有”，含有肯定意義。比較：

His ideas are difficult, and few people understand them. 他的想法很難懂，很少有人理解。

His ideas are difficult, but a few people understand them. 他的想法很難懂，但有些人能理解。

由于few本身具有否定意味，所以后接反意疑問句時要用肯定式。如：

He has few reasons for staying, has he? 他留下來理由不充分，對吧?

2. 有時為了強調few的意義，表示數量很少，可在其前使用too, so, very,, rather等修飾語。如：

There were too few people at the meeting. 參加會議的人寥寥無幾。

There are so few that I can’t give you one. 太少了，我不能給你一個。

We met rather few people who spoke English. 我們沒遇到幾個會講英語的人。

Very few people are really happy with their body shape. 真正對自己體形感到滿意的人很少。

3. 其比較級和最高級分別為 fewer, fewest。如；

I’ll try to make fewer mistakes next time. 我下次要少犯一些錯誤。

I’ve got fewer problems than I used to have. 我現在的問題比過去少了。

The translation with the fewest mistakes isn’t always the best. 錯誤最少的譯文并非總是最好的。

4. 用作形容詞，其后可直接跟名詞，無需用 of；但是，若其后名詞之前有限定詞修飾或者是代詞或從句等，則必須要用介詞 of。如：

Few of them know this. 他們當中沒幾個人知道這一點。

A few of these books are mine. 這些書當中有幾本是我的。

5. 單獨使用的few是泛指的，但是當它受定冠詞修飾時，它表示特指意義，即用來指指已經確定或熟悉的某個小群體，其意為“為數不多的”“少數的”。如：

Guests were crowded into the few remaining rooms. 把客人都擠在剩余的幾個房間里了。

若the few單獨使用（即其后不接名詞），它與the many相對，意思是“少數人”，這是一種非常正式的用法。如：

Real power belongs to the few. 真正的權力掌握在少數人手里。

6. 用于what few，其意為“極少的（幾個）”“僅有的（幾個）”，雖然強調數量很少，但仍有一定的肯定意味；這樣用的what與定冠詞的用法相似，用于說明特指的可數名詞，有時可以與定冠詞換用，意思不變。如：

What few friends she has are out of the country. 她僅有的幾個朋友都在國外。

The ten men have packed what few belongings they have. 這10個人已將他們僅有的一點行裝打點好了。

7. 幾個詞序問題：

(1) 與another搭配時，置于another之后。如：

I’m staying for another few weeks. 我還要再呆幾個星期。

The road runs northeast for another few miles. 這條路向東北方又延伸了幾英里。

(2) 與every搭配時，置于every之后。如：

We meet every few days. 我們每隔幾天就會一次面。

Every few days there seemed to be another setback. 每隔幾日似乎就有一次挫折。

(3) 與first, last, past, next搭配時，置于其后。如：

He has lived here for the last few years. 最近幾年他住在這里。

The next few days are going to be wet. 往后幾天都要下雨。

I’ve seen little of her in the past few weeks. 近幾周我很少見到她。

The first few chapters are about his early days. 前幾章談他的少年時期。

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