【less和fewer的用法区别】在英语学习中,"less" 和 "fewer" 是两个常被混淆的词。虽然它们都表示“更少”,但它们的使用对象不同。正确区分这两个词,有助于提升语言表达的准确性。
一、基本概念总结
- less:用于不可数名词(即不能单独计数的事物),如时间、水、信息等。
- fewer:用于可数名词(即可以单独计数的事物),如书、人、苹果等。
二、用法对比表格
用法 | 词性 | 例子 | 说明 |
less | 不可数名词 | I have less time than you. | “time”是不可数名词,不能用“fewer”。 |
fewer | 可数名词 | There are fewer people in the room now. | “people”是可数名词,所以用“fewer”。 |
less | 不可数名词 | She drank less coffee today. | “coffee”是不可数名词,不能说“fewer coffee”。 |
fewer | 可数名词 | I have fewer books than my brother. | “books”是可数名词,因此用“fewer”。 |
less | 不可数名词 | There is less sugar in this cake. | “sugar”是不可数名词,不能用“fewer”。 |
fewer | 可数名词 | They have fewer problems than us. | “problems”是可数名词,所以用“fewer”。 |
三、常见错误示例
- ❌ I have fewer money than you.
✅ I have less money than you.
(“money”是不可数名词,不能用“fewer”。)
- ❌ There are less students in the class.
✅ There are fewer students in the class.
(“students”是可数名词,应该用“fewer”。)
四、小贴士
1. 如果你能用“a”来修饰某个词,那它就是可数名词,应该用 fewer。
- 例如:a book → fewer books
- 例如:a piece of paper → less paper
2. 如果你不能用“a”来修饰某个词,那就是不可数名词,应该用 less。
- 例如:water, information, advice, time 等。
通过以上总结和表格对比,你可以更清晰地掌握 less 和 fewer 的使用规则,避免常见的语法错误。