英语把名词分成两组,而能用哪些数量词,取决于名词属于哪一组。这个知识点上的错误,是 A2 水平最容易被人注意到的错误之一。
可数名词与不可数名词
可数名词——可以数,有复数形式: a book / two books · an apple / three apples · a chair / chairs
不可数名词——没有复数形式,也不能加 a/an: water, bread, rice, money, time, music, information, advice, luggage, work, homework, furniture
❌ I need an information. → ✅ I need some information. ❌ She gave me three advices. → ✅ She gave me some advice.
可数还是不可数,是英语单词自身的属性,不是关于这个世界的事实。「建议」和「家具」按道理完全可以一件一件地数——只是英语就是不允许数它们。这里没有什么推理得出的逻辑:这是一份需要背下来的清单。
不可数名词还是能数的办法
在它前面加上一个计量单位——英语就是这样绕开这条限制的:
| 单位 | 例子 |
|---|---|
| a piece of | a piece of advice / information / furniture |
| a bit of | a bit of luck / work |
| a slice / loaf of | a slice of bread |
| a bottle / glass of | a glass of water |
| a bar of | a bar of chocolate |
| an item of | an item of clothing / luggage |
有些词既能可数,也能不可数——但意思不同
| 不可数 | 可数 |
|---|---|
| I don't drink coffee.(泛指这种饮品) | Two coffees, please.(两杯咖啡) |
| She has long hair.(整体意义上的头发) | There are hairs in my soup.(一根根具体的头发丝) |
| I need paper.(材料意义上的纸) | I bought a paper.(一份报纸) |
| We don't have time.(泛指的时间) | I've been there three times.(次数) |
| He has experience.(作为一种能力的经验) | It was a strange experience.(一次经历) |
How much 和 how many
- How many + 可数名词:How many eggs do we need?
- How much + 不可数名词:How much milk is left?
Some 和 any
Some 用在肯定句里。Any 用在疑问句和否定句里。
- I have some money.
- Do you have any money?
- I don't have any money.
例外: 如果疑问句是在提议或请求,也就是你期待对方回答「好」,这时要用 some:
- Would you like some coffee?(提议)
- Could I have some water?(请求)
A lot of、much、many
a lot of 两种名词都能搭配,用在哪里都很自然:
a lot of books · a lot of time
much 和 many 单独使用时,主要出现在疑问句和否定句里:
I don't have much time. · Were there many people?
在肯定句里,much 听起来偏书面语:与其说 much time,不如说 a lot of time 更自然。在正式文本里,它又变得合适了——比如 much of the report deals with…
A few 和 a little
- a few + 可数名词:a few friends
- a little + 不可数名词:a little sugar
去掉 a,意思就变成了否定:few friends 的意思是「几乎没有朋友」。
完整的数量刻度
| 数量 | 可数 | 不可数 |
|---|---|---|
| 零 | no books / not any books | no time |
| 几乎为零 | few books, hardly any books | little time, hardly any time |
| 一点儿 | a few books | a little time |
| 适中 | several books | some time |
| 很多 | many books, plenty of books | much time, plenty of time |
| 太多 | too many books | too much time |
too many 和 too much 的意思是「超出了需要的量」,而不只是「很多」。There were too many people 是一句抱怨。
两人份的点单
A: Could I have some water and a few napkins?
B: Of course. Anything to eat?
A: How many pastries are left? We don't have much time.
B: Only a few, I'm afraid. There's plenty of bread, though.
water、time 和 bread 是不可数名词,napkins 和 pastries 是可数名词——每个数量词都对准了它自己所属的那一组。
自我检测
下面的测验考察的是搭配关系,以及 some/any 的使用规则。