首先我们来看下less、fewer和little的大致意思:
less:词性为形容词、副词,表示数量或程度较小,与比较级和最高级连用时,表示“更少的、更低的”
fewer:词性为形容词、代词,表示数量上较少或更少,与比较级和最高级连用时,表示“更少的、更低的”
little:词性为形容词、副词,表示数量或程度较小,与比较级和最高级连用时,表示“更少的、更低的”
通过下面的表格我们了解下less、fewer和little的含义、发音和用法
接下来让我们看下less、fewer和little的用法区别:
1.词性:less和little均可作形容词和副词使用,而fewer只能作形容词使用
例子:
- This is a little book.
(This is a little book.)
- He has fewer friends than before.
(He has fewer friends than before.)
2.可数与不可数名词:less用于不可数名词和数量不可数的抽象概念,fewer用于可数名词的数量
例子:
- I have less money than you.
(I have less money than you.)
- There are fewer apples in the basket.
(There are fewer apples in the basket.)
3.表示程度:less和little都可以表示程度较小,但less更常用于表示程度较小的程度副词
例子:
- He speaks less loudly than his brother.
(He speaks less loudly than his brother.)
- She has little interest in sports.
(She has little interest in sports.)
4.比较级和最高级:less和fewer在比较级和最高级中可以用来表示“更少的、更低的”,little可以用来表示“更小的”
例子:
- This car is less expensive than that one.
(This car is less expensive than that one.)
- She has fewer toys than her sister.
(She has fewer toys than her sister.)
- This is the littlest house in the neighborhood.
(This is the littlest house in the neighborhood.)