a lot of 用法和lots of 用法, 兩者有何區別?

a lot of 用法 1

問：我知道a lot of 可跟不可數名詞連用, 但不知能否跟可數名詞連用。

答：a lot of 既可跟不可數名詞連用, 亦可跟可數名詞連用。請觀察下面的實例:

1. We have a lot of time.
   我們有很多時間。
2. The room contained a lot of students.
   房間裡有許多學生。

a lot of 用法 2 (與much比較)

問：There’s ________ those bottles there.
A. much beer on
B. much beer in
C. a lot of beer in
D. a lot of beer on
規定答案為C。我不明白為什麼不能選B(much beer in) 。much 與不可數名詞連用, 不是完全符合英語慣用法的嗎?

答：much 不帶修飾語時, 具有非斷定的意義, 通常用於否定句和疑問句中。

1. I don’t have much time. 我沒有很多時間。
2. Is there much water in the bottle? 瓶子裡有很多水嗎?

在斷形容詞境中, 大都使用plenty of, a lot of 來代替。

1. We have a lot (plenty) of time. 我們有很多時間。
2. The room contained a lot of (plenty of) furniture. 房間裡有許多家俱。

應當指出, 當much 帶有修飾語時, 即可用在肯定句中:

1. I have eaten too much of the food. 我吃的食物太多了。
2. I have got too much work to do. 我要幹的工作太多。

我們前面說過, much 通常用於否定句和疑問句中, 而並沒有說much 永遠不能用於肯定句中。還是CGEL 的作者們說得嚴謹:“結果是many 和much 不含某種否定或疑問含義, 就極少使用”。因此, much 用於肯定句的例子(尤其是用在句首的例子) 肯定是能查到的:

1. Much has been said about the cost of medicine.
   關於醫藥費的事, 已經談了許多了。
2. I have much to talk over with him.
   我有許多事要和他談。

a lot of 用法 3(後跟 is還是 are?)

問：a lot of + 名詞結構充當主詞時, 其動詞用單數, 還是用複數?

答：人們不把a lot of + 名詞結構中的a lot 看作中心詞, 而看作是修飾語。因此, 該結構的動詞的數決定於作為中心詞的名詞的數:

1. There are such a lot of people who have had the same experience.
   有這麼多人有同樣的經歷。
2. There’s a lot of beer in those bottles there.
   那邊的瓶子裡有許多啤酒。

a lot of 用法 4 (lots of N is / are)

問：There ______ been lots of gossip about her. (有許多關於她的閒話。) 空白處是填has 還是填have?

答：在用lot s of/ a lot of + 名詞做主詞時, 其動詞是使用單數, 還是使用複數, 完全決定於介係詞of 所引出的名詞是單數還是複數, 而與lots 這個複數形式以及a lot of 這一複數概念無關。因此上面句子的空白處應填has。

1. Lots of people are coming to our party.
   有許多人要來參加我們的聚會。
2. There are such a lot of people who have had the same experience.
   有許多人有過同樣的經歷。
3. There are lots of things I could do.
   有許多事情我可以做。
4. Lots of the stuff is going to waste.
   有許多材料要浪費掉。
5. A lot of money has been wasted.
   浪費了許多錢。
6. There’s lots of coffee in the pot.
   壺裡有許多咖啡。

lots of 用法 (amounts of)

問：Lots of food (was/ were) on the table.
當lots of + 不可數名詞結構充當主詞時, 其動詞是用單數, 還是用複數?

答：根據英語慣用法, lots of + 不可數名詞時, 其動詞應當用單數。這就是說, 人們把lot s of 看成是修飾詞, 而不把它看成是中心詞。

1. Lots of the stuff is going to waste. 大量的材料將浪費掉。
2. There is lots of time to spare. 可以抽出很多時間。
3. There are lots of opportunities for young men in industry. 年青人在工業方面有很多機會。

請注意, lots of 用法與amounts of 和quantities of 的用法不同。人們把後兩種結構看作是中心詞而不是修飾詞:

1. Large amounts of money were spent on the bridge. 這座橋花費了大量的錢。
2. Quantities of food were on the table. 桌上有大量的食物。