词典词条 · 问答

less than/fewer than

问

“How many hours of sport do you do every week?” “Less than three hours.”

由于 hour 是个可数名词,所以,我认为应当说 fewer than three hours。您以为如何?

答

在与表示具体的人或物的名词连用时,通常使用 fewer than 偶尔也有人使用 less than (见 less 3^{3} ):

  1. There were fewer than 20 applications. 申请表不到 20 份。

  2. The whole of Switzerland has less than six million inhabitants. 整个瑞士的居民不足6百万。

但是,在与表示“时间、距离、金额”的计量名词(hours, miles, dollars)连用时,要使用less than + 数词 + 计量名词结构:

  1. In less than two minutes all the passengers and crew were out. (上海会考,94-阅B) 不到两分钟,所有的乘客和机组人员都从飞机上下来了。

  2. Less than twelve hours later they got a telephone call from the police in Waterbridge. (北京会考, 95 - 阅 B) 还没有过 12 个小时他们便接到了水桥镇警察局的电话。

  3. A fast modern steamship can make the trip in less than four days now. 现在,现代化的快速轮船用不了四天就能完成这段航程。

  4. It had cost Sophia less than two francs. 索菲娅花了不到两法朗买了这件东西。

  5. I bought it for less than ten pence. 我买它花了不到 10 个便士。

[附注]在现代英语里,no less than 有时与可数名词连用,见 less people, no less than。

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