下面是一句从一张餐馆广告中看到的话：

　　“If you have few years of experience in managing a fine dining restaurant and possess the capability to organize and operate banquet functions, you are the person we are looking for.”

　　这句话很清楚，但是否有不妥之处？有！看起来是芝麻绿豆事，但却是关系到数目和数量的问题。

　　英语里的数目词包括“many, a few, few, a large number of ”等。数量词是“much, a little, little, a great deal of”等。前者和可数复数名词连用，如例①-③；后者则和不可数名词连用，如例④-⑥：

　　① Jason has written many books.

　　② David has a few good friends.

　　③ There are a large number of people in the cinema.

　　④ How much money do you need?

　　⑤ I need only a little sugar for my coffee.

　　⑥ One can get a great deal of knowledge from reading.

　　在数目词中，有“few”和“a few”两个。看似相同，其实差别甚大，一不小心，可能有错。例如：

⑦ The minister is leaving Singapore for few days.

⑧ Many students here can speak English quite fluently, but a few can write well.

　　显然，⑦里的“few”和⑧里的“a few”要对换，才符合全句的意思。

　　“Few”的意思是“not many”（ 不多；少）；反义词是“many ”。“A few”的意思是“some”（一些）；反义词里“none”（没有）。例如：

　　⑨ Though Jason is not sociable, he has a few bosom friends.

　　⑩ Mary is very extroverted, but she has few intimate friends.

　　11. The teacher has spotted a few grammatical errors in her essay.

　　12. There are few errors in Betty's report; it is excellent.

　　从上面例子看，“a few”和“few”的意思有些相似，但在句中整体的含义有差别。“A few”出现之处，“few”不适合，反之亦然。

　　“Few”约等于“little”；“a few”和“a little”相近。但 “little”和“a little”只和不可数名词连用，例如：

　　13. As we have little money left, we should spend carefully.

　　14. There is still a little hope, so don't give up.

　　13里的“little”和14里的“a little”语意分明，各得其所。如果两个对调，便牛头不对马嘴，格格不入。

　　餐馆广告中的“few”对吗？是不是应该改为“a few”呢？ 　　 作者：陈清霖