much/a lot of/a great deal/plenty of

它们在语义上是没有区别的，都作“很多”“大量”解。它们的区别主要是表现在用法上。much 一般用在非肯定句(否定句、疑问句、条件句)中，与不可数名词连用，而 a lot of, lots of, plenty of 一般用在肯定句中，除跟不可数名词连用之外，还可跟可数名词连用，而 a great deal of 则只能与不可数名词连用。much, a lot, a great deal 用作副词时也存在上述区别。请考察下列例句：

1. She hasn't got much money. (CGEL) 她没有很多钱。

2. “Did you have much trouble with the customs?”——“Rather a lot.”(PEU) “你在海关遇到很多麻烦吗?”——“很多。”

3. There wasn't much to do. (EED) 没有很多事情要做。

4. If there is much rain the ground will be flooded. (Neal) 如果下很多雨,地面就会被水淹没。

5. They didn't say much for fear the others hear them. (Mis) 他们没有说很多话, 因为害怕

别人听见。

6. I like them a great deal. (CGEL) 我非常喜欢他们。

7. Mr Lucas spent a great deal of time in the Far East. (PEU) 卢卡斯先生在远东呆过很长时间。

8. I've thought about it a lot, Lanny. (Sinclair) 兰尼, 关于这件事我想了许多。

9. He works a lot at home. (Palmer) 他在家做许多活。

10. The room contained a lot(lots) of furniture. (CGEL) 房间里有许多家具。

11. The room contained $\$left\{\begin{array}{l} plenty of \\ a lot of \\ lots of \end{array}\right\} students. (CGEL) 房间里有许多学生。

但是，当 much 前有修饰语时，亦可用在肯定句中：

1. We have eaten too much. (CGEL) 我们吃得太多了。

2. I have so much in common with Clarice. (Du Maurier) 我跟克拉丽斯有许多共同的东西。

3. She had endured so much. (EED) 她忍受了许多。

4. I enjoyed the concert very much. (PEU) 我非常欣赏这次音乐会。

上面我们只是说 much 一般用在非肯定句中,而没有说 much 绝对不能用在肯定句中。因此,千万不要轻意将用在肯定句中的 much 一律判为错误。实际上,在正式语体中,much 也常常用在肯定句中:

1. "What do you think of the Prime Minister's address to the nation?"

“I liked much of what he said.” (TOEFL) “你对总理致全国人民的演说词有什么看法?” “他讲的许多内容我都很喜欢。”

2. Much of the recent trouble has come from outside. 最近的许多麻烦都来自外部。

3. Much money has been wasted that way. (Mis) 大量的金钱就这样浪费了。

4. Much research has been carried out in order to establish the causes of cancer. 为了查明癌症的起因,已进行了大量的研究工作。

5. Much has been said about the cost of medicine. 关于医疗费用已经说了许多了。

6. The country's economy has enjoyed much support from foreign investment. (LDOCE) 这个国家的经济得到国外投资的很大支持。

7. We have much work ahead of us. (《韦氏辞典》, 电子版) 我们面前有许多工作要做。

8. Much has been written about the reasons for his decision not to run. (Hillary, Living History) 对于他最后为何不参选的理由，外界所述甚多。(希拉里，《亲历历史》)(参见 many/a lot)