词典词条 · 问答

less than/fewer than

核心问题

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?

词典解答

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

来源:英语常见问题解答大词典-5.md · 第 22142238 行 · 原文哈希 e186c3cc2c