下面是一句從一張餐館廣告中看到的話：

“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.”

這句話很清楚，但是否有不妥之處?有!看起來是芝麻綠豆事，但卻是關系到數目和數量的問題。

英語里的數目詞包括“many, a few, few, a large number of ”等。數量詞是“much, a little, little, a great deal of”等。前者和可數復數名詞連用，如例①-③;后者則和不可數名詞連用，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.

在數目詞中，有“few”和“a few”兩個。看似相同，其實差別甚大，一不小心，可能有錯。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.

顯然，⑦里的“few”和⑧里的“a few”要對換，才符合全句的意思。

“Few”的意思是“not many”( 不多;少);反義詞是“many ”。“A few”的意思是“some”(一些);反義詞里“none”(沒有)。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.

從上面例子看，“a few”和“few”的意思有些相似，但在句中整體的含義有差別。“A few”出現之處，“few”不適合，反之亦然。

“Few”約等于“little”：“a few”和“a little”相近。但 “little”和“a little”只和不可數名詞連用，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”語意分明，各得其所。如果兩個對調，便牛頭不對馬嘴，格格不入。

餐館廣告中的“few”對嗎?是不是應該改為“a few”呢?