quantity的語(yǔ)法和用法
quantity的語(yǔ)法和用法
1. 表示“數(shù)量”,若是指相對(duì)于質(zhì)量來(lái)說(shuō)的“數(shù)量”,是不可數(shù)名詞。如:
Quality is more important than quantity, but without quantity there can be no quality.
質(zhì)量比數(shù)量更重要,但沒(méi)有數(shù)量就沒(méi)有質(zhì)量。
2. 若指具體的數(shù)量,通常為可數(shù)名詞,此時(shí)可以連用不定冠詞或用復(fù)數(shù)形式;要表示數(shù)量的多少可用 great, large, huge, small 等形容詞修飾;既可用于修飾不可數(shù)名詞,也可用于修飾復(fù)數(shù)名詞。如:
Police found a small quantity of drugs in his possession. 警方發(fā)現(xiàn)他擁有大量(少量毒品)。
He lost a great quantity of blood. 他失了大量的血。
在某些表達(dá)中,quantity可以單獨(dú)表示“大量”(沒(méi)有l(wèi)arge, great之類(lèi)的修飾語(yǔ))。如:
I was astonished by the sheer quantity of stuff in the trunk. 看到大箱子里的東西那么多,我感到十分驚訝。
3. 當(dāng)a great (large, small) quantity of…結(jié)構(gòu)作主語(yǔ)時(shí),其謂語(yǔ)的數(shù)原則上與其中的名詞的數(shù)保持一致。如:
A large quantity of beer was sold. 售出了大量的啤酒。
但是,若該結(jié)構(gòu)變成quantities of…(大量的)這樣的形式,則當(dāng)它用作主語(yǔ)時(shí),其謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞一律用復(fù)數(shù)(與其中名詞的數(shù)無(wú)關(guān))。如:
Quantities of books were on the desk. 在桌上有很多很多書(shū)。
Quantities of food were spread out on the table. 許多食品攤放在桌子上。
Huge quantities of oil were spilling into the sea. 大量的石油滲到海里。
4. 注意以下表達(dá)的用法:
(1) a quantity of 一些,一批
We need a quantity of baskets. 我們需要一批籃子。
(2) in quantity 在數(shù)量方面;大量地,大批地
It is much cheaper if you buy it in large quantity. 如果你大批購(gòu)買(mǎi)會(huì)便宜很多。
These goods are greater in quantity than in quality. 這些貨數(shù)量多,質(zhì)量一般。
比較:We don’t sell coal in small quantities. 小批的煤我們不賣(mài)。