老师说,可以用 much less 和 many fewer,但不能用much fewer,因为much和less都是修饰不可数名词的,而many和 fewer都是修饰可数名词的。但a great deal of 不是修饰不可数名词吗?为什么a great deal可以修饰fewer呢?
▲可以说 much less:
It takes them much less time to get to sleep. 他们入睡所花的时间要少得多。(摘自《柯林斯英语语法系列——限定词及数量词》)
▲也可以说 many fewer:
There have been many fewer burglaries this year. 今年夜间盗窃少了许多。(摘自《朗文英语语法》)
▲偶尔也说 much fewer(much用于修饰fewer,而不是修饰其后的复数名词):
Definitions should be given containing much fewer words than what they describe. 下定义时应使之用词大大少于其所描写的内容。(摘自《薄冰高级英语语法》)
▲没错,a great deal of 修饰不可数名词,但a great deal可以修饰fewer,因为修饰fewer的a great deal 与 much, far。《朗文英语语法》第5.16节认为:fewer可被even, far, many, a good deal / many和a lot修饰。