Hello! This week on Ask a Teacher, we will answer a question from Mohamed about “a lot” and “lot.”

大家好! 本周《名师答疑》，我们回答穆罕默德提出的关于a lot和lot的问题1V2HI[0R]ki62m-T。

Please explain the difference between ''lot'' and ''a lot''.

请解释一下lot和a lot的区别IhXfpeiikBk=C^=e。

I'm usually confused when I have to choose among them.

我经常弄不清应该用哪一个DWWMuN*NT()NICcZfr6。

Mohamed

穆罕默德

Dear Mohamed, thank you for making a comment on our website!

亲爱的穆罕默德，感谢在网站上发表评论！

Firstly, let us look at the noun “lot”.

首先，让我们来看一下名词lotKnO2IKDtGSg1u_。

By itself, “lot” can refer to a set or group of things that can be counted.

单就这个词来说，lot可以指一组数得清的东西ZGAsgpi%*U|N[oSk。

Here is an example:

这里有一个例句：

The company shipped 1000 lots of the vaccine yesterday.

公司昨天发运了一批1000支的疫苗=)[EAu*|35|x;JcD1EU。

We can also use “a lot” as an adverb.

我们也可以把a lot用作副词WFdxC~o~yJPuy。

Like other adverbs, it affects the verb in a statement.

和其他副词一样，它限定句子中的动词(()W^_~!pXrBhs|。

This use of “a lot” can mean “often” or “to a greater degree.”

a lot的这种用法可以表示“经常”或“在更大程度上”STx^8)LvQ.-lut!iiR=。

Compare these examples:

比较一下这几个例句：

I go to Indonesian restaurants a lot.

我经常去印尼餐馆JV^(ycqQFm。

In the above example, “a lot” talks about the number of times I go to Indonesian restaurants.

在上面的例句中，a lot指的是我去印尼餐馆的次数d==,3^KyBKtX-WE。

Their noodles are a lot spicier than other restaurants.

他们的面条比其他餐馆的辣多了-c9;V#@Ki=[。

In this example, the noodles have a greater degree of taste compared to noodles elsewhere.

在这个例句中，这里的面条的味道比其他地方的更重AdxO9tMbecKQX+uRP)%。

And finally, we have “a lot of” and “lots of.”

最后，还有a lot of和lots of2_IXWrn-ne#YrhsA。

Both include the preposition “of”, and we use them as quantifiers.

两者都包括介词of，我们把它们用作量词=LZ9bw^6~CVPnlRg。

We use them to refer to a quantity of something without being exact.

我们用它们来指代某种东西的大概数量u_bR*y&Rcd(FNzAffI。

These expressions can be used in the same way and there is no difference in meaning, though “lots of” might be considered by some to be more informal.

这两个短语用法相同，意思也没有区别，有些人可能会认为lots of没有那么正式Ltxs&9,0tPpe.。

Note that in these examples “a lot of” and “lots of” come before noncount nouns.

请注意，在以下这些例句中，a lot of和lots of用于不可数名词之前pR6YDW]QLwk2。

They are referring to the same thing.

它们的意思相同Agu@@YfbKn0URY1^Xib。

In the summer you should drink a lot of water.

夏天你应该多喝水n[*1!EMeZN1f%v。

Doctors advise us to drink lots of water.

医生建议我们多喝水NacYVA*v8Lv+pN5T]=H_。

I hope this helps you in using these expressions, Mohamed!

希望这能帮助你学会使用这些表达，穆罕默德！

And that’s Ask a Teacher. I’m Faith Pirlo.

以上就是本期《名师答疑》，我是费思·皮尔洛3E[!9]|_n-Fx7k0H8。