初中英语数词用法易错点归纳

蒋红秀

易错点一：用错“生日”前的序数词

当我们要表示某人多少岁的生日时，我们习惯上是在birthday前用序数词，而不是用基数词，因为“多少岁的生日”其实指的是“第多少个生日”。如：

我们要举办派对庆祝吉姆的60岁生日。

正：Were having a party for Jims sixtieth birthday.

误：Were having a party for Jims sixty birthday.

她20岁生日刚过便生下了小吉姆。

正：She gave birth to little Jim just after her 20th birthday.

误：She gave birth to little Jim just after her 20 birthday.

易错点二：用错“一两……”之类的表达

汉语说“一两……”，说成英语可用a...or two或one or two...这样的表达，但是不能用 one...or two或a or two...等。如：

我看到玛丽一两分钟前离开的。

正：I saw Mary leaving a minute or two ago.

误：I saw Mary leaving one minute or two ago.

要参观这个城市一两天就够了。

正：One or two days are enough to see the city.

误：A or two days are enough to see the city.

易错点三：用错“一个半”之类的表达

用英语表示“一个半”的方法是：a...and a half或one and a half...，但在one and a half 之后要接复数名词，不接单数。如：

我在一个半小时之内考试完毕。

误： I finished the examination in one and a half hour.

正： I finished the examination in an hour and a half.

正：I finished the examination in one and a half hours.

注意“两个半”“三个半”“四个半”之类的表达。如：

Its about two and a half miles away. 大约有两英里半远。

This happened four and a half centuries ago. 这是四个半世纪前发生的事。

易错点四：用错“每隔……”的表达

用英语表示“每隔……”的最常用方法是“every+基数词+名词（复数）”。如：

There were traffic lights every ten yards. 每隔十码就有红绿灯。

Buses leave from here every five minutes. 公共汽车每隔五分钟从这儿发车。

有时也用“every+序数词+名词（单数）”，注意不要弄错了其中的名词的数。如：

奥林匹克运动会每四年办一次。

正：The Olympics are held every four years.

正：The Olympics are held every fourth year.

如果是表示“每隔一……”或“每两……”，则还可以用every other...，如“每隔一年（每两年）”可说成every two years， every second year， every other year。如：

He gets home leave every two years. 他每两年有一次探亲假。

The reunion is held every second year. 联谊聚会每两年举行一次。

We go abroad for our holidays every other year. 我们每两年出国度假一次。

注意不要将以上各用法混用在一起。如：

你只需要每隔三天给植物浇一次水。

正：You only need to water the plants every three days.

正：You only need to water the plants every third day.

误：You only need to water the plants every three day.

误：You only need to water the plants every third days.

易错点五：用错“另外几个……”的表达

用英语表示“另外几个……”通常是用“another+数词+名词”或“数词+other+名词”。翻译时有时需根据具体语境灵活处理。如：

Three other students were sent to help them. 另外三个学生被派去帮助他们。

Well have to wait another three weeks for the results. 我们还得再等三周才能知道结果。

注意不要将以上表达中与数词搭配的another和other混用。如：

我没赶上火车，只得再等两小时。

正：I missed the train and had to wait another two hours.

误：I missed the train and had to wait other two hours.

易错点六：混淆数词的单复数形式

当要表示某人的大约年岁和世纪中的某个年代时，我们习惯上要用逢整“十”的基数词的复数形式。如：

His family left for Paris in the nineties. 他们一家于90年代去了巴黎。

Mr Smith began to teach French in his sixtieth. 史密斯先生在60多岁开始教法语。

注意：此时的数词不可用单数形式，而且前面的定冠词也不可省略。如：

约翰结婚时已经40多岁了。

正：John was well into his forties before he got married.

误：John was well into his forty before he got married.

另外，补充一点：当表示年代时，有时还会说出某个世纪，此时要使用类似以下这样的表达：

in the 1960s 在20世纪60年代（其中的撇号可以省略）。

since the 1990s 从20世纪90年代开始。

（编辑 陈根花）