a lot是口语中的一个常用词组,多用于肯定句,有时也用于疑问句。其主要用法有如下几点:

一、作名词短语,表示“很多;多量”,在句中作主语、宾语或表语,其后常有动词不定式短语作后置定语,如:

Sometimes we have very little snow, but sometimes there’s a lot.有时我们这儿雪很少,有时却又很多。(作主语)

There is a lot to see at the party. 聚会上有许多可观赏的东西。(作主语)

He’s given her a lot to eat. 他给了她许多好吃的东西。(作宾语)

You know a lot/much about English names. 你知道许多有关英语姓名的情况。(作宾语)

We see a lot of him these days. 这几天我们经常见到他。(作宾语)

This is a lot. 这真多。(作表语)

二、作副词短语,在句中作程度状语,表示“很;非常;常常”,修饰动词、感叹词、介词短语、形容词或副词的比较级,如:

It usually rains a lot/much at this time of year. 每年这个时候都经常下雨。(修饰动词rain)

Do you wear your new watch a lot? 你常戴你的新手表吗?(修饰动词wear)

Thanks a lot/very much ---that’s very kind. 多谢,十分感激。(修饰感叹词thanks,thanks=thank you)

He is feeling a lot/much better. 他感觉好多了。(修饰比较级better)

Your room is a lot bigger than mine. 你的房间比我的大得多。(修饰比较级bigger)

三、a lot前可被such,what,quite,rather修饰,如:

I like him quite a lot. 我非常喜欢他。

---How much money is left? ---还剩下多少钱?

---Rather a lot. ---还有相当多。

四、a lot of = lots of,可修饰可数或不可数名词,意为“许多”, “大量的”,相当于many或much。a lot, a lot of, lots of通常用于肯定句,否定句中一般用many或much,如:

There’s a lot of work to do and a lot of people have been sent there.

有许多事情要做,许多人已派去那里了。

五、用于固定搭配构成习语。

have a lot to answer for为糟糕的情况负责

Jerry’s got a lot to answer for. If it weren’t for him, Ann would never have left Denver.

杰里要为这一后果负责。如果不是为了他,安永远也不会离开丹佛(美国科罗拉多州)。

have a lot on your plate有很多困难的工作要处理

Leave Mum alone-she’s got a lot on her plate at the moment.

不要管妈妈―——她眼下有太多的事要处理。

I can’t take a holiday at the moment; I’ve got a lot/far too much on my plate.

我现在不能休假,我有太多的事要处理。

have a lot on/have a lot going on 近期很忙

Do you have a lot on for tonight? 你今晚很忙吗?

They will have a lot on tomorrow. 他们明天将很忙。

have a lot on one’s mind把很多事情挂在心上

He is a businessman. He always has a lot on his mind.

他是一个商人。他总是记挂着很多事情。

see + n. (a lot/little/less/more/much/nothing/something) + of + sb./sth. ……见到某人/物

He has seen something of life. 他略有阅历。

We hope to see something of you during the holidays. 我们希望在假期里不时能看到你。

something of…表示“几分; 多少”。

「中学英语」重点词汇——a lot的用法