a lot是一个短语,表示“程度”,有“很……,非常……”的意思。

a lot不等于many,当much修饰不可数名词时,a lot也不等于much. 

修饰比较级时,a lot等于much.

例句:

1、Thanks a lot.

 =Thank you very much.

2、Tom knows a lot about China

3、A plane is a lot faster than a bike.

=A plane is much faster than a bike.

a lot等于many还是much

一、many、much、a lot of的用法

many意思是“很多”,与可数名词复数连用

much意思是“很多”,与不可数名词连用。a lot of既可与可数名词连用,也可与不可数名词连用。它们在句中可作主语、宾语和定语等。

如:

I don’t have many friends here.在这里我没有很多的朋友

Many died in the bus accident.许多人在公交车祸中丧失

There was a lot of mud on the ground.地上有许多泥。

二、many、much、a lot of的区别

a lot of(=lots of)和many、much区别在于它们只能用在肯定句中,而many,much不受限制。

如果将一个含有a lot of(=lots of)的肯定句改为否定句或疑问句,要将它们改为many或much。

We can see a lot of birds in the tree.

We can’t see many birds in the tree.我们在树上看不到很多鸟儿。

He wants lots of soda.

Does he want much soda?他需要许多汽水吗