Errors in the Use of Numerals

数词的误用

　2．概数使用不当

　　（1） 相临的两个数词连用

　　Two adjacent digits used together

　　Example:

　　Wrong：阿里住院已经十四几天了。

　　Right：阿里住院已经十四五天了。

　　One way to express approximate numbers in Chinese is to use two adjacent digits together.We can say “十三四”，“四五十”。“几”itself represents an approximate number and never occurs next to a definite number such as “四”。According to this rule, we change “几”into“五”，i.e.“十四五”。

　　Example:

　　Wrong：这个礼堂坐的下七百、八百人。

　　Right：这个礼堂坐的下七八百人。

　　If two adjacent digits are used together to express an approxi mate number above ten,only the place of the second numeral needs to be read out .Thus “百”after “七”is redundant.

　　Example:

　　Wrong：这课生词我写了九、十遍。

　　Right：这课生词我写了九遍（十遍）

　　“九”and “十” are seldom used together to express an approxi mate number so as not to be confused with“九十”。Choose either one of the two 九遍or十遍。