(1) (a) few用在复数可数名词之前，(a) little用在不可数名词之前。如：
　He took a few biscuits. (=several)
　He took few biscuits(=not many)
　He took a little butter. (=some)
　He took little butter. (=not much) 

(2) few可由bardly any或almost no所取代，含否定的意味。
　The composition is well written; it has few (=hardly any) mistakes.
　Few (=Almost no) men can solve it. 

(3) a few相当于some, several, 含肯定的意味。
　He has a few (=some or several) friends. 

(4) a little和little之间的差别，就和a few和few的差别一样，只是(a) little须修饰不可数名词，表量或程度。
　He grows worse; there is little hope of his recovery.
　He is not much better, but there is a little hope.