刚接触英语的人就已知道：how many 和 how much 都表示“多少”，what表示“什么”。这个先入为主的印象使不少人在理解下句时感到犯难：What did you give for the book?

 显然,句中的what不等于“什么”，what的含义相当于how much，全句可译为：你的书给了多少钱？据The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (p.2531)，what可表示“of quantity amount or price”，可用以取代how much、how many。你若能使用具有这种意义的what，表达会更加简洁上口，合乎英语习惯。据笔者观察，what常在以下几种情况下表示how much、how many之意：

 一、询问价格等

 What are the fish today? 

 今天的鱼价是多少?

 What is the fare? 

 车费多少?

 What did it cost you?

 这东西你花了多少钱?

 What money have you got? 

 你有多少钱?

 二、询问重量、面积、高度等

 What is your weight? 

 你体重多少?

 What is the area of Congo in square miles? 

 刚果的面积有多少平方公里?

 What is the height of that cedar? 

 那杉树有多高?

 三、询问有关数量等

 What is two and two? 

 二加二等于多少?

 What is three from nine? 

 九减三等于多少?

 What's the difference in temperature between the day and the night? 

 昼夜的温差是多少?

 What is the per mu yield of grain here? 

 这里的粮食亩产是多少?

 四、询问人口、年龄等

 What family does she have? 

 她家中有几口人?

 What men has he? 

 他有多少雇员?

 What is his age? (此句的what = how many，但在习惯上不可改成How many is his age?)

 他多大年纪了?