复数名词的误用

　　英语名词分可数的和不可数两种。可数名词指一般动物和事物，如"Man/ friend/ driver/ student/ dog/ cat/ boat/ egg/ gun/ hand/ head/ lamp/ road/ table/ car "等等。

　　可数名词有两个数，即单数和复数。单数名词可以和不定冠词" a/ an"或其他名词限定词（determiners）连用；复数名词可以和数目词，如"many/ a few/ some/ a lot of"等连用。

　　不可数名词指物质名词（material nouns）和抽象名词（ abstract nouns），如："air/ butter/ grass/ money/ sand/ water/ carefulness/ joy/ peace"等等。不可数名词可以和数量词，如"much/ a little/ little/ a great amount of"等连用。不可数名词只有单数，没有复数"-s"的形式。

　　有些人对名词数的概念不很清楚，对数目词（expressions of number）和数量词（expressions of quantity）也有些混乱，结果把数目词用在不可数名词之前或随意在不可数名词后面加上复数词尾 "-s"，这些都是语法上的错误。例如：

　　① Our workshop has ordered some new equipments from Germany.

　　虽然有些人把 equipment（配备）当成可数名词，但是它是不可数的，不可有"-s"。

　　② My teacher gave me some sound advices. 应该是"advice"。

　　③ Do you have any special informations for me? "Information"才对。

　　④ Most furnitures in my house are made of wood. 应该是"furniture...is..."

　　⑤ Today, I have many new works to do. 必须是"a lot of new work"才是。

　　⑥ Don't walk on the grasses. 应该用"grass"。

　　⑦ Our foreign students have made great progresses in their studies. "Progress"（进步）不可数；不可有"-es"。

　　⑧ All his money are kept in the bank. "Money"（金钱）属不可数名词；动词要单数的"is"。

　　上述这类有关不可数名词的错误，极为普遍；只要看看学生的作文，便知道了。

　　既然如此，要怎样避免这种错误呢？

　　首先，必须牢记不可数名词绝对没有复数形式。其次，随时准备些数量词，如"much/ little/ some/ a little/ a lot of/ plenty of"等，以便在必要时和不可数名词连用。最后，谨记：谓语动词必须和主语的数目一致。既然不可数名词没有复数形式，那么谓语动词若是简单现在时态（simple present tense），现在进行时态（ present continuous tense）或现在完成时态（present perfect tense）的话，就必须以单数形式出现。例如：

　　⑨ Bread is sold in coffee shops and supermarkets.

　　⑩ His luggage is somewhere at the railway station.

　　11. Some money is being used to help the poor.

　　12. The information required includes personal particulars and the present salary.

　　13. A lot of time has been spent on this project.

　　14. Hypocrisy gives rise to mistrust.

　　15. Familiarity breeds contempt.

关键字:英语讲义
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