1、可数名词有单数、复数之分,如:
map→maps;onion→onions;baker→bakers
不可数名词没复数形式,只有单数形式。如:
some water;a lot of bread
2、单数可数名词表示泛指时,前面要用不定冠词a;而不可数名词不可以用a。如:
Li Hong is a driver.I am a teacher.李红是一名司机,我是一名教师。
We can’t see milk on the table.大家看不见桌上有牛奶。
[友情提醒]在表示特指时,不可数名词和可数名词前都要用定冠词the,如:
Pass me the ball,please.请把球传给我。
The chicken on the plate is yours.盘子里的鸡肉是你的。
3、可数名词表示复数意义时可用many等词修饰。如:
many apples;a lot of tomatoes;a few pens
不可数名词则要用much、a little等词修饰。如:
much meat a little breadlittle water
[友情提醒]这两类名词都可以被some、any、a lot of等修饰。如:some eggs/paper。
A lot of knives/orange juice
4、可数名词前一般可用具体的数词来修饰。如:
three women
ten babies
不可数名词表示数目的多少时,需要与表示数目的名词连用,即“数词+表示数目的名词+of+不可数名词”。如:
two glasses of milk 两杯牛奶
five pieces of bread 五片面包
5、可数名词作主语时,谓语动词的单、复数与主语的单、复数须维持一致。不可数名词作主语时,谓语动词只可以用单数形式。如:
There is some rice in the bowl.碗里有的米饭。
All the students are in the classroom.所有些学生都在教室里。
[友情提醒]假如不可数名词前有复数名词短语修饰时,谓语动词须用复数形式。如:
There are two bags of rice in the room.房间里有两袋大米。
6、对可数名词的数目提问用how many;对不可数名词的数目提问要用how much,但对不可数名词前表示数目名词中的修饰语提问时要用how many。
如:
I can see two pictures on the wall. → How many pictures can you see on the wall?
There is a lot of pork in the basket. → How much pork is there in the basket?
I want three glasses of water. → How many glasses of water do you want?
7、另外,有的集合名词也是可数名词,但不一样的是,它们以单数形式出现,表示复数定义,如people,police,family等;而有的可数名词本身就以复数形式出现,如clothes,glasses等;有些可数名词单、复数形式相同,如Japanese,sheep,Chinese等。如:
The Chinese people are hardworking and brave.中国人民勤劳勇敢。
The sports clothes are new.这类运动服饰是新的。
I have one sheep. He has two sheep.我有一只羊,他有三只羊。