1.可数名词的数
这里主要讲其不规则变化。
(1)单、复数同形。如:means,aircraft,deer,fish,Chinese,Japanese,sheep,works(工厂),cattle。
(2)合成名词的复数。如:boy-friend→boy-friends,go-between→go-betweens(中间人),grown-up→grown-ups。
(3)有些名词通常只用作复数。如:glasses眼镜,clothes衣服,goods货物,trousers裤子,belongings所有物,wages工资,riches财富,surroundings环境,ashes灰尘,compasses圆规,cattle家畜,congratulations祝贺,have words with sb. 同某人吵架,in high spirits以很高热情地,give one’s regards to sb. 向某人问候,in rags衣衫破烂,It is good manners to do sth. 有礼貌做某事。
(4)集体名词的数。有些集体名词通常只用作复数,如:people,cattle,police;有些名词只用作单数,如:machinery,furniture,mankind,jewellery;有些名词既可用作单数又可用作复数,单数看作整体,复数看作集体的各个成员。如:The crew is large.船员人数很多(指整体)。The crew are all tired.船员们都累坏了(指个体)。