大家知道,不可数名词没有表示复数的“-s”标志,因此前面不可有数目字,只可以有数量词。例如我们可以说①,不可以说②: ① There is not much furniture in the office. ② There are not many furnitures in the office. 这是不是说不可数名词就不可数呢?不然。相反的,不可数名词也是可数的,主要方法是借重单位词(unit word),如: a piece of,a cup of,a 0drop of,a lump of,a handful of,a flash of,a blade of,a head of,a bar of,an ear of等。 如果数目是超过“一”,就以确实数目取代“一”。例如: two pieces of,three cups of 和 five lumps of 等。 现在试试把上述这类单位词和适当的不可数名词连用。 ① Mr Li has just bought a piece of new furniture. ② Give me a cup of cold water,please. ③ Please put two lumps of sugar in my coffee. ④ The boy picked up two handfuls of sand from the beach. ⑤ We saw a flash of lightning in the sky. ⑥ The gardener pulled out blades of wild grass from the garden. ⑦ She gave bars of chocolate to the visiting children. 有些名词如 scissors,trousers,spectacles,tongs,pliers 等,都以复数形式出现,如: ⑧ The scissors are lying on the table. ⑨ The spectacles fit me nicely. 如果要给这些名词表示单数“一”的意思,就要借重单位词了。例如: ⑩ Mary has just bought a pair of scissors. (11) The mechanic repaired the machine with a set of pliers. 现代英语注重简洁,合成形容词便应运而生,其中有一种是用来表示数目的,方法是: “数目 名词”,如:a five-year plan,a ten-dollar note,a two-hour meeting,a three-day conference等。 必须注意的是,这种合成形容词中的名词,只能以单数形式出现。如果用复数,就错了,如: a five-years plan,a ten-dollars note,a two-hours meeting,a three-days conference. 这类错误,虽然频率不是很高,但也是要留意才好。 如果没有把握,不妨用完整的表达方式,如: a five-year plan→a plan of five years a ten-dollar note→a note of ten dollars a three-day conference→a conference of three days 等。