大学英语常见错误2-1-2

【误】They had a rich harvest of fruits that year.

【正】They had a rich harvest of fruit that year.

那年他们获得了水果大丰收。

fruit当“水果”讲是不可数名词。作为普通名词，a fruit是一种水果。

fruits指许多不同种类的水果，如four different summer fruits四种不同的夏季水果。

作为抽象名词或集体名词，是各种水果的总称，不用复数。如：

The potato is a vegetable, not a fruit.

土豆是蔬菜，不是水果。（一种水果）

Apples, oranges and bananas are fruit.

苹果、橘子和香蕉是水果。（水果总称）

【误】We have thus defended the fruits of our victory.

【正】We have thus defended the fruit of our victory.

我们从而保卫了我们的胜利成果。

fruit当“成果”讲时，常用单数。但作“收益，报酬”解时，通常用复数形式。如：

the fruits of industry勤奋的报酬 

【误】He wrote a book on Chinese fresh water fish.

【正】He wrote a book on Chinese fresh water fishes.

他写了一本关于中国各种淡水鱼的书。

fish作为普通名词时，是可数的，但它的复数形式是fush，如a fish一条鱼，two fish两条鱼。

当强调不同个体或种类时，也是可数名词，应用带es的复数形式，many fishes许多种类的鱼。

fish作为物质名词时为不可数名词，指鱼肉。如：

David caught three little fish yesterday.

昨天戴维捕了三条小鱼。（可数“鱼”）

We had fish/some fish/a piece of fish for dinner.

晚餐我们吃鱼。（不可数“鱼肉”）

【误】There are too much furniture in this room.

【正】There is too much furniture in this room.

房间里家具太多。

furniture是不可数名词，是“家具”的总称，其用法相当于物质名词。一件家具a piece/an article of furniture，谓语动词用单数。两件（套）家具two pieces (sets) of furniture，谓语动词用复数。

This old French table is a very valuable piece of furniture.

这张法国旧桌子是件非常有价值的家具。（一件家具）

【误】This piece of clothing is long enough for you to make a shirt.

【正】This piece of cloth is long enough for you to make a shirt.

这块布够你做一件衬衫。

cloth指做衣服的布、布料；作“织物”解时系不可数名词，但当它的前面有修饰语时作可数名词。如：

a table cloth一块桌布

a nice cloth一块漂亮的布

clothing是衣着的总称，是集体名词，只用单数。

clothes指各种衣物，像上衣下裳等。如：

A wolf is no sheep though dressed in sheep’s clothing.

虽然身披羊皮，但狼绝不会变成羊。（总称）

You look rather shabby in those clothes.

穿着这身衣服你显得十分穷困潦倒。（衣服）

How much cloth will I need to make a pair of trousers?

我做一条裤子需要多少布？（布料）

Matty spends a lot of money on clothes.

马蒂在衣服上花多少钱。（衣服）

They have much warm winter clothing.

他们有许多温暖的过冬衣服。（衣服总称）

【误】He has grey hair.

【正】He has a grey hair.

他有一根白头发。

一根白头发或几根白头发都要用可数名词，hairs表示若干根头发或毛发。hair头发，表示总体概念，作不可数名词。如：

My hair has grown very long.

我的头发长的很长了。（总体）

He found two long grey hairs on her coat.

他在她的大衣上找到两根长长的白发。（个体）