---Uncountable Nouns---

Uncountable Noun指實質或概念無法分割的名詞, 不可數, 無單、複數可言。

Uncountable Nouns包括物質、抽象和專有名詞等。

例子：

news (新聞)

advice (諮詢、忠告)

information (資訊)

work (工作)

travel (旅遊)

weather (天氣)

luggage (行李)

progress (進展) love (愛)

money (金錢)

furniture (傢俱)

homework (作業)

water (水)

tea (茶)

bread (麵包)

milk (牛奶)

wealth (財富)

attention (注意力)

electricity (電)

research (研究)

knowledge (知識)

evidence (證據)

【Countable Nouns】

Countable Nouns可數名詞

• They have a singular and a plural form.
• The singular form can use the determiner "a" or "an"
• Singular Countable Noun needs to have a determiner; Plural Countable Noun cannot use with the articles ‘a’ / ‘an’.
• It's important to distinguish between countable and uncountable nouns in English because their usage is different in regards to both determiners and verbs. 名詞前面使用何種冠詞與該名詞是「可數名詞」或「不可數名詞」有著密切的關係。

Example 1 • I ate orange this morning. • I ate an orange this morning. 單數可數名詞前面需加 a/an • I like oranges. 複數可數名詞前面通常不加article

Example 2 • I study English very hard and I usually get the best grades on the English tests. • I study English very hard and I usually get the best grades on English tests. ‘tests’ 是Plural Countable Noun，前面通常不加article， 除非是特別指明哪個tests，就要用 ’the’

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有些字既可以當Countable又可以用作Uncountable。

Example 1 – Trouble 1. I got into trouble (uncountable). 2. She had many troubles (countable).

Example 2 – Hair 1. He’s going to have his hair (uncountable) cut. 2. I’m getting a few grey hairs (countable) now.

******************************************************************************************************** 我們也可以將 a few 和 many 用在Plural Countable Noun上

1. A few weeks ago, I was very sick. 2. How many brothers do you have? 3. We exchanged a few civilities. 我們相互寒暄了幾句。 ‘a few' +plural 'civilities' = 客套, 寒暄。

【Singular and Plural Nouns】

REGULAR NOUNS

1.      ADD –s

Most singular nouns form. 

普遍的情況

Things

Boats

Pens

Cats

Rivers

2.      ADD –es

2.1 A singular noun ending in s, x, z, ch,or sh.

Buses

Boxes

Wishes

Pitches

2.2  A singular noun ending in a ‘consonant + o’.

Mangoes

Heroes

Potatoes

Tomatoes

Echoes

3.      DROP –y; ADD –ies

3.1 A singular noun ending in ‘a consonant + y’.

Baby – babies

City – cities

Gallery – galleries

Country – countries

Lady – ladies

3.2 A singular noun ending in ‘a vowal + y/ makes the plural by just adding-s.

Boy – boys

Day – days

Monkey - monkeys

Play – plays

Joy – joys

4.      SINGULAR FORM = PLURAL FORM

Fish

Sheep

Deer

Species

Aircraft

IRREGULAR VERB/NOUN AGREEMENT

1.          Some nouns get a plural form but take a singular verb. 

眾數名詞跟單數動詞

News ... The news is about to start at 6:00 p.m.

Athletics ... Athletics is good for young people.

Linguistics ... Linguistics is the study of language.

Darts ... Darts is a popular game in England.

Billards ... Billards is popular among youngsters.

2.          Some nouns have a fixed plural form and take a plural verb. 

永遠是眾數樣貌的名詞

Trousers/Jeans ... My trousers are too tight.

Glasses/Spectacles ... Those glasses are mine.

Wages ... Minimum wages are set by the government.

Some other examples:

Thanks/Stairs/Congratulations/Wages

They are not used in the singular, or they have a different meaning in the singular. 

用單數的話，它們會有其他意思。

**IRREGULAR NOUNS**

我們就是要謹記一些不跟法規的英文。

There are some irregular noun plurals. The common ones are listed below.

Woman – women

Man – men

Child – children

Tooth – teeth

Foot – feet

Person – people

Leaf – leaves

Mouse – mice

Goose – geese

Half – halves

Knife – knives

Wife – wives

Life – lives

Elf – elves

Loaf – loaves

Focus – foci

Fungus – fungi

Nucleus – nuclei

Syllabus – syllabi

Analysis – analyses

Thesis – theses

Crisis – crises

Phenomenon – phenomena

Criterion – criteria

Datum – data

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