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

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

那年他們獲得了水果大豐收。

fruit當“水果”講是不可數(shù)名詞。作為普通名詞，a fruit是一種水果。

fruits指許多不同種類的水果，如four different summer fruits四種不同的夏季水果。

作為抽象名詞或集體名詞，是各種水果的總稱，不用復數(shù)。如：

The potato is a vegetable, not a fruit.

土豆是蔬菜，不是水果。（一種水果）

Apples, oranges and bananas are fruit.

蘋果、橘子和香蕉是水果。（水果總稱）

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

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

我們從而保衛(wèi)了我們的勝利成果。

fruit當“成果”講時，常用單數(shù)。但作“收益，報酬”解時，通常用復數(shù)形式。如：

the fruits of industry勤奮的報酬?

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

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

他寫了一本關于中國各種淡水魚的書。

fish作為普通名詞時，是可數(shù)的，但它的復數(shù)形式是fush，如a fish一條魚，two fish兩條魚。

當強調不同個體或種類時，也是可數(shù)名詞，應用帶es的復數(shù)形式，many fishes許多種類的魚。

fish作為物質名詞時為不可數(shù)名詞，指魚肉。如：

David caught three little fish yesterday.

昨天戴維捕了三條小魚。（可數(shù)“魚”）

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

晚餐我們吃魚。（不可數(shù)“魚肉”）

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

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

房間里家具太多。

furniture是不可數(shù)名詞，是“家具”的總稱，其用法相當于物質名詞。一件家具a piece/an article of furniture，謂語動詞用單數(shù)。兩件（套）家具two pieces (sets) of furniture，謂語動詞用復數(shù)。

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

這張法國舊桌子是件非常有價值的家具。（一件家具）

【誤】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.

這塊布夠你做一件襯衫。

cloth指做衣服的布、布料；作“織物”解時系不可數(shù)名詞，但當它的前面有修飾語時作可數(shù)名詞。如：

a table cloth一塊桌布

a nice cloth一塊漂亮的布

clothing是衣著的總稱，是集體名詞，只用單數(shù)。

clothes指各種衣物，像上衣下裳等。如：

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

雖然身披羊皮，但狼絕不會變成羊。（總稱）

You look rather shabby in those clothes.

穿著這身衣服你顯得十分窮困潦倒。（衣服）

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

我做一條褲子需要多少布？（布料）

Matty spends a lot of money on clothes.

馬蒂在衣服上花多少錢。（衣服）

They have much warm winter clothing.

他們有許多溫暖的過冬衣服。（衣服總稱）

【誤】He has grey hair.

【正】He has a grey hair.

他有一根白頭發(fā)。

一根白頭發(fā)或幾根白頭發(fā)都要用可數(shù)名詞，hairs表示若干根頭發(fā)或毛發(fā)。hair頭發(fā)，表示總體概念，作不可數(shù)名詞。如：

My hair has grown very long.

我的頭發(fā)長的很長了。（總體）

He found two long grey hairs on her coat.

他在她的大衣上找到兩根長長的白發(fā)。（個體）