一、首先應(yīng)區(qū)分開(kāi) cloth 與 clothes / clothing：cloth表示“布”、“衣料”,是不可數(shù)名詞.如：
She bought some cloth to make herself a dress.她買了些布要給自己做一件連衣裙.
表示用作某種特殊用途的布(如：桌布,臺(tái)布,揩布等),是可數(shù)名詞.如：
Clean the windows with a soft cloth.用塊軟布擦窗子.
二、clothes 和 clothing 均可表示“衣服”,用作“衣服”的統(tǒng)稱,但在用法上有差別：
1.clothes 是一個(gè)沒(méi)有單數(shù)形式的復(fù)數(shù)名詞,其前不可加不定冠詞,也不可加數(shù)詞,但可用 some,these,those,many,few 等詞修飾.如：
正：those clothes / few clothes / many clothes
誤：a clothes / two clothes / three clothes
2.clothing 是不可數(shù)名詞.如：
They wear very little clothing.他們衣服穿得很少.
3.比較而言：clothes 的含義比較具體,而 clothing 的含義則比較抽象.從語(yǔ)體上看,clothing 比 clothes 更正式.比較：
I changed my clothes.我換了衣服.
He is washing his clothes.他在洗衣服.
Our clothing protects us against the cold.我們的衣服可以御寒.
We are well provided with food and clothing.我們吃得好,穿得好.
若不考慮其細(xì)微區(qū)別,兩者常可換用(注：一個(gè)是復(fù)數(shù),一個(gè)不可數(shù)).如：
He spent a lot of money on clothes [clothing].他花了許多錢買衣服.