beach 指“海灘、海濱以及岸上的沙子和卵石”,就其本義來說,應(yīng)該屬于不可數(shù)名詞,原因是它是不可分割的；但有時(shí)候相對(duì)于 beach 1,還會(huì)存在 beach 2、3、4 等,這種情況下,它又變成可數(shù)名詞,比如說,海邊有幾處海灘,我們就可以講,There are some beaches by the sea.因此可數(shù)與不可數(shù)是相對(duì)的,而不是絕對(duì)的.
為了說清楚這一問題,特將該知識(shí)擴(kuò)展如下：
一、名詞的數(shù)
1.以單數(shù)對(duì)待的名詞：
A.專有名詞
The United States has two official languages:English and French.
The United Nations has its headquarters located in New York.
例外：Netherlands(德黑蘭),Philippines(菲律賓)單復(fù)皆可；
B.物質(zhì)名詞
固體：wood,stone,chalk,
氣候：snow,sand,rain,wind
液體：water,milk,ink
糧食：rice,grain,flue
C.抽象名詞
概念：mind,thought,behave,
學(xué)科：mathematics,physics,politics,mechanics
體育：gymnastics(體操),bowls(保齡球),darts(標(biāo)槍)
2.以復(fù)數(shù)對(duì)待的名詞：
A.兩部分構(gòu)成的工具和衣物：
glasses(眼鏡),scales(比例尺),scissors(剪刀),spectacles(眼鏡),pajamas(睡衣),shorts(短褲),shoes(鞋),trousers(褲子),gloves(手套)
B.集合名詞：
cattle(牲畜),people(人民),police(警察),furniture(家具)
C.山脈、瀑布、群島：
the Alps (阿爾皮斯山脈),
the Rockies (落基山脈),
the Balkans (巴爾干半島),
the Himalayas(喜馬拉雅山脈),
Niagara Falls(尼亞加里瀑布)
D.其他以-s：結(jié)尾的名詞：
arms(武器、兵種) belongings(財(cái)產(chǎn)) contents(內(nèi)容、目錄) clothes(衣物) congratulations(賀辭) fireworks(焰火、炮竹) customs(關(guān)稅)earnings(收入) funds(基金) goods(貨物) greens(蔬菜、草地) lodgings(居所),looks(外表) minutes(會(huì)議記錄) outskirts(市郊),pains(痛苦),savings(儲(chǔ)蓄),spirits(精神、熱情) stairs(樓梯),suburbs(郊區(qū)) thanks(謝意) surroundings(環(huán)境)
3.單復(fù)同形的名詞：
A.動(dòng)物：
deer(鹿),sheep(羊),grouse(松雞),salmon(大麻哈魚),trout(鱖魚)
B.度量單位:
foot(英尺),pound(磅),stone(英石),
C.民族：
Chinese,Japanese,Lebanese,Portuguese
D.呈復(fù)數(shù)形式：
crops,means,headquarters,works,shambles
4.復(fù)合名詞的復(fù)數(shù)：
A.尾詞變化：
armchairs,fly-overs,grown-ups,pickpockets
B.首詞變化：
commanders-in-chief,men-of-war,mother’s-in-law,passers-by
C.同時(shí)變化：
men friends,women doctors,gentlemen farmers
二、單位名詞
1.與形狀有關(guān)（用在不可數(shù)名前）
a bar of candy; a blade of glass; a block of ice; a cake soap; a drop of water; an ear of wheat; a flight of stairs; a grain of sand; a loaf of bread; a lump of sugar; a sheet of paper; a speck of ink; a slice of meat; a stick of chalk; a strip of cloth
2.與打包方法有關(guān)（不可數(shù)和可數(shù)名詞前都可以用）
a bunch of flowers; a bundle of sticks; a cluster of roses; a pack of cigarettes; a series of films; a tuft of hair
3.與人群有關(guān)（用在可數(shù)名詞前）
an army of soldiers; a band of musicians; a batch of students; a bench of examiners; a board of directors; a bunch of teenagers; a chair of singer; a crew of sailors; a crowd of people; a gang of thieves; a group of children; a party of guests; a staff of teachers; a team of players; a troop of soldiers; a troupe of actors
4.與畜群有關(guān)
a brood of chickens; a clusters of ants; a flock of ants; a herd of cattle; a pack of wolves; a school of fish; a swarm of bees
5.與度量有關(guān)
A.長度：a foot of; a meter of; a yard of
B.重量：a gram of; a kilo of; an ounce of; a pound of; a ton of
C.容量：a gallon of; a gill of; a liter of; a Pint of; a quart of
D.面積：an area of; a hectare of
6.與容器有關(guān)
a bottle of; a bowl of; a bucket of; a cup of; a can of; a glass of; a jar of;
7.行為舉止等有關(guān)
a display of courage; a fit of laughter; a flash of hope; a peal of thunder; a ray of light; a roll of thunder