第 19 課 · 第 2 階段: 常用詞：代詞、冠詞、介詞
可數名詞與不可數名詞
初級Countable and uncountable nouns
構成與用法
a car, two cars vs water, advice, information——哪些名詞能加 a/an 和複數 -s
1.兩類名詞
可數名詞是可以一個一個數的東西：one book, two books。不可數名詞通常是液體、材料、抽象概念，或者被看作一個整體的一類東西——不能直接數：water, rice, money, music, advice。
| 可數 | 不可數 | |
|---|---|---|
| 例子 | a book, an egg, a chair, a job | water, rice, money, music, advice |
| a / an | 可以：a book | 不可以（不說 a water） |
| 複數 -s | 可以：two books | 不可以（不說 rices） |
| 和數字連用 | three eggs | 要用單位詞：three bottles of water |
| some / any | some eggs, any eggs | some rice, any rice |
| 問多少 | How many …? | How much …? |
| 動詞 | The eggs are fresh. | The rice is ready. |
How many eggs do we need?
我們需要幾個雞蛋？
How much money do you have?
你有多少錢？
中文數什麼都要用量詞（一本書、一張桌子）。英語只有不可數名詞才需要單位詞（a bowl of rice, a piece of advice）；可數名詞直接放在 a/an 或數字後面：a table, two chairs。
2.常見的不可數名詞
- 食物、飲料和材料：water, milk, coffee, rice, bread, meat, sugar, cheese, paper
- 被看作一個整體的一類東西：money, furniture, luggage / baggage, traffic, homework, housework
- 抽象概念：advice, information, news, help, music, weather, fun, work, progress
Can you give me some advice?
你能給我一些建議嗎？
The news is really good.
這個訊息真是太好了。（news 以 -s 結尾，但是單數）
I need some information about the course.
我需要一些關於這門課程的資訊。
There's a lot of traffic today.
今天路上車很多。
要說其中的一件 / 一個，就用意思相近的可數名詞：
| 不可數 | 可數 |
|---|---|
| advice | a tip, a suggestion |
| luggage | a bag, a suitcase |
| furniture | a chair, a table, a sofa |
| work | a job, a task |
| travel | a trip, a journey |
注意那些在中文裡能用量詞來數、在英語裡卻不可數的名詞：advice, information, news, furniture, luggage, homework, equipment。中文可以說“兩條建議”“三件傢俱”，英語卻不能說 two advices 或 three furnitures。
3.怎樣數不可數名詞
用單位詞 + of：a piece of, a glass of, a cup of, a bottle of, a bowl of, a slice of, a loaf of, a kilo of, a bar of。不止一個時，在單位詞上加 -s：two cups of tea。
Let me give you a piece of advice.
我給你一條建議吧。
I'd like two cups of tea, please.
請給我兩杯茶。
She eats a bowl of rice for lunch.
她午飯吃一碗米飯。
Can you buy a loaf of bread on your way home?
你回家路上能買一條麵包嗎？
4.兩種意思都有的名詞
有些名詞既可以是可數的，也可以是不可數的，意思不一樣：
| 不可數 | 可數 |
|---|---|
| chicken — 雞肉 | a chicken — 一隻雞 |
| paper — 紙 | a paper — 一份報紙 |
| coffee — 泛指咖啡這種飲料 | a coffee — 一杯咖啡（點單時） |
| time — 時間（分鐘、小時） | a time — 一次 |
| hair — 頭上所有的頭髮 | a hair — 一根頭髮 |
| room — 空間 | a room — 一個房間 |
Sorry, I don't have time today.
抱歉，我今天沒時間。
I've been to Hue three times.
我去過順化三次。
Two coffees, please.
請來兩杯咖啡。
There's a hair in my soup!
我的湯裡有一根頭髮！
5.常見錯誤
Thanks for the informations.Thanks for the information.
information 是不可數名詞——不加 -s。
I have many homeworks.I have a lot of homework.
homework 是不可數名詞。
Can you give me an advice?Can you give me some advice / a piece of advice?
advice 前面不能用 a/an。
The news are bad.The news is bad.
news 是不可數名詞，所以動詞用單數。
How many money do you have?How much money do you have?
不可數 → 用 How much。
We bought a new furniture.We bought some new furniture.
furniture 前面不能用 a/an。
例句
- Can you give me some advice about my CV?
- We need to buy some bread for breakfast.
- I have a lot of homework tonight.
- How much luggage have you got?
