一、表示“類”的集體名詞,常見的有
clothing; furniture; baggage/luggage; jewelry; traffic; information; machinery; merchandise(商品); produce(農(nóng)作物); scenery
它們指同一類的許多東西,其用法與不可數(shù)名詞相當(dāng):
①形式上總是單數(shù),沒有復(fù)數(shù)形式,作主語時(shí),謂語用單數(shù)。如:
The old machinery is out of date.
這些舊機(jī)器過時(shí)了。
②不可直接與a(n)或數(shù)詞連用。表數(shù)量時(shí)用much,little,some,a piece of等。如:
Each room has five pieces of furniture.
每個(gè)房間有五件家具。
③若需用代詞,用單數(shù)代詞。如:
Do you want to see my jewelry? It is in the box.
你想看我的珠寶嗎?它在我的箱子里。
二、表示“群”的集體名詞常見的有
(Ⅰ) people; police; cattle; poultry(禽類); vermin(害蟲); clergy(神職人員); militia(民兵)
(Ⅱ) family; class; team; government; crowd; committee; crew; jury(陪審團(tuán)); party(政黨); firm; couple; board(董事會(huì)); group; gang(黑社會(huì)); enemy; union; audience; public(公眾); mankind; humanity; youth
①上述(Ⅰ)部分的詞作主語時(shí),謂語動(dòng)詞通常用復(fù)數(shù)。如:
The police are looking for him.
警察當(dāng)局正在找他。
②上述(Ⅱ)部分的詞把集體當(dāng)作一個(gè)整體時(shí),用作單數(shù);若考慮構(gòu)成這些集體的各個(gè)成員時(shí),看作復(fù)數(shù)。如:
My family is a large one.
我家是個(gè)大家庭。
My family are all workers.
我的家人都是工人。
③上述(Ⅰ)部分的詞以及public,church,audience,mankind,humanity等通常只有單數(shù)形式,也不能直接加a(n)(audience除外);其中clergy,public,church,youth,police等的前面通常要加the。
④ 把一個(gè)集體名詞看作單數(shù)或復(fù)數(shù),要注意前后一致。如:
The team is famous for its(這里不能用their)long history.
該對(duì)以歷史悠久而聞名。
He has joined the football team who are (這里不可用which is)all famous footballers.
他參加了一個(gè)隊(duì)員全是著名足球選手的那個(gè)足球隊(duì)。