这些名词没有词形的变化,但都是当作复数名词来用。它们作主语时,谓语要用复数形式。具体分为以下几类:

一、“成双成对”的复数名词

这些名词表示由相等的两个部分合在一起构成的工具、仪器或服装。最常见的这种“二合一”的名词有:

1.工具和仪器

glasses(眼镜)

spectacles(眼镜)

binocular(双筒望远镜,双目显微镜)

scales(天平)

clippers(理发剪,指甲刀)

forceps(钳子,镊子〈尤指外科医生用的镊子〉)

pincers(铁钳,钳子〈比如家用的老虎钳〉)

tongs(钳子,夹子,镊子〈比如火钳子〉)

tweezers(小钳〈比如女用的夹眉毛的小钳子〉)

scissors(剪刀)

shears(大剪刀)

例如:

 He picked up the hot metal with a pair of tongs. 他用一把钳子夹起这块热金属。

2.服装(有两个裤腿啊)

jeans(牛仔裤)

trousers(长裤)

shorts(短裤)

trunks(男士泳裤)

briefs(内裤)

pants(短裤)

slacks(休闲裤)

pajamas(睡衣)

This pair of trousers costs fifty dollar

对于这些名词,要说明数量,我们往往要用pair(如a pair of)表示。比如:

 That's a nice pair of pants. 那是一条漂亮的短裤。

 As I'm shortsighted I always carry two pairs of glasses. 因为我近视,所以我总是随身携带两副眼镜。

 Both pairs of scissors need sharpening. 两把剪刀都该磨磨了。

既然是复数名词,所以要用复数的代词来指代,这点不同于汉语。在汉语中,这些名词往往是单数概念的,比如我们问:

A:我的眼镜在哪里?

B:它不就在你的鼻子上戴着嘛!

这里,我们不会说“它们”,但在英语中却要用they来指代,比如上面的对话译成英文是这样的:

A: Where are my glasses?

B: They are right on your nose!

二、“本身复义”的名词

有些名词虽然没有复数的标记,但用作复数,即形式上是单数但是表达复数的意义。具体包括:

People、China \Japanese

这个词大家应该是非常熟悉的,但不一定用得正确。首先,作为“人们,人民”的意思时,它相当于person的复数形式,换句话说,person相当于是people的单数形式,所以有这样的例句:

1) There was only one person in the room.

2) There were many people in the room.

译为:

1)屋里只有一个人。

2)屋里有很多人。

但是,如果people用作别的意思,比如当“民族”或“部族”讲时,那就是一个普通名词,有单复数的变化。比如单数要用不定冠词a修饰,即a people(一个民族),复数要在词尾加-s,即peoples。请看例句:

 The Chinese are an industrious people. 中华民族是一个勤劳的民族。

 the English-speaking peoples 说英语的民族

不过,用作“民族”这个意思时,单数形式的people通常也用复数形式的谓语。比如:

The Chinese people have achieved a great success. 中华民族取得了巨大的成功。

cattle

表示“牛群”,故用作复数名词。作主语时,谓语用复数形式。请看例句:

a head of cattle.

All his cattle were grazing in the field. 他所有的牛都在地里吃草。

police

该词通常表示“警察部队”,“警方”这样的含义,是一个集体名词。若表示个别的、具体的“警官”,则用a police officer,或a policeman/policewoman,复数形式是police officers/policemen/policewomen。比如:

 Police in Guangdong Province are investigating an organized cheating operation in Dianbai County of the province, during national college entrance exams.

广东省的警方正在调查一起有组织的高考作弊案件,该起案件发生在广东省的电白县。

 Why don't you ask a policeman? 你为什么不问问警察呢?

The police are investigating the witnesses. 警方正在调查目击者。

poultry

是“家禽”的意思,如鸡、鸭、鹅等。若指这些活体的动物时,要当作复数名词来用。比如:

 Where are your poultry? 你养的家禽呢?

不过,若表示家禽的肉,则要当作单数名词来用。比如:

 Poultry is harder to come by nowadays than beef. 如今禽肉比牛肉难买到。

在英语中,有些动物与其肉制品是同一个名词,比如chicken既可以是活蹦乱跳的“鸡”这个动物,也可以是“鸡肉”。但有些动物与其肉制品不是同一个名词,比如“猪”是pig,而“猪肉”是pork;“牛”是ox, bull或cow,而“牛肉”是beef。

livestock

表示“农场里饲养的牲畜”,是一个集体名词,当作复数名词,用复数谓语。请看例句:

Our livestock are not as numerous as they used to be. 我们饲养的牲畜没有以前的多了。

the United States,the United Nations 应视为单数。

单复同形,如deer,sheep,fish,Chinese,Japanese ,li,jin,yuan,two li,three mu,four jin等。但除人民币的元、角、分外,美元、英镑、法郎等都有复数形式。如:a dollar, two dollars; a meter, two meters。

包括police,people, cattle, militia, vermin等,这些集体名词通常用作复数。

例如:

The British police have only very limited powers.

The militia were called out to guard the borderland.

It seems the cattle on the sides of the dikes were the only living creatures in these desolate surroundings.

三、“the+形容词”——表示一类人的复数名词

在英文中,“the+形容词”表示一类人,此时当作复数名词,作主语时,谓语要用复数。比如:the English 英国人

The rich are becoming richer. 富人变得更富。

The +姓=某某夫妇

Bowman是姓,其复数是the Bowmans。

四、复数专有名词

在英文中,有些专有名词只用作复数。但如果是群岛、山脉、海峡、瀑布等地理名称作主语,谓语动词用作复数。

例如:

The West Indies are commonly divided into two parts.

The Himalayas have a magnificent variety of plant.

The Straits of Gibraltar have not lost their strategic importance.

The Niagara Falls are perhaps the most splendid waterfall in the world.

the Alps 阿尔卑斯山脉

The Himalayas are the roof of the world. 喜马拉雅山脉是世界屋脊。

The Great Lakes are a series of five lakes between the USA and Canada. 五大湖是位于美国和加拿大之间的五个湖。

The Niagara Falls are the falls on the Niagara River. 尼亚加拉瀑布是位于尼亚加拉河上的一个瀑布群。

Either my grandsons or their father is coming.

五、有些集合名词,ommittee,council,crew,crowd,family,gang,government,group,mob,staff,team, union等,在意义上是复数,但在语法形式上是单数,这类名词作主语的主谓一致问题往往遵循“语法一致”或“意义一致”原则。例如:

The committee has/have decided to dismiss him.

A council of elders governs the tribe.

The present government is trying to control inflation.

The school staff are expected to supervise school meals.

可作单数也可作复数的集体名词,包括audience, committee, crew, family, government,jury等。

例如:

The audience was/were enthusiastic on the opening night of the play.

The committee has/have decided to dismiss him.

The jury is/are about to announce the winners.

The government has/have discussed the matter for a long time.

英语中还有一些以- s结尾的名词,如archives,arms,clothes, contents, eaves, fireworks, goods, minutes, morals, remains stairs, suburbs, thanks,wages这类名词作主语时,谓语动词通常用复数。

例如:

The archives of the country are kept in the Department of Security.

The contents of the book are most amusing.

High wages often result in high prices.

My thanks are sincere.

复数来用的名词的集中特殊情况解析