◆兩碼的布料就可以夠做一條裙子了。
誤:Two yards of clothes will be enough for a skirt.
正:Two yards of cloth will be enough for a skirt.
析:cloth 表示“布”、“衣料”,是不可數(shù)名詞。若用復數(shù)形式 (cloths),則指多種布。
◆用塊軟布擦窗子。
誤:Clean the windows with soft cloth.
正:Clean the windows with a soft cloth.
析:cloth 表示“布”或“布料”,是不可數(shù)的,但若表示用作某 種特殊用途的布(如:桌布,臺布,揩布等),則是可數(shù)的。又 如:I’ve spilt my coffee all over the chair. Bring some cloths quickly, please.(我把咖啡都灑在椅子了,快給我拿揩布來)。(from www.yywords.com)
二、關(guān)于clothe
◆她總是穿名貴的衣服。
誤:She always clothes expensive clothes.
正:She always clothes herself in expensive clothes.
正:She is always clothed in expensive clothes.
析:clothes 的意思不是“穿(衣)”,而是“給(某人)穿衣”,所 以其賓語總是人而不是衣(注意有時用被動語態(tài))。順便說一句,在現(xiàn)代英語中,用 clothe 的這種用法已不是很常見,往往用 較為通俗的 dress 代之?,F(xiàn)在 clothe更多是用來表示“為某 人提供衣服”,或用于比喻義,指像穿衣似地覆蓋某物,如:He can barely feed and clothe his family.(他勉強能給予全家人以溫飽),Snow clothed the hills.(雪覆蓋著山丘)。
三、關(guān)于clothes
◆她買了一件新衣服。
誤:She bought a new clothes.
正:She bought a new garment.
正:She bought a new article of clothing.
析:clothes 表示“衣服”,是一個總稱名詞,是一個沒有單數(shù)形 式的復數(shù)名詞(永遠是復數(shù)),因此不能直接與不定冠詞連用。
◆她為我買了兩套衣服。
誤:She bought me two clothes.
正:She bought me two suits of clothes.
析:clothes(衣服)雖然是一個沒有單數(shù)形式的復數(shù)名詞,但它卻 不能與直接與數(shù)詞連用。不過可與 a few, many, these, those等連用。順便說一句,表示“一件衣服”用 an article of clothing(此處不用 clothes),表示“一套衣服”用 a suitof clothes(此處不用 clothing)。