名词按其词汇意义可分为专有名词和普通名词。
普通名词包括可数名词与不可数名词。可数名词有单复数之分,不可数名词没有复数形式。
1.可数名词复数的规则变化:
① 绝大多数直接加s;
② 以s,ss,sh,ch,x结尾的es;bus→buses,class→classes,wish→wishes,watch→watches,box→boxes.
③ 以一个o结尾的有生命的加es,无生命的加es;
patato→patatoes,tomato→tomatoes,hero→heroes,Negro→Negroes;
photo→ photos,piano→pianos,radio→radios.
* 以oo结尾的加s.bamboo→bamboos, zoo→zoos,kangaroo→kangaroos.
④ 以辅音字母加y结尾的变y为i加es;study→studies, country→countries,city→cities.
⑤ 以f/fe结尾的变f/fe为v加es.leaf→leaves,knife→knives.
2.可数名词复数的不规则变化:
①变元音字母;man→men,wman→women,foot→feet,goose→geese,mouse→mice.
②单复数同形;sheep→sheep,deer→deer,means→means(手段;方法),
series→series(系列),species→species(物种;种类).
③增加字母;child→children,ox→oxen.
④表示某国人的三种变化:
i)单复同形:Chinese→Chinese, Japanese→Japanese,Swiss→Swiss
ii)变man为men:Englishman→Englishmen,Franchman→Franchmen,Dutchman→Dutchmen,
Irishman→Irishmen.
iii)加s:American→Americans,German→Germans,Russian→Russians;Italian→Italian,
Canadian→Canadians,Australian→Australians,Indian→Indians.
3.复合名词的复数变化:
①写成一个词,不含连字符的,把词尾变复数;classroom→classrooms;
②分开写,不含连字符的,把第二个词尾变复数;.girl student→girl students.
若第一个词是man或woman,前后都要变复数;
man teacher→men teachers, woman singer→women singers.
③若其中有名词,把主体名词变成复数;
son-in-low→sons-in-low, looker on(旁观者)→lookers on.
④若其中没名词,在最后一个词后面加复数词尾。grown-up→grown-ups.
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