草方居

英语名词最基本的类别是可数与不可数。凡表示可以计数的名词叫作可数名词（countable noun），在英语字典里以[C]来表示；凡表示不可以计数的事物的名词叫作不可数名词（uncountable noun），英语字典里以[U]来表示。

可数名词和有单数和复数两种形式；不可数名词只有单数一种形式，如music，information等。但名词可数和不可数的划分并不是绝对的，有时一个名词在用于一种意义时属于不可数一类，在表示另一种意义时属于可数一类。就以information为例，一般属不可数名词，但用作“公诉人对一项刑事罪犯提出的控告”时便成为可数名词，如lay an information against sb. (控告某人)。可数名词与不可数名词的划分参照此图表。

                                普通名词

            可数名词

                                某些集体名词

名词

                                专有名词

                                物质名词

          不可数名词    抽象名词

                                某些集体名词

抽象名词的转化，注意词义会发生变化：

不可数名词的转化实例

1. She saw a smoke in the distance. (一缕青烟)

  Their hopes proved to be smoke. (落空)

2. The young man walked with an air. (有风度)

  Birds fly in the air. (空中)

3. It was really a heavy rain. (一场大雨)

  There was rain in the night. (下雨)

4. That German drank three sodas. (汽水)

  Add some soda to the whisky. (苏打水)

5. The boy has a keen intelligence. (敏锐的头脑)

  Use your intelligence, and you ‘re sure to achieve something. (聪明才智)

6. There has been a disturbance in the street. (骚乱)

  I dislike external disturbance when I am reading. (骚扰)

7. The poor girl was full of cares and fears. (忧虑重重)

  Cross the road with care. (留神)

8. The soldiers lost heart and retreated. (勇气)

  The boy and the girl lost their hearts. (倾心)

9. It’s a pity that you have to go so soon. (真遗憾)

  I felt great pity for the woman whose baby died. (同情)

10. There are delicacies of the season in that restaurant. (应时的珍肴美味)

   She spoke with delicacy of our recent loss. (机敏婉转地)

11. He is a man of nerve. (胆量)

   He does not know what nerves are. (害怕)